Scale Overview & Construct
28-item self-report measure of coping strategies across 14 subscales (2 items each): Self-Distraction, Active Coping, Denial, Substance Use, Emotional Support, Instrumental Support, Behavioral Disengagement, Venting, Positive Reframing, Planning, Humor, Acceptance, Religion, and Self-Blame.
Purpose & Measurement Objectives
Instrument Specifications
Scientific Documentation & Psychometric Rigor
Internal Consistency & Reliability
Original and subsequent studies report acceptable internal consistency for most of its brief 2-item subscales.
Construct & Criterion Validity
Derived from and validated against the full-length COPE Inventory; extensively used across health and clinical psychology research.
Academic Citations
Carver, C. S. (1997). You want to measure coping but your protocol's too long: Consider the Brief COPE. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4(1), 92-100.
Academic Citation & Instrument Provenance
When referencing this instrument in research, academic theses, or clinical institutional audits, please cite the original author publication:
Governance, Boundaries & Ethical Use
Imported from the OpenScales open item-bank project. This specific digital implementation has not been independently clinically validated by PsiQ — scores are for self-reflection, research, and educational purposes only. Each subscale is reported individually; there is no composite score, matching the original instrument.
License: CC BY 4.0. Citation: Carver, C. S. (1997). "Consider the Brief COPE" when protocol length is problematic. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4(1), 92–100.