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.
