Testing a coping scale in Mexican families in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring the psychometric properties

• Published in: Salud mental (México) Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 105 - 113
• Main Authors: Espinoza-Salgado, Fatima Sagrario, Velasco-Rojano, Angel Eduardo, Padilla-Bautista, Joaquin Alberto, Aguilar-Delgadillo, Cintia, Montero-Pardo, Xolyanetzin, Toiber-Rodriguez, Marla Naivi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria 01-05-2022; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz
• Subjects: Psychiatry; COVID-19; afrontamiento familiar; estrés familiar; pandemia; family coping; pandemic; family; family stress; familia
• ISSN: 0185-3325
• DOI: 10.17711/SM.0185-3325.2022.015

Introduction. The rapid spread of the pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, more commonly known as COVID-19, required sanitary measures, such as social distancing and quarantining, which represented non-normative stressors for Mexican families. Objective. Obtaining evidence of the validity and reliability of a family coping scale in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method. A questionnaire was developed containing 48 items, and responses were collected using Google forms with a total of 558 participants. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to obtain the reliability and validity of the scale. Results. The instrument is made up of six factors that explain 67.27% of the variance. The scale had a McDonald's omega coefficient of .82, and the model had a good fit with most values equal to or higher than .90. Discussion and conclusions. The final items showed proper theoretical congruence and good indicators of fit. These results allow for the assertion that factors 1, 2, 5, and 6 allude to a good family adaptation in the face of the pandemic. Meanwhile, factors 3 and 4 indicate a poor family adaptation. Among the main contributions of this study is that this is one of the first scales to address the subject in Mexico, followed by statistical data that suggests the scale possesses appropriate psychometric properties to be used in the Mexican population. Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, family, family stress, family coping. Introduccion. La rapida propagacion de la pandemia por el virus SARS-CoV-2, mas conocido como COVID-19, requirio medidas sanitarias, como el distanciamiento social y la cuarentena, que representan estresores no normativos para las familias mexicanas. Objetivo. Obtencion de evidencia de la validez y confiabilidad de una escala de afrontamiento familiar ante la pandemia por COVID-19. Metodo. Se desarrollo un cuestionario que contenia 48 items y las respuestas se recopilaron mediante un formulario de Google con un total de 558 participantes. Se realizo un analisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio para obtener la confiabilidad y validez de la escala. Resultados. El instrumento esta compuesto por seis factores que explican el 67.27% de la varianza. La escala tuvo un coeficiente Omega de McDonald's de .82, y el modelo tuvo un buen ajuste con la mayoria de los valores iguales o superiores a .90. Discusion y conclusiones. Los items finales mostraron adecuada congruencia teorica y buenos indicadores de ajuste. Estos resultados permiten afirmar que los factores 1, 2, 5 y 6 aluden a una buena adaptacion familiar ante la pandemia. Por su parte, los factores 3 y 4 indican mala adaptacion familiar. Entre los principales aportes de este estudio se encuentra que esta es una de las primeras escalas que aborda el tema en Mexico, seguido de datos estadisticos que sugieren que la escala posee propiedades psicometricas adecuadas para ser utilizada en poblacion mexicana. Palabras clave: COVID-19, pandemia, familia, estres familiar, afrontamiento familiar.