TITLE:
Psychometric Properties of the Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies (MACS)
AUTHORS:
Sigrun Sveinbjornsdottir, Einar Baldvin Thorsteinsson
KEYWORDS:
Adolescent; Coping; Cross-Cultural; Scale; Psychometrics
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.5 No.2,
February
26,
2014
ABSTRACT: This paper presents the collective results of three independent studies
in two countries, Australia and Iceland, aimed to develop a psychometrically
sound adolescent coping scale, the Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies
(MACS). Study 1, relying on 3034 Australian and 6908 Icelandic adolescents,
revealed five conceptually distinct first-order factors. Two second-order
factors (dimensions) were derived: (a) adaptive coping encompassing
stoicism/distraction, seeking social support, and self-care, and (b) maladaptive
coping encompassing acting out and rumination. This factor structure was
supported by multisample confirmatory factor analysis (MSCFA) across age,
gender and national samples. Study 1 established evidence of discriminant
validity. In Study 2, including 534 Australian adolescents, the factor
structure was verified through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Studies 1
and 2 provided evidence of construct validity. Study 3, employing 118 Icelandic
adolescents, established 16-week test-retest reliability and evidence of
convergent validity. Therefore, the MACS is a short, reliable and valid scale
to measure adolescent coping, thus enabling clinicians, researchers and
educators to improve their practice when conducting research and guiding
adolescents in developing effective coping methods.