The Emotional Approach Coping Scales in Chinese: Validation, Psychometric Properties, and Measurement Invariance

Abstract

American and Chinese literatures on emotion-focused coping show inconsistent associations with distress, attributable to criterion contamination problems with measures. This problem was remedied by the American Emotional Approach Coping (EAC) scales, which are not confounded with distress; however, there is no Chinese counterpart. The EAC is of theoretical interest for exploring cross-cultural models of psychological and physical health since it allows one to measure emotion processing (theoretically lowering distress) without emotion expression (maintaining collectivist group harmony). In the present study, the EAC scales were translated into Chinese and their factorial, criterion, and discriminant validity as well as measurement invariance of the two versions were examined in 353 Chinese and 491 Americans. Previous validational findings for American EAC scales were replicated and configural and metric invariance demonstrated, supporting the comparable reliability and validity of the Chinese EAC scales. Chinese showed fewer gender differences than Americans.

“The light after the storm”: Psychosocial correlates of adversarial growth among nurses in Hong Kong amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“…On a 4-point Likert scale (1 as I usually don’t do this at all , 4 as I usually do this a lot ), participants were asked to rate how frequently they processed (two items; e.g., “I take the time to figure out what I’m really feeling,” α = .62) and expressed (two items; e.g., “I take time to express my emotions,” α = .82) their emotions when coping with COVID-19-related stressors. The scale was reliable; the scores were positively associated with problem-focused coping and positive reframing among Chinese college students (Tse et al, 2020).…”

‘Caring for the helpers’: factors associated with professional quality of life among Hong Kong nurses during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…‘I take time to express my emotions’, α = .82) their emotions to cope with COVID-19-related stressors. The scales have been shown to be reliable and valid among Chinese college students (Tse et al, 2020 ).…”

Coping resources mediate the prospective associations between disrupted daily routines and persistent psychiatric symptoms: A population-based cohort study

“…Meaning making at T2 was assessed using a combination of positive reinterpretation and growth subscale from the COPE ( Carver et al, 1989 ; Yang, 2021 ) and emotional processing scale ( Stanton et al, 2002 ; Tse et al, 2020 ) during the past month prior to the interview, which was frequently used in prior studies of meaning making ( Park and George, 2013 ). The positive reinterpretation and growth subscale comprised four items on attempts to see the situation in a more positive way (α = 0.85).…”