# Refining the Multidimensional Measure of Coping for Adolescents: Psychometric Validation of a Short Form and Its Higher-Order Structure in Chinese Adolescents

## TL;DR

This study refines a tool to measure how Chinese adolescents cope with academic stress, creating a shorter, more reliable version with a clearer structure.

## Contribution

The study introduces a validated short form of the Multidimensional Measure of Coping with a novel higher-order structure for adolescents.

## Key findings

- The 34-item MMC-SF reliably preserves the original 11-factor structure of the full measure.
- A hybrid higher-order structure was identified, including proactive engagement and defensive disengagement as higher-order dimensions.
- The tool shows predictive validity in relation to academic self-efficacy and burnout.

## Abstract

How students cope with academic stress is crucial for learning and well-being. The Multidimensional Measure of Coping (MMC) provides a comprehensive hierarchical assessment of academic coping; however, its length and adaptive–maladaptive distinction may limit practical use and constrain a more differentiated understanding of academic coping. This study aimed to refine the MMC and propose a differentiated higher-order structure for the MMC-Short Form (MMC-SF). Data were drawn from three adolescent samples from Northwest China (2024–2025): an exploratory sample (N = 1342), a confirmatory sample (N = 2037; test–retest N = 367; 4 weeks), and a longitudinal sample (T1 N = 948; T2 N = 760 at 1 month; T3 N = 893 at 6 months). Psychometric analyses (item analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]) demonstrated that the 34-item MMC-SF reliably preserved the original 11-factor structure. Furthermore, a multi-method investigation integrating higher-order exploratory factor analysis and second-order CFA supported a hybrid higher-order structure, with proactive engagement and defensive disengagement as higher-order dimensions and escape coping as a distinct first-order factor. The predictive validity was examined in relation to academic self-efficacy and burnout. These findings support the reconceptualization of academic coping and provide a brief, psychometrically robust assessment tool.