A factor analytic study of coping styles and the MMPI-2 content scales.

The relationships among coping styles and psychopathology were examined with the MMPI-2 content scales and a reliable and valid coping measure--the Coping Inventory For Stressful Situations (CISS). Subjects were 167 higher-functioning normal adult males. The results are consistent with previous research that employed the CISS; a strong positive association was found between emotion-oriented coping strategies and various measures of psychopathology. Task-oriented coping strategies were found to be unrelated to these measures. Results are discussed in the context of a potential model for understanding the various relationships among coping styles and psychopathology.