Psychometric validity of the Problem-Focused Style of Coping scale: in relation to self-efficacy and life satisfaction among nursing staff in Taiwan.

AIMS

This paper is a report of a study of psychometric properties of the Problem-Focused Style of Coping-Chinese version questionnaire.

BACKGROUND

Coping with stress is an important topic in the 21th century, which deserves further attention. Although a variety of instruments have emerged to assess an individual's coping responses to stress, research suggests that numerous problems are associated with the current measurements. Since most coping scales are criticized as lacking valid estimates across occupational samples and cultures, there is an immediate need to develop a reliable and valid coping-style scale.

METHOD

The study used a convenience sample and a sampling frame consisting of 307 nurses from different medical units in two regional hospitals in Taiwan. The data collection period was from May 2009 to June 2009. Exploratory factor analyses and reliability estimates were calculated.

RESULTS

The factor analysis revealed three coping factors: reflective, suppressive and reactive. All reliability and validity estimates were satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

The Problem-Focused Style of Coping-Chinese version questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of nurses' dispositional coping style and can be used for educational training programmes to enhance nurses' stress management skills.