Adolescent coping in Fiji: The Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies (MACS) scale

• Main Authors: Sveinbjornsdottir, Sigrun, Thorsteinsson, Einar
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: figshare 2016
• Subjects: 111704 Community Child Health; FOS Health sciences; 111710 Health Counselling; 111712 Health Promotion; 111708 Health and Community Services; Stelpa; Iceland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4036533.v2; https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/MACS-Fiji-data-v06figshare_sav/4036533/2

Aldur = age Kyn = sex (strakur=boy, stelpa=girl)Country_born = in what country were you bornTungumal = First language at home Background : Sveinbjornsdottir and Thorsteinsson (2014) have proposed a two-dimensional theory of adolescent coping with cross-cultural population application within the highest Human Development Index Categories (HDI) category, namely the Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies (MACS). However, this measure has only had limited testing outside western cultures. The present study examines the outcome for MACS in the second highest HDI category using a sample from the Fiji islands. Method : The MACS was answered by 809 adolescents of diverse origins from different parts of Fiji. Respondents included 397 boys 12 to 20 years of age ( M = 15.79) and 409 girls 13 to 19 years of age ( M = 15.60). Results : Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results showed the MACS to have a reliable factorial and dimensional structure in Fiji. The pattern of findings for comparisons between boys and girls in Fiji was similar to that of comparisons between boys and girls in Australia and Iceland. There were no differences on the five MACS coping factors comparing mother tongue (Fijian and Hindi). Conclusion : the two-dimensional theory of adolescent coping was confirmed and the MACS was found to be a useful adolescent coping measure in Fiji.