Measuring Preventive Coping: Factor Structure of the Preventive Resources Inventory

• In Event: 66.083 - Researching Stress and Developing Interventions That Promote Wellness in Educational Settings

Abstract

Objectives
The present study sought to further develop a measure of preventive coping, the Preventive Resources Inventory (PRI). First, the AUTHORS sought to develop new items to incorporate more recent literature on preventive coping and then test the factor structure of this new pool of items. Secondly, the AUTHORS investigated if the PRI scales demonstrated predicted relationships with existing measures of coping, similar in content to scales of the PRI.
Theoretical Framework
Historically, the focus of coping literature has been on combative coping, the process of managing a known and imminent stressor (Matheny, Aycock, Pugh, Curlette, & Canella, 1986). However preventive coping, the process of avoiding or mitigating a potential stressor, has been identified as holding potential for better outcomes (Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004). The emerging construct of preventive coping is still poorly understood and few tools are available to accurate assess resources associated with preventive coping. The PRI was developed to measures individual resources used to prevent stress rather than withstand stress (AUTHORS, 2002). While a number of studies have provided evidence for the reliability and validity of the PRI with college students (AUTHORS, 2002; AUTHORS, 2006) and teachers (AUTHORS, 2009; AUTHORS, 2010), the field of preventive coping has advanced since the PRI was originally developed. Additionally, the factor structure of the PRI was established in over a series of studies with new items and a scale piloted at later stages of factor analysis. This has resulted in a rather understanding of the factor structure of the current PRI.
Methods
For the first research objective, the data was randomly split into two groups. Group 1 was used to perform an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Group 2 was used to perform a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The models of the CFA were based on the results of the EFA as well as previous research of the PRI. With regard to the second research objective, provided some evidence of the validity of the PRI by examining the correlations between PRI scale scores and measures of similar constructs.
Data Source
Participants included 1449 students from the subject pool at a large research university.
Results
The results of the EFA and CFA provided evidence for a three-factor solution of the PRI. The overall pattern of correlations between the PRI scales and similar measures were moderate and in the expected direction.
Scholarly Significance: The present study provides evidence of the factor structure of a measure of preventive resource inventory and results suggest construct validity of the revised measure.

Authors

• Molly Allender, The University of Texas at Austin

• Susan Murphy, University of Texas

• Christopher J. Mccarthy, The University of Texas at Austin

• Kristen Mosley, University of Texas at Austin