Coping with Stress Scale (SBCO)

Coping skills under stress

SED — Social and Emotional Development 10–15 min School counsellor

Coping with Stress Scale (SBCO) assesses coping skills under stress. A self-report of the strategies a student reaches for under pressure. What is measured is the repertoire, not the amount of stress.

What it makes visible

Shows which strategies are available, which is what a support plan can actually change.
Distinguishes avoidance from active coping - two profiles that look similar from outside.
Most useful before an exam period, when the repertoire is about to be tested.

Scope and limits

This is a screening and assessment instrument; it does not make a clinical diagnosis. The exact scope of use must be verified against the relevant instrument form, its norm group and the conditions of administration.

SBCO at a glance

Assessment area	SED — Social and Emotional Development
Measures	Coping skills under stress
Duration	10–15 min
Level	Lower secondary, Upper secondary
Administered by	School counsellor
Format	Individual / group / digital
Follow-up	Re-assessment after 3–6 months where appropriate

Focus of the area

Making visible how a student sees themselves, their social bonds, their wellbeing and the resources they draw on under stress.

Frequently asked questions

No. It measures what they do about it. Two students under equal pressure can produce very different profiles here.

Scope note

This structure is designed to support assessment, screening and guidance processes — not to make a clinical diagnosis. The aim is not to diagnose but to know the student more accurately, follow their development and identify the support they need in time.