The Brief COPE Inventory Short Scale for Persons Living With Hypertension: A Nigerian Study of Validity and Reliability

This study focuses on the adaptation and validation of the Brief COPE Inventory-Short Scale (BCI-12) for hypertensive individuals in Nigeria, addressing the need for a culturally relevant and concise tool to assess coping strategies in this population. The adaptation aims to reduce respondent burden while maintaining the psychometric properties of the scale, given the unique challenges of managing hypertension in resource-constrained settings. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, involving 242 hypertensive patients (151 males, 91 females; M = 43 years, SD = 15.79) recruited from the Obafemi Awolowo University Health Centre using a multistage purposive sampling method. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and reliability analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.72), and validity was established through correlation analyses with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (KPDS). The BCI-12 showed significant positive correlations with psychological distress (KPDS, r = 0.52) and negligible correlations with life satisfaction (SWLS, r = 0.013), indicating its ability to differentiate between adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. The findings confirm that the BCI-12 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing coping strategies among hypertensive individuals in Nigeria. Its brevity and cultural relevance make it particularly suited for use in clinical and research contexts. Future studies should explore its longitudinal utility and cross-cultural adaptation to other populations managing chronic conditions.