Assessing Coping With Interpersonal Stress

Three studies involving approximately 4,100 Japanese were conducted to estimate the validity and reliability of the Interpersonal Stress Coping Scale (ISCS) in Japan, an instrument designed to measure strategies used to cope with interpersonal stressors. Factor analyses revealed that the ISCS has a stable three-factor structure: distancing, reassessing, and constructive coping. Distancing coping includes strategies that attempt to actively damage, disrupt, and dissolve a stressful relationship. Reassessing coping refers to efforts to patiently wait for an appropriate opportunity to act, such as a change or improvement in the situation. Constructive coping involved efforts that actively seek to improve, maintain, and/or sustain a relationship without aggravating the other individuals involved. The test–retest reliability coefficients of these three factors over a 6-week period were .81, .72, and .76, respectively. Estimates of validity suggested that the ISCS is related to other scales that measure other coping strategies, personality traits, psychological functioning, and relationship satisfaction. Moreover, the ISCS scores were associated with reduced future depression, even after controlling the effects of typical coping strategies and styles of conflict management. Overall, our data indicate that the ISCS scores are a reliable and valid measure.