The Usability of the COPE Index in a Hungarian Sample: Testing the Reliability and Component Structure of the Three Subscales of the Index

Abstract

Context: The COPE Index is a standardised instrument for use as a first assessment of negative impact, positive value, and quality of support among informal carers of older people, validated and available in several languages. However, this instrument has not been tested in a Hungarian sample. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to translate and adapt the COPE Index for use with Hungarian-speaking informal carers, exploring the Index’s component structure and internal consistency. Method: Following standard translation procedures, a Hungarian version of the Index was included in a questionnaire used in a cross-sectional online survey of carers. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the component structure of the instrument, followed by an analysis of the internal consistency reliability of the emergent components. Findings: PCA produced three components from the Index that largely matched those of the original instrument in the case of the full sample; however, in the case of active carers, we could not replicate the same components. Cronbach’s α was satisfactory for all subscales derived from the components. Conclusion: The Index is used in many European countries, and this study has produced a comparable and reliable instrument for use among Hungarian-speaking carers, considering the characteristics of the examined sample. Limitation: The sample is primarily drawn from Facebook, thus it may not fully represent the characteristics of family caregivers in the population. Implications: The Index help in examining the impacts of caregiving and the quality of support among Hungarian-speaking carers, which can contribute to developing more appropriate and effective policies to support them.

Keywords

• informal carers
• burden
• COPE Index
• reliability
• component structure
• Hungary