The Brief COPE is a widely used self-report questionnaire that assesses coping strategies individuals use when faced with stress or challenging situations. It was developed by Carver in 1997 as a shorter version of the original COPE Inventory. The questionnaire consists of 28 items that measure various coping strategies.
The Brief COPE questionnaire focuses on 14 different coping strategies:
o Active coping: Taking active steps to deal with the problem.
o Planning: Developing a plan of action to address the problem.
o Using instrumental support: Seeking practical assistance or advice from others.
o Seeking informational support: Gathering information to better understand the situation.
o Venting: Expressing negative emotions and seeking emotional support.
o Positive reframing: Finding positive aspects or silver linings in the situation.
o Acceptance: Accepting the reality of the situation and learning to live with it.
o Religion: Finding solace and support in religious or spiritual beliefs.
o Self-distraction: Distracting oneself from the problem through engaging in other activities.
o Denial: Refusing to accept or acknowledge the reality of the situation.
o Behavioral disengagement: Giving up or withdrawing from the situation.
o Self-blame: Blaming oneself for the problem or feeling guilty.
o Substance use: Using substances such as alcohol or drugs to cope.
o Mental disengagement: Avoiding thinking about the problem or distracting oneself mentally.
Participants are asked to rate how often they use each coping strategy on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from "I haven't been doing this at all" to "I've been doing this a lot." The results can provide insights into an individual's preferred coping strategies and their overall coping style.
1. Mojdeh Gholamizadeh Behbahani, Denis Lajoie, (2024). Patterns of individual differences in coping strategies: Criterion profile analysis of open coping strategies data, Personality and Individual Differences. 223, 112634, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886924000941)