Psychometric parameters of the Persian version of the Brief COPE among wives of patients under hemodialysis

Background: The Brief COPE is widely validated and popularly used in assessing coping strategies in major life stressors on various populations. This study carried out to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Brief COPE among wives of patients under hemodialysis.   Methods: The Brief COPE was translated into Persian language according to the standard method and the psychometric properties of the instrument were assessed among 212 wives of patients under hemodialysis in Tehran, Iran, in 2016. Content validity was established, by 15 expert opinions. Face validity was determined by respondents and expert opinion. Construct validity was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were used to determine the internal consistency and test-retest reliability, respectively.   Results: All 28 Items of Brief COPE scale had content validity index greater than 0.7, suggesting a good validity value of the items in terms of relevancy (range 0.8 - 0.94). The wording of some items was modified to make them more readily understood by the participants, although the core meaning of each item was kept intact and to observe Iranian cultural adaptation; two items were adjusted. Result of confirmatory factor support 14 factor structure of the scale has good fit. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was acceptable for the total scale (α= 0.77) and for subscales (range 0.7 - 0.91). The intraclass correlation coefficient was acceptable for scale (r=0.76, P value= 0.001).   Conclusion: The Persian translation of the Brief COPE is a valid and reliable instrument to determine coping strategies in women living with the husband on hemodialysis.