The Development And Validation Of A Family Coping Expectations Measure: Socialized Responses To Adverse Life Experiences And Their Associations With Personal And Relational Wellness

Abstract

Drawing upon family communication patterns theory and extant theories of family coping and resiliency, in this study, I developed and validated a new measure of family coping expectations. Participants included 505 adults who reported on their family’s expectations for how to communicate and cope with stress and adversity. Results produced a 27-item measure that assessed adults’ perceptions of their family’s coping expectations across four dimensions: rely on family support, avoid outside help, pretend you’re OK, and cope as we cope. Tests of concurrent and discriminant validity supported the construct validity of the FCE scale and revealed meaningful associations with mental well-being and relational satisfaction.