The Development of Psychometric Measures of Maladaptive Coping Scale (MCS)
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Maladaptive coping refers to ineffective stress management strategies that have the potential to worsen an individual's psychological condition. These strategies include internalizing behaviors such as withdrawal and self-blame, as well as externalizing behaviors such as impulsivity and aggression. This study aimed to develop the Maladaptive Coping Scale (MCS), based on the framework of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS). A quantitative approach was employed for instrument development, involving 250 participants aged 18 – 30 years. It consisted of 36 items covering two dimensions and four subdimensions. Content validity tested using CVI showed that 27 items were valid (I-CVI ≥ 0.78). Reliability tested using Cronbach’s Alpha yielded (a = 0.875). A chi-square test showed a balanced distribution of responses (p = 1.000). This conclude that the MCS is a valid and reliable instrument for identifying maladaptive coping strategies and can be used in psychological assessment and culturally contextualized interventions in Indonesia.
Keywords: maladaptive coping, early maladaptive schemas, internalizing, externalizing, instrument development
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