The purpose of this paper is to compare two approach to assessment of coping patterns. The sampling method was a purposive sampling technique. The study participants were out patients 113 of rheumatoid arthritis center of one University hospitals in Seoul. Datas were collected from Nov. 13 to Nov. 24, 1995. The instruments used for this study were Graphic Rating Scales of pain, The Beck Depression Inventory and Coping Patterns tool. The collected data were analyzed for frequency, means, SD, factor analysis., Pearsons' correlations and ANOVA. The results were summerized as follows ; 1. When raw scores were used : there were not correlation in all three coping patterns. 2. When relative scores were used : there were significantly correlated in all three coping patterns. 1) Active coping and Positive-cognitive coping (r=-0.352, p< 0.0001) 2) Positive-cognitive coping and Negative-cognitive coping (r=-0.594, p< 0.0001) 3) Active coping and Negative-cognitive coping(r=-0.544, p< 0.0001) The results of this research with relative scales provided more insight into the correlation in all three coping patterns. 3. Pearsons' Correlations were computed for each coping pattern, age, pain level, duration of pain and BDI. 1) Using raw score : (1) Active coping was significantly related to pain level(sensory score ; r=0.268, p<0.05, affective score ; r=0.266, p< 0.05) (2) Positive-cognitive coping was significantly related to age (r=-0.252, p< 0.05), pain level (sensory score ; r= -0.244, p< 0.05) (3) Negative-cognitive coping was significantly related to depression level (r=0.312 p< 0.0001). 2) Using relative score (1) Active coping was significantly related to pain level(sensory score ; r=0.299, p<0.05, affective score ; r=0.246, p< 0.05) (2) Positive-cognitive coping was significantly related to age (r= -0.187, P< 0.05), pain level (sensory score ; r=-0.317, p<0.0001, affective score : r=-0.305, p<0.0001) and depression level(-0.339, p<0.0001)) (3) Negative-cognitive coping was significantly related to depression. level(r=0.313, p<0.0001). 4. When raw and realtive coping scores were compared to those of age groups, religious groups and BDI level(high, middle, low) ; 1) Using raw score : (1) Active coping : there were not significantly difference (2) Positive-cognitive coping ; 20-39 age group and 50-59age group had significantly higher scores than over 60age group. BDI-low level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. (3) Negative-cognitive coping : 20-39age group and over 60age group had significantly higher scores than 40-49age group. Non-religious group had significantly higher scores than christian group. BDI-high level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. 2) Using relative score : (1) Active coping : over 60 age group had significantly higher scores than 20-39 age group and 40-49age group had significantly higher scores than 20-39 age group (2) Positive-cognitive coping ; 40-49age group, 20-39age group and 50-59age group had significantly higher scores than over 60age group. Christian group had significantly higher scores than non-religious group. BDI-low level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. (3) Negative-cognitive coping ; Non-religious group had significantly higher scores than christian group and buddhistic group. BDI-high level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. The current data suggest that relative scores may yield a different perspective on coping patters than raw scores. The use of relative scores reveals the relation clearly, without its being blurred statistically by the effect of other coping strategies or being relegated to a partial correlation. The use of relative scores holds promise for delineating the relations between ways of coping and health-related behavior.