How to evaluate coping strategies for stressful situations?: validation of the CSI in a Spanish university population

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) in a sample of students from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) in the COVID-19 post-pandemic setting. For this, a cross-sectional study was conducted in which 2835 university students (71.1% women and 28.9% men) participated, with an average age of 21.8 years (SD= 2.97). The factorial structure of the scale was assessed using descriptive and confirmatory analyses, and the results confirm that the CSI maintained the structure of eight correlated factors. In addition, the CSI presented adequate levels of reliability that provide evidence for its use among Spanish university students. Taking into account the characteristics of stress in a university population, having instruments validated in higher education regarding students’ coping strategies for stressful situations makes it possible to analyze and, therefore, influence the implementation and development of education policies aimed at improving the academic experiences of university students.