An exploratory factor analysis of the procedural coping questionnaire

The current study seeks to examine the factor structure of the Procedural Coping Questionnaire (PCQ) in a sample of healthy children. In addition, the relation between the PCQ, a measure of medical procedure-specific coping strategies, was examined in relation to the Children's Behavioral Styles Scale (CBSS), a measure of dispositional coping style. A sample of 192 healthy children completed an 18-item version of the PCQ and the CBSS. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine factor structure of the PCQ. Correlations between each factor of the PCQ and subscales of the CBSS were examined. The EFA yielded a two-factor solution for the final 15 items of the PCQ retained, fitting theoretical conceptualizations of engagement/approach and disengagement/avoidant coping styles. Moderate to strong correlations were found between the Approach/Avoidant factors of the PCQ and the Monitoring/Blunting subscales of the CBSS. The results support the PCQ as a measure of situation-specific (i.e., medical procedure) approach-avoidant coping styles in healthy children.