The Essen Coping Questionnaire (ECQ) in “public domainâ€

Abstract

Background: Coping with disease, defined as the thoughts and behaviours used to manage the internal and external demands of chronic illness, has been a focus of medical and health psychology for four decades. This study proves the applicability and the psychometric properties of the Essen Coping Questionnaire (ECQ), which is in public domain. It consists of 45 items and nine scales: (1) Active problem-solving coping, (2) Diversion and encouragement, (3) Information-seeking and exchange of experience, (4) Minimization and wishful thinking, (5) Depressive coping, (6) Openness for help, (7) Active search for social support, (8) Confidence in doctor’s competence, and (9) Working out an intrinsic stability. Methods: 1.815 patients with different somatic diseases (51% female), mean age 48 years (± 16, 16-86) served as the normative group. Reliability and validity were investigated; Stanine-scores were presented. Results: Minor gender (women scored higher on scales 3, and 8) and age effects (older patients scored higher on scales 3, and 4; younger patients scored higher on scales 5, and 7) were found. Cronbach’s Alpha was sufficient (scales 1, 3, 5, and 7 > 0.70; scales 2, 6, 8, and 9 > 0.60; scale 4 > 0.50). Explorative factor analyses supported a five-factor solution. Scale 5 correlated high with psychological distress; scale 7 with social support. Replicability was proven in a small sample of neurological rehabilitation patients (n = 48). Conclusion: The ECQ serves as a short screening tool for assessing coping with disease. Item and scale reduction are possible after future research.