AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY OF COPING DISPOSITIONS FOR ASAMPLE OF RECENTLY DIVORCED MOTHERS

This study examined the construct validity of the assessment of coping dispositions. Recently divorced mothers (ns = 169-203) were assessed on 11 dimensions of coping, the number of major and small life stresso rs, and psychological distress on 2 occasions, 5.5 months apart. Confi rmatory factor analyses supported the presence of 4 related dimensions of coping: Active Coping, Cognitive Restructuring, Social Support See king, and Avoidance. Active Coping was associated with less distress, but this relationship was modest in size and did not hold over time. A voidance was consistently associated with greater distress in the cros s-sectional analyses, but there was also evidence that psychological d istress and small stressful events were ''causes'' of increased avoida nce. In summary, the results failed to provide uniform support for cop ing dispositions as currently assessed.