Factorial validity and measurement invariance of the short version of Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations among parents of normal and exceptional children

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating factorial validity and measurement invariance of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations – Short Form (CISS-SF, Endler & Parker, 1999) among parents of normal and expectional children. A correlation method was employed where 800 parents (400 parents of normal and 400 parents of exceptional children) were administered the CISS-SF. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the factorial validity and invariance of factorial structure of CISS-SF. Results of principal component analysis and varimax rotation replicated the three-factor structure of task-oriented coping, avoidance-oriented coping and emotion-oriented coping in parents. Goodness-of-fit indices of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the 3 extracted factors. Results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated cross-group invariance of of the CISS-SF across both samples. Significant correlations between the subscales of CISS-SF and neurotisim confirmed convergent validity of the CISS-SF. Internal consistency reliability coefficients for each of its subscale of CISS-SF indicated that CISS-SF had high reliability among parents. Results of the present study show that because of the factor structure and the validity of the check list of stress-causing situations in the two groups with parents of normal and exceptional children, the check list may be considered a valid tool for the evaluation and measurement of preferred styles of coping in the two groups of Iranian parents when facing stressful situations.