diastolic blood pressure when they used the coping strategies of wishful thinking and avoidance. The overall
power of the WCQ and WCC-R in predicting psychological outcomes, but limited evidence in predicting practi-
cal performance outcomes, suggests it is better used as a predictor of physical and psychological health than of
productivity. In addition, these findings indicate less frequent use of maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., wishful
thinking), as opposed to more frequent use of adaptive coping strategies (e.g., problem-focused coping), might
potentially have greater implications for psychological health.
Folkman and Lazarus (1985) found that the WCQ predicted responses to a stressful examination in a theoreti-
cally meaningful way. Students varied their coping style depending on the temporal distance from the exam,
measured two days before the exam, after the exam before the grades were posted, and again after the grades
were posted. Students showed greater use of problem-focused coping before the exam, distancing after the exam,
and wishful thinking, social support, and self-blame depending on the grade received.
Location
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R., Dunkel-Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. (1986). Dynamics of a stressful
encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50 ,
992/C01003. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.50.5.992.
Vitaliano, P.P., Russo, J., Carr, J.E., Maiuro, R.D., & Becker, J. (1985). The ways of coping checklist: Revision
and psychometric properties. Multivariate Behavioral Research ,20,3/C026, doi: 10.1207/s15327906mbr2001_1.
Results and Comments
The WCQ and briefer WCC-R assesses a larger range of coping strategies than the CSI ( Amirkhan, 1990 ).
Given that both the WCQ and WCC-R measure situation-specific coping, the authors have encouraged research-
ers to adjust the wording of the items to reflect the study context. Consequently, the measures are highly
adaptable and useful to assess coping in a wide range of contexts. As a result, these questionnaires have been
employed to investigate coping with a wide variety of stressful situations in an impressive variety of populations,
including children (e.g., Horowitz, Boardman, & Redlener, 1994; Kuther & Fisher, 1998 ), adolescents (e.g., Chan,
1994; Puskar & Lamb, 1991 ), parents (e.g., Hatton et al., 1995; Murphy, Flowers, McNamara, & Young-Saleme,
2008; Vidyasagar & Koshy, 2010 ), working adults (e.g., Sawang et al., 2010; Scherer & Brodzinski, 1990 ), clinical
samples (e.g., Hamilton, Stewart, Crandell, & Lynn, 2009; Lysaker, Davis, Lightfoot, Hunter, & Stasburger, 2005;
Siegel, Schrimschaw, & Pretter, 2005 ), and older adults (e.g., Drozdick & Edelstein, 2001; Lowis, Jewell, Jackson, &
Merchant, 2011 ).
The WCQ and WCC-R have been translated into other languages and validated. A Farsi version of the WCQ,
tested on Iranian adults, has also been validated finding a similar 7-factor structure to what Folkman et al. origi-
nally identified ( Padyab, Ghazinour, & Richter, 2012 ). The psychometric properties of the WCQ also have been
validated in a Turkish community and student sample (Senol-Durak et al., 2012). In addition, a French validation
has been conducted on the WCC-R, finding some support for the 5-factor structure but also support for a 3-factor
structure of seeking social support, avoidance/self-blame, and problem-solving ( Cousson, Bruchon-Schweitzer,
Quintard, & Nuissier, 1996; Cousson-Gelie et al., 2010 ). More recently, a Spanish validation of the WCC-R was
conducted and also found support for the reliability of the scales as well as the 5-factor structure ( Mayo, Real,
Taboada, Iglesias-Souto, & Dosil, 2012 ).
WAYS OF COPING (SAMPLE ITEMS)
Instruction: To respond to the statements in this ques-
tionnaire, you must have a spec ific stressful situation in
mind. Take a few moments and think about the most stress-
ful situation that you have experienced in the past week.
As you respond to each of the statements, please
keep this stressful situation in mind. Read each state-
ment carefully and indicate, by circling 0, 1, 2 or 3, to
what extent you used it in the situation.05Does not apply or not used
15Used somewhat
25Used quite a bit
35Used a great deal
Planful Problem Solving
Just concentrated on what I had to do next /C0the
next step.
I made a plan of action and followed it.343 STATE COPING MEASURES
III. EMOTION REGULATION