Examining the association between perseverative coping and depressive symptoms using longitudinal designs: development of the perseveration on failed coping strategies scale

Abstract

Objective: Coping flexibility refers to is an individual’s ability to replace an ineffective coping strategy with an alternative. The dual-process theory of coping flexibility predicts that the repeated use of an ineffective coping strategy (i.e. perseverative coping) causes severe depressive symptoms. To test this hypothesis, we developed the Perseveration on Failed Coping Strategies Scale (PFCS) to measure perseverative coping. Methods: This article comprises three studies; 2,103 college students participated in Study 1 and 259 college students participated in Studies 2 and 3. Study 1 examined the reliability and validity of the PFCS, while Studies 2 and 3 tested the hypothesis. Results: The PFCS score correlated with conceptually related variables, and the Cronbach’s alpha of the PFCS for all samples was 0.781 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.765, 0.796). Even while controlling for the influence of depressive symptoms and other variables conceptually related to perseverative coping at baseline (i.e. coping flexibility and perseverative thoughts), the hierarchical multiple regression analyses in Studies 2 and 3 revealed that perseverative coping measured by the PFCS caused a unique variance in depressive symptoms ten weeks later. Conclusions: The two longitudinal studies using the PFCS supported the hypothesis that perseverative coping is associated with severe depressive symptoms.