The development and validation of the family coping expectations scale: socialized responses to adverse life experiences and their associations with personal and relational wellness

ABSTRACT Drawing upon schema theory and family communication patterns theory, this study developed and validated a new measure of family coping expectations. Participants included 505 adult children who reported on their family’s expectations for how to communicate and cope with stress and adversity. Results produced a 27-item measure that assessed adults’ perceptions of their family’s coping expectations across four dimensions: rely on family support, avoid outside help, pretend you’re OK, and follow our lead. Tests of convergent and discriminant validity supported the construct validity of the FCE scale and revealed meaningful associations with family communication patterns, mental health, and family satisfaction.