A confirmatory factor analysis of the perceived ability to cope with trauma (PACT) scale

The present study examines the factor structure of the Perceived Ability to Cope with Trauma (PACT) scale (Bonanno, Pat-Horenczyk, & Noll, 2011) in an Italian sample. The authors investigated whether the structure which emerged in the original scale is confirmed in a culturally different sample. Using data from a non-random sample of 450 Italian youths recruited through a snowball sampling approach, an explorative and a confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. The original two-factor structure (Forward Focus and Trauma Focus) was confirmed in the study. However, only 14 of the original 20 items were included in the resulting factor structure. The study highlights the challenges of cross-cultural measurement, in particular about the adaptation of a measure for a different culture. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed. Further studies are necessary to collect additional information about the instrument and to better adapt it for the Italian population.