The COPE inventory: Dimensionality and relationships with approach- and avoidance-motives and positive and negative traits

Two studies evaluated the dimensionality of the COPE inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989) and examined its relationships with approach- and avoidance-motives and positive and negative traits. In Study 1, four coping factors emerged, three of which reflected either self-sufficient or socially-supported coping strategies, along with an avoidant-coping factor. Correlations of scales from the self-sufficient and socially-supported coping factors with behavioral activation and positive traits suggested these factors involved approach-oriented coping, while the avoidant-coping scales correlated with behavioral inhibition and negative traits. In Study 2, similar self-sufficient, socially-supported, and avoidant-coping factors emerged; highly similar correlations were found between the scales that defined these factors with approach- and avoidance-motives and positive and negative traits.