Coping strategies among children and adolescents: validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Kidcope scale

• Published in: Heliyon 2022-01, Vol.8 (1), p.e08706-e08706, Article e08706
• Main Authors: Abdelmageed, Reham I., Elhenawy, Yasmine I., Zaafar, Dalia K., Abdelaziz, Asmaa W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Arabic; Children; Coping strategies; Kidcope
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08706

Coping strategies adopted by children and adolescents play a crucial role in their mental health. This study aimed to develop the Arabic version of the Kidcope, assess its psychometric properties, and examine age and gender differences in the use of coping strategies by children and adolescents. A total of 800 children and adolescents siblings of patients with type 1 Diabetes mellitus completed the Kidcope scale. The developed Arabic Kidcope was checked for its construct validity, reliability, reproducibility, and confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Age and gender differences in coping styles utilization were assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and student t tests. Kidcope chid version yielded a three factors model by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Overall, the 15-items revealed good internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha (0.89), and an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.82. EFA identified a two-factor solution for adolescents' Kidcope version. Overall, the 11-items showed acceptable internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha (0.74), and satisfactory (ICC) of 0.84. For both versions, the CFA supported the yielded factors models with good model fit indices. Developmental age changes were apparent for problem-solving, emotional regulation, and distraction coping strategies, and girls showed an enhanced use of adaptive strategies (problem-solving, social support). The Arabic Kidcope version is a reliable and valid tool to measure coping strategies used by children and adolescents. •The Kidcope is applied in different languages aside from Arabic.•The Arabic version of the Kidcope is reliable and valid.•The three and two-factor structures of the Kidcope were confirmed.•The study explores age and gender differences in coping strategies utilization. Kidcope; Coping strategies; Arabic; Children; Adolescents.