Development of the coping with burns questionnaire

The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire for measuring coping following burn injury. Furthermore, the relationship between coping and health status was explored. Participants were 162 burn patients at the Burn Unit of Uppsala University Hospital who were seen between 1980 and 1995. Health status was measured with an abbreviated version of the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-B). Coping was measured retrospectively with the Coping with Burns Questionnaire (CBQ) containing 33 items. A principal components factor analysis of the CBQ resulted in six factors, with alphas ranging between 0.56 and 0.83. These were Re-evaluation/adjustment, Avoidance, Emotional support, Optimism/problem solving, Self-control, and Instrumental action. Re-evaluation/adjustment, Avoidance, Self-control and Instrumental action were related to a higher appraisal of some of the symptoms measured by the BSHS-B, but Avoidance was related to all symptoms in the BSHS-B. Emotional support and Optimism/problem solving were related to less symptom reporting. Implications for the aftercare of burn patients are discussed as well as suggestions for subsequent studies of coping and symptoms following burn injury.