A Principal Components Analysis and Validation of the Coping with the College Environment Scale (CWCES)

Abstract

The present study describes the development and initial validation of the Coping with the College Environment Scale (CWCES). Participants included 433 college students who took an online survey. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) revealed six coping strategies: planning and self-management, seeking support from institutional resources, escaping through substance (pills, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana) use, seeking support from friends, spirituality, and seeking support from family. Together, these components accounted for 57.12% of the variance. Validation of the CWCES included examining gender differences on the components and correlations between the six components and sense of belonging measures. College students experience considerable stress. Colleges can use information from the CWCES to help students cope with stress more effectively and possibly improve student retention.