Coping with weight stigma: development and validation of a Brief Coping Responses Inventory

Abstract

People who are overweight or obese are frequently stigmatized because of their weight, but there has been limited exploration of how people cope with these experiences. The Coping Responses Inventory (CRI) assesses a wide range of coping strategies in response to weight stigma; however, its length (99 items) may have prevented it from being widely used. The aim of the current research (four studies; total N = 1,391) was to develop and validate a Brief CRI. This 10-item measure consists of two subscales that assess core coping responses to weight stigma: reappraisal and disengagement coping. Reappraisal coping is an adaptive form of coping that is associated with greater well-being, whereas disengagement coping reflects a maladaptive form of coping that is associated with poorer well-being. The Brief CRI provides a quick and effective way to assess coping with weight stigma, and its use has the potential to advance an understanding of the consequences of weight stigma.