Chronic pain coping measures: individual vs. composite scores.

Differences in the use of coping strategies have been hypothesized to explain some of the variation in adaptation among chronic pain patients. Investigators often assess coping using composite indices of different coping strategies. Although the use of composite measures has advantages, it may obscure the importance of specific coping strategies as they relate to functioning. This study compared composite with individual coping scale scores in the prediction of adjustment among chronic pain patients. One hundred and forty-one patients completed the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) and 2 measures of adjustment (Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)). The scales and ratings of the CSQ were factor analyzed to create composite measures, and the ability of the composite scores and individual scales to predict adjustment was compared. The results indicated that the individual scales provided more information than the composite measures regarding the relationship between coping and adjustment to chronic pain. The results also suggested that individual scale scores may be more useful than composite scores in identifying the conditions under which coping efforts have their greatest effects on adjustment.