Relative/Proportional Scoring of the Ways of Coping Checklist: Is it Advantageous or Artifactual?

One way of scoring the Ways of Coping Checklist is to compute relative proportional scores in which the mean score for each scale is divided by the sum of the means for all of the scales. The proportional scoring method reportedly sets the score on each scale relative to the score for the whole scale. Using the proportional scores, direct comparisons can be made for the profiles of subjects who differ in term of the sheer magnitude of their responses. In the present article, it is argued that the relative scoring method introduces an artifact that confounds multivariate statistical analyses and ignores an individual's general reactivity to problems. Quantitative examples are given to illustrate some of the ways in which relative scoring distorts the pattern of intercorrelations among the WCC scales and thereby produces misleading multivariate results. Multivariate analysis of the raw scores is then shown to accomplish the mission set forth for the relative/proportional scores. The latter analysis suggests that an intricate structural relationship exits between components of coping and depression. It is concluded that the relationship between coping and depression may be a matter of how effective the coping effort is when the individual is reactive to problems.