A PROACTIVE Coping Scale for U.S. College Students: Initial Evidence and Implications

Abstract

The present studies report the development of a PROACTIVE coping scale to evaluate actions used by U.S. college students to prevent or prepare for potential future stressors. Results of EFA and CFA using two samples of U.S. college students (total N = 1123) indicated the viability and stability of a 19-item four-factor model of proactive coping: Active Preparation, Ineffective Preparation, Self-Management, and Utilization of Social Resources. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, and each factor represents a meaningful and distinctive facet of proactive coping behavior. Concurrent and incremental validity estimates indicated that the subscales of the scale were (a) associated with problem-solving appraisal, future-oriented thoughts, life satisfaction, and optimism in expected ways, and (b) accounted for more variance on life satisfaction beyond the effect of the problem-solving appraisal. The results from this study indicate the importance of broadening coping to include proactive coping and how proactive coping is associated with various psychological outcomes.