An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Brief COPE with a Sample of Kenyan Caregivers

Abstract

Given the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Kenya, more Kenyans now find themselves in the role of informal caregiver for a family member or multiple family members living with HIV/AIDS. However, there exists little research on how these individuals cope. The present study explores coping responses among caregivers for family members living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. An exploratory factor analysis of the Brief COPE yielded five factors, with strong loadings on Emotional Support and Instrumental Support. Implications for using the Brief COPE in research and clinical practice among Kenyans are discussed.

Coping trajectories in emerging adulthood: The influence of temperament and gender

“…Additionally, an EFA was preferable because nine of the 14 subscales of the original measure showed poor internal reliability (i.e., Cronbach's αs below 0.80) in our sample. Our analyses derived three coping factors that appeared conceptually and empirically consistent with styles previously observed in the literature, namely, approach, avoidance, and social support seeking (e.g., Kapsou, Panayiotou, Kokkinos, & Demetriou, ; Kimemia, Asner‐Self, & Daire, ; Snell et al, ). Based on these factors, we postulated several primary hypotheses: (1) at baseline, BIS would be associated with strategies associated with avoidance, BAS would be associated with more approach coping, and the female gender would be associated with more social support seeking; (2) in longitudinal analysis, unconditional models would show a decrease in avoidance coping styles and an increase in approach coping styles during this developmental time period; and (3) temperament would be associated with coping change prospectively such that BAS would be associated with more approach coping and BIS would be associated with more avoidance coping over time.…”

Cultural Adaptation of the Brief COPE for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern India

“…This reduction in dimensions is consistent with studies in other settings. An analysis of the Brief COPE in Kenyan care givers yielded 5 factors (emotional and instrumental support; planning, active coping and acceptance; self-blame and behavioural disengagement; religion, positive-reframing and humour; denial and venting) (52), similar to the 8 factors identified in Greek adults (behavioural disengagement; humor; religion; substance use; active/positive; seeking support; avoidance; expression of negative feelings) (53). Even simpler structures were identified among gay men in the U.S. (two factors: behavioural disengagement and active coping) (54) and HIV-positive African-American mothers (three factors: active coping; social support; avoidance) (55).…”

“…Positive re-framing did not substantively contribute to the active planning factor despite moderate factor loading, suggesting it plays a smaller role in this cultural context. Notably, positive reframing also did not emerge as an important dimension of coping in the other cultural settings that assessed the Brief COPE (53-55, 64). Behavioural disengagement and self-distraction did not factor strongly in coping strategies employed by South Indian PLHA.…”

Assessment of coping: a new french four-factor structure of the brief COPE inventory

“…Although the Brief COPE is an instrument that has been widely used in coping research worldwide, some publications previously performed surveys using different structures [9, 22] than the original Brief COPE version [7]. The authors provided structures with a different number of factors (eight [9], seven [22], five [23], and three [24–26] factors), explored in different sociocultural contexts [23, 26], and among various groups of individuals (healthy individuals, ill individuals [22, 25], and caregivers [23, 26]).…”