CHILDREN'S COPING AND COGNITIVE APPRAISALS PDF
Preview CHILDREN'S COPING AND COGNITIVE APPRAISALS
CHILDREN'S COPING AND COGNITIVE APPRAISALS: AN INVESTIGATION OF STRESSOR AND GENDER SPECZFICITY Anne E. Fedorowicz B.A. Honours, University of Manitoba, 19 93 MA., Simon Fraser University, 1995 THESIS SUBMîTTED IN PARTIAL FVLFILLLMENTO F THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHZLOSOPHY in the Department of Psychology O Anne E. Fedorowicz 1998 SIMON FRASER UNiVERSITY October 1998 AU rights reserved This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services seMces bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Weliingtm O#awaON K1AW Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Cariada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exciusive licence ailowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distncbute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distri'buer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electroaic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format . électroniqy e The author retains owaership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othemise de celle-ci ne doivent ê eim primés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Abstract The Children's Coping Questionnaire (CCQ) was developed to address the limitations of existing self-report measures of children's coping. The purpose of this study was ro establish the factonal invariance of the CCQ across gender and stresson. In addition, the constnict validity of the rneasure was investigated by examuiing stressor and gender differences in children's cognitive appraisals of stress and coping strategies, and by examining the relationships among cognitive appraisals, coping, and outcome. Participants were 525 children, aged 8 to 11 yean, who filled out the CCQ. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses showed that both the primary and secondary factor structure of the measure were invariant across gender (boys and girls) and siressors (school, peer, and family problems), with the primary factor structure representing 14 conceptuaily distinct coping strategies, and the secondary factor structure representing the distinction between Approach, Avoidance, and Venting. Situational differences in cognitive appraisals of stress (i.e., perceived control, threat, and blame) were aiso confirmed. ui addition, the results showed that chiidren's coping strategies varied by stressor type and by gender, with gender Merences in coping still being evident even after controlhg for problem content and cognitive appraisals of stress. Lady, significant relationships were demonstrated among cognitive appraisals, coping strategies, and outcome (i.e., perceived coping efficacy), consistent with the contexnial theory of stress and coping and prevîous research on childrenys coping. Overall, the hdings fiom this study provided support for the constnict validity and factorid invariance of the CCQ, suggesting that the CCQ is a promishg measure of children's coping. To Frank & To my Mother and Father Ac knowledgements I wodd like to extend rny sincerest thanks and appreciation to Patricia Kerig, who has mentored and guided me throughout my studies and in the preparation of this thesis. in addition, my th& to Ron Roesch and Ray Koopman for their suggestions and advice in preparing this thesis, as well as to my external examiners, Anita DeLongis and Lucy LeMare, for theu helpful comments. 1 wouid also like to thank everyone who helped with the collection of this data, namely, Corina Brown, Linda Duarte, Lin Lim, Laurel Scharfenberg, and Mandeep Ameja A special thanks to my husband, Frank, whose support and encouragement were never- ending throughout the years of my d e s , a s weil as to my parents for their faith in me. FinaUy, 1 would like to thank the British Columbia Health Research Foundation for the grant that supported the completion of this study. Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................ Dedication IV ............................................................................................................... Acknowledgements v .......................... .................... ........................................................................ Table of Contents vi ......................... ...... ., .................................................................................... List of Tables ;u Lin of Figures ....................................... .................................................................................. xii ............. .....,..... ......................................................................................................... introduction 1 Theory of Stress and Coping ................... ................ ......................................................... 3 . . Conceptualizanon of Coping ............. .. ............................................................... 6 The Memement of Coping. .................. .. ................................................................ 9 Developmental Issues ............................................................... .......................... 9 Concepnial Issues .................................................................................................. Il Psychomeaic Issues ............................................................................................... 17 ............................................... Development oft he Children's Coping Questionnaire 20 Psychometric Properties of the CCQ .......................................... ...........................7..1 Validation of the CCQ ......................... .. ............................................................................. 23' ..................... .....,........œ............. .............................................. Measurement invariance 25 Investigations of Meamernent Invariance in the Coping Literahire ..................... 27 ........................................................................................................ C o m c tV alidation 30 Stressor and Gender Differences in Cognitive Appraisals of Stress .................... 3 1 Stressor and Gender Dzerences in Coping .......................................................... 33 vii Relationships Among Cognitive Appraisais. Coping Strategies. and Outcome. ... 37 Present Study and Hypotheses ...................................................................................... 41 ......................... .......................................................................................................... Method 45 ,., . .......... ... .......................................................................................................... Participants 45 ............................ .......... ........................................................................ Measures 4 6 Questions About You ........................................................................................... 46 ............................................................. Children's Coping Questionnaire (CCQ) 46 ......................................................................................................................... Procedure 47 Data Screeningfïests of Assurnptions ............................................................................. 48 Descri* pti.v e Stati.s h.c s .............. ... ......... .,, ........................................................... 5 0 Hypothesis 1: Factoriai Invariance of the CCQ Across Gender and Stressors ................ 50 Primary Factor St nicture ................................................................................. 5 0 ......................... ............. ................................... Secondary Factor Structure 52 Hypothesis 2: Snessor and Gender Differences in Appraisds and Coping Efficacy. ...... 55 Stressor and Gender DEerences in Appraisais .................................................. 56 Stressor and Gender DBerences in Copîng Efficacy .................. .... ............. 57 Hypothesis 3: Stressor and Gender Differences in Coping Strategies ............................. 58 Stressor and Gender Differences on the Prirnary Coping Scales ........................ 59 Stressor and Gender Differences on the Secondary Coping Scdes. ...................... 61 Controllhg for Problem Content: Gender DEerences in Coping ........................6 3 Controlling for Cognitive Appraisds: Gender Differences in Coping ................ .. 63 Hypothesis 4: Relationships Among Appraisak7 Coping, and Outcome for Boys and .................................................................................................................................. Girls 64 ................................................................................................................................. Discussion 67 ........................................ Factorial hvariance of the Chüdren's Cophg Questionnaire 67 ... Constnict Validity of the Children's Coping Questionnaire. ..... ........................7 2 .. Stressor and Gender Differences in Cognitive Appmisals and Coping Efficacy 72 .................................... Stressor and Gender Differences in Coping Strategies 77 Controllhg for Problem Content and Cognitive Appraisds: Gender Differences in ........ ..................... ............................................................................ Coping 84 Relationships Among Cognitive Appraisds, Coping Stratedes, and Outcome. ... 86 Directions for Future Research ...................................... ,. . . .92 efereces. ........................................................................................................................... 9 7 Appendix A: ChiIdren's Coping Questionnaire - Item Composition .................................. 120 Appendix B: Questions About You ....................... .. ...................................................... 125 Appendix C: Cognitive Appraisal Questions. ........... .. .......................................... .... ..... 126 Appendix D: ChiIdren's Coping Questionnaire. . ........ . ..................................................... 127 Appendix E: Perceived Coping Efficacy Questions ....................... ... ........................... 132 Appendix F: Factor Loadings for the Three Factor Solution on the mole Sample .............. 133 ....................... ... ............................................................................................. Appendix G 134 .......... ................ Table G1: Intercorrelations Among Factors for the Whole Sample 134 Table G2: Intercorrelations Among Factors for Girls and Boys .................................... 135 Table G3 : Intercorrelations Among Factors for Schooi, Peer, and FamiLy Stressor. ..... 136 Appendùt H ............................................................................................................................. 137 Table Hl: School Stressor . Means and Standard Devîations for the Primary and ix ........................... .... .............................................. Secondary Coping Scaies by Gender 137 Table H2: Peer Stressor - Means and Standard Deviations for the Primary and Secondary ..... ....................... . ................................................... Coping Scaies by Gender 1 38 - Table H3 : Family Stressor Means and Standard Deviations for the Trimary =cl .. ............................ ..................................... Secondary Coping Scales by Gender 1 39 .. ........................................................................ ............................................. Appendix I 140 Table 11 : Correlations Among Prirnary Cop ing Scales, Cognitive Appraisals, and .......................................................................................................... Outcome for Girls 140 Table i2: Correlations Among Primary Coping Scales, Cognitive Appraisals, and Outcome for Boys ........................ .. ............................................................................. 141 List of Tables Table 1. Definitions and Examples of Coping Categories fiom the Children's Coping ...................................................................................................... Questionnaire 142 . Table 2 Hypothesized Direction of Relationships between Coping Strategies. Cognitive ................................................ ................. Appraisals of Stress. and Outcome 145 Table 3 . Means and Standard Deviations for Primary and Secondary Coping Scales for Boys ................................................................................................................ and Girls 146 Table 4 . Means and Standard Deviations for Primary and Secondary Coping Scales for ....................................................................... School, Peer, and Family Stressors 147 . Table 5 Means and Standard Deviations for Appraisds and Perceived Coping Efficacy for Boys and Girls. ...................................................................................................... 148 Table 6. Means and Standard Deviations for Appraisals and Perceived Coping Efncacy for ....................................................................... School, Peer, and Family Stressors 149 Table 7. Cross-Tabulation of Gender by Stressor ............................................................... 150 Table 8. Cross-Tabulation of Gender by Stressor by Feeling ...................... ... ........ 151 Table 9 . Fit of the Unidimensional Factor Models for the Whole Sample, Across Gender, ............................................................................................. and Across Stressors 152 Table 10. Factor Loadings for the Unidimensional Factor Models br the Mole Sample, Across Gender, and Across Stressors ... .................,,...............,,,......................... .1 53 Table 11 . Factor Loadings for the Three Factor Solution by Gender .......... ............. . ..... 158 Table 12. Factor Loadings for the Three Factor Solution Across Stressors. ...................... 159 Table 13. Congruence Coefficients for the Factor Solutions Found Across Gender ............ 160
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