A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale with Latino Women

Background and Purpose:Coping self-efficacy is a construct of interest in social work practice and research.  It refers to the subjective appraisal of a person’s ability to cope with stressful situations. Coping self-efficacy is crucial among Latinas as it could help them weather the psychosocial stress stemming from oppressive conditions. This construct may be universal, but how it is manifested can vary cross-culturally. This study examined the factor structure of the Coping Self-Efficacy scale (CSE), a 26-item standardized measure. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of Latino women and compared the results to factor structures previously reported in the literature.

Methods:We used a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were 374 community dwelling women of various Latino subgroups, primarily of low socioeconomic status with a mean age of 39 years. Bilingual, bicultural researchers administered the CSE in English (33.2%) and Spanish (66.8%) in community settings as part of a health study in upstate New York.   Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the CSE. The extraction method used was full-information maximum likelihood. The extracted factors were rotated to obtain interpretable factor loadings using promax to allow for correlated factors. Items that did not meet a cutoff point (≤ .40) were not retained in the final structure. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were employed to test three competing measurement models using AMOS software: a single factor model, a three-factor model, and a hierarchical model. Internal consistencies for each factor were examined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.

Results:The EFA revealed a 25-item form of the CSE scale with three factors. A 17-item reduced form of the CSE was used in the CFA.  A single factor model showed a poor fit to the data (chi-square=889.473, df=119, p=000; TLI=.815, CFI=.856, RMSEA=.132). The three-factor model and the hierarchical model showed good fits (chi-square=305.269, df=116, p=.000; TLI=.953, CFI=.965, RMSEA=.066). All subscales of the CSE scale displayed good internal consistency: Use problem-focused coping (6 items, α=.933), stop unpleasant emotions and thoughts (7 items, α =.950), and get support from friends, family and community (4 items, α =.861).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the original three factor structure of the CSE may not be the best fit for Latinas. The 17 item reduced form of the CSE captured well a three-factor structure underlying the CSE scale. The hierarchical model explained the inter-correlations between the three factors more parsimoniously. Future research could compare the factor structures of the CSE among women of various racial and ethnic groups including Latinas to identify differences. For both practitioners and researchers, this shorter version of the scale offers a measure that could capture more closely how the cultural nuances of coping self-efficacy are experienced among Latinas. It could be used as an assessment tool and to develop intervention strategies for effective coping to help prevent or reduce psychological distress among Latinas. The modified version of the CSE scale could help enhance culturally responsive social work practice and research with Latino women.