The relationship of academic and social coping to achievement and social adaptability

This study examined the relationships among student coping styles and academic achievement and school-based social behaviors. The Academic / Social Coping Inventory (ASCI) was developed for this study in order to measure student coping behavior in Academic and Social situations. Teachers of seven elementary schools in Putnam County, Tennessee were asked to complete an assessment packet on five students in their classroom. Second, third, fourth, and fifth grade classes were targeted for a total of 280 students. The basic assessment packet consisted of the ASCI and a brief teacher questionnaire on which each student's current grade average, group achievement scores in social studies, math, and reading, and a five-point rating of the student's overall achievement and social behavior were recorded. Teachers each received two packets with the Walker Problem Behavior Checklist (1983) included, and two packets with The Coping Inventory (Zeitlin, 1980) included. Teachers were asked to complete one packet per day until all students were assessed. Split-half and test-retest reliability correlation coefficients were significant and supported internal consistency and temporal stability of the ASCI. Correlations of the ASCI with scores on the Coping Inventory (Zeitlin, 1980), and the Walker Problem Behavior Index (1983), were significant and indicated acceptable validity. Analyses of variance indicated that students who scored high on the ASCI Academic and Social Domain Scores and the ASCI Coping Style scores also scored high on the group achievement scores. Similarly, low copers also scored low on achievement. Correlational procedures indicated significant positive linear relationships between adaptive coping and achievement. Negative correlations were evident between maladaptive coping scores and achievement. Similar results were obtained when ASCI coping scores were compared to teacher ratings of academic and social skill.