Model fit and comparisons for the Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies (MACS): Fiji, Iceland, and Australia

• Published in: Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology
• Main Authors: Sveinbjornsdottir, Sigrun, Thorsteinsson, Einar, Lingam, Govinda Ishwar
• Other Authors: Félagsvísinda- og lagadeild (HA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Law (UA), Hug- og félagsvísindasvið (HA), School of Humanities and Social Sciences (UA), Háskólinn á Akureyri, University of Akureyri
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Coping; Cross cultural; Unglingar; Fjölmenning; Akureyri; Pacific; Iceland; University of Akureyri
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/1065; https://doi.org/10.1017/prp.2017.20

Publisher's version (útgefin grein) A two-dimensional theory of adolescent coping with cross-cultural and cross-Human Development Index Categories (HDI) application was tested: the Measure of Adolescent Coping Strategies (MACS). The MACS was answered by 809 adolescents of diverse origins from different parts of Fiji and compared with findings from Australia and Iceland. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results showed the MACS to have a reliable factorial and dimensional structure in Fiji. Differences between girls and boys were similar in Fiji, Australia, and Iceland. Stoicism/distraction was identical for boys and girls in all countries. There were no differences comparing mother tongue (Fijian and Hindi). The two-dimensional theory of adolescent coping was supported. Thanks to the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education at the University of the South Pacific for support, and to Miliakere Leawere and the late Brynjar Ingi Skaptason for their valuable assistance. We also thank the Ministry of Education in Suva for support, and staff and students of secondary schools from all educational directorates of Fiji for their participation. Finally, we thank Natasha M. Loi for reading the manuscript and providing feedback. This research was supported by a grant from The University of Akureyri Research Fund. Peer reviewed