Test/C0Retest
Test/C0retest reliability of the WCQ was relatively poor over two weeks in surgical patients (ranging from .36 to
.52;Sørlie & Sexton, 2001 ) and over 4 years in parents of children with Down’s syndrome (ranging from .39 to
.89;Hatton, Knussen, Sloper, & Turner, 1995 ). However, it should be noted that Folkman and Lazarus (1988)
argued that it is inappropriate to consider the test /C0retest reliability of the WCQ because of the dynamic process
the measure is designed to capture. Individuals are expected to adjust their coping responses based on the spe-
cific situation, and the success or failure of particular strategies.
Validity
Folkman and Lazarus (1988) claimed evidence for convergent and discriminant validity in the fact that find-
ings with the WCQ were consistent with their theoretical predictions.
Convergent/Concurrent
Clark et al. (1995) provided further evidence for convergent validity by showing generally expected correla-
tions between the WCQ and comparable subscales from the COPE and CSI, reviewed elsewhere in this chapter.
Divergent/Discriminant
Problem-focused coping ( r52 .14) and seeking social support ( r52 .12) were significantly negatively related
to occupational stress while the other coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, wishful thinking, and avoidance) had
smaller relationships with occupational stress ( r52.02 to2.06)/C0(Clark et al., 1995 ).
Construct/Factor Analytic
Using a sample of 306 students and conducting confirmatory factor analysis, Clark et al. (1995) concluded that
the factor structure identified by Folkman et al. (1986) fit the data well. Among 137 employees, Wright (1990) dem-
onstrated support for the 7-factor structure of the measure as well as the Internal Consistency of the seven scales.
Vitaliano et al. (1985) examined the WCC-R, and found that a principal components analysis originally sup-
ported a six-component solution, although loadings on the items suggested that a five-component solution was
more parsimonious. Since the original Vitaliano et al. (1985) validation study, the WCC-R has been validated
using a confirmatory approach rather than an exploratory approach. In a large sample of full-time Asian employ-
ees, Sawang and colleagues (2010) found that a briefer, 5-factor structure model (i.e., problem-focused, seeks
social support, self-blame, wishful thinking, and avoidance) fit the data better.
Criterion/Predictive
The WCC-R subscales have been found to correlate with reports of occupational stress in a meaningful way
(Sawang et al., 2010 ). For instance this pattern of relationships indicates that coping strategies related to self-
blame, wishful thinking, and avoidance might not be as adaptive as problem-focused coping and seeking social
support for the work context.
In terms of mental health, the WCC-R predicted anxiety and depression in spouses of patients with senile
dementia, psychiatric outpatients, and medical students ( Vitaliano et al., 1985 ). Overall, wishful thinking and
seeking social support were the strongest predictors of anxiety, accounting for up to 14% and 15% of the vari-
ance, respectively. Wishful thinking was also a strong positive predictor of depression, accounting for up to 21%
of variance, as was problem-focused coping, which accounted for the same amount of variance (but was linked
with lower depression).
Folkman et al. (1986) found that the WCQ was a good predictor of mental well-being among married couples.
Coping as measured by the WCQ scales was found to be an excellent predictor of psychological health and only
a weak predictor of physical health. In a study with nurses, using the briefer WCC-R, Mark and Smith (2011)
found no relation between problem-focused coping and clinical anxiety scores, while escape/avoidance ( r5.34),
wishful thinking ( r5.34), and self-blame ( r5.48) were all significant predictors. There was a small, but signifi-
cant, negative correlation between problem-focused coping ( r52 .10) and depression scores, while self-blame
(r5.38) and wishful thinking ( r5.28) were significant positive predictors of depression.
Somewhat surprisingly, Bolger (1990) found that the WCQ did not predict concrete academic outcomes among
medical students, although certain subscales like wishful thinking predicted greater anxiety about exam perfor-
mance ( r5.36). In line with this, Wright and Sweeney (1989) found civil service employees experienced higher342 12. MEASURES OF COPING FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING
III. EMOTION REGULATION