MEASURING COPING IN ADOLESCENTS - AN APPLICATION OF THE WAYS OF COPING CHECKLIST

Administered a modified version of the Ways of Coping Checklist to 306 adolescents to examine the reproducibility of a five-factor structure that had been previously established using adults. Four of these fact ors were confirmed: Problem Focused, Seeks Social Support, Wishful Thi nking, and Avoidance. However, the factor Blamed Self was not supporte d Adolescents typically identified stressful situations involving scho ol, family, and social contexts, whereas they infrequently depicted is sues related to health and recreational activities. Subjects commonly identified issues concerning themselves or their parents and less freq uently described stressful situations regarding a boyfriend/girlfriend , peer, or supervisor. Females identified stressful episodes involving a boyfriend/girlfriend more often than did males. Females tended to e mploy Seeks Social Support and Wishful Thinking coping strategies, whe reas males used more Avoidance. African-American children used more co ping strategies than did Caucasian children and more frequently apprai sed a stressful episode as one that could be changed.