Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spirituality, Religion, and Health: The Role of Communication, Appraisals, and Coping for Individuals Living with Chronic Illness

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Currently, 10 % of Americans are living with a chronic illness. One coping mechanism for individuals living with chronic illness is religion and/or spiritual (R/S). To better explicate the relationship among R/S and psychological well-being, we conceptualize R/S as an interpersonal process involving conversations that may facilitate positive reappraisals. We use a mixed-method approach from data collected from 106 participants, involving a content analysis of R/S conversations and test Burleson and Goldsmith’s (Handbook of communication and emotion: research, theory, applications, and contexts, Academic Press, San Diego, pp 245–280, 1998) appraisal-based comforting model. Partial support for the model was found. In addition, the majority of R/S conversations were considered positive, helpful, and supportive. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ano, G. G., & Vasconcelles, E. B. (2005). Religious coping and psychological adjustment to stress: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61, 461–480. doi:10.1002/jclp.20049.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173–1182. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bombardier, C. H., D’Amico, C., & Jordan, J. S. (1990). The relationship of appraisal and coping to chronic illness adjustment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 28(4), 297–304. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(90)90081-S.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burleson, B. R. (2008). What counts as effective emotional support? Explorations of situational and individual differences. In M. T. Motley (Ed.), Studies in applied interpersonal communication (pp. 207–227). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burleson, B. R., & Goldsmith, D. J. (1998). How the comforting process works: Alleviating emotional distress through conversationally induced reappraisals. In P. A. Anderson & L. K. Guerrero (Eds.), Handbook of communication and emotion: Research, theory, applications, and contexts (pp. 245–280). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. (2011a). Chronic disease overview. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview.htm.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. (2011b). Heart disease and stroke prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/AAG/dhdsp.htm.

  • Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20(1), 37–46. doi:10.1177/001316446002000104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. doi:10.2307/2136404.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, R., Groarke, A., Coughlan, R., & Gsel, A. (2004). The influence of disease severity, perceived stress, social support and coping in patients with chronic illness: A 1 year follow up. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 9(4), 456–475. doi:10.1080/1354850042000267058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devins, G. M., Binik, Y. M., Hutchinson, T. A., Hollomby, D. J., Barre, P. E., & Guttmann, R. D. (1983). The emotional impact of end-stage renal disease: Importance of patients’ perceptions of intrusiveness and control. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 13, 327–343. doi:10.2190/5DCP-25BV-U1G9-9G7C.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeZutter, J., Wachholtz, A., & Corveleyn, J. (2011). Prayer and pain: The mediating role of positive re-appraisal. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 34, 542–549. doi:10.1007/s10865-011-9348-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Exline, J. J., & Rose, E. (2005). Religious and spiritual struggles. In R. F. Paloutzian & C. L. Park (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 315–330). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falb, M. D., & Pargament, K. I. (2013). Buddhist coping predicts psychological outcomes among end-of-life caregivers. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 5(4), 252–262. doi:10.1037/a0032653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glover-Graf, N., Marini, I., Baker, J., & Buck, T. (2007). Religious and spiritual beliefs and practices of persons with chronic pain. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 51, 21–33. doi:10.1177/00343552070510010501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, D. J. (2004). Communicating social support. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • High, A. C., & Dillard, J. (2012). A review and meta-analysis of person-centered messages and social support outcomes. Communication Studies, 63(1), 99–118. doi:10.1080/10510974.2011.598208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277–1288. doi:10.1177/1049732305276687.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ironson, G., Solomon, G., Balbin, E., O’Cleirigh, C., George, A., Kumar, M., et al. (2002). The Ironson-Woods Spirituality/Religiousness Index is associated with long survival, health behaviors, less distress, and low cortisol in people with HIV/AIDS. Annuals of Behavorial Medicine, 24, 34–48. doi:10.1207/S15324796ABM2401_05.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, M. P., Turner, J. A., Romano, J. M., & Karoly, P. (1991). Coping with chronic pain: A critical review of the literature. Pain, 47(3), 249–283. doi:10.1016/0304-3959(91)90216-K.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. M., & Wirtz, J. G. (2006). How does the comforting process work? An empirical test of an appraisal-based model of comforting. Human Communication Research, 32, 217–243. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2006.00274.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kline, S. L. (2011). Communicating spirituality in healthcare: A case study on the role of identify in religious health testimonies. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 39(4), 334–351. doi:10.1080/00909882.2011.608698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G. (2008). Medicine, religion, and health: Where science and spirituality meet. Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer, H. C., Kiernan, M., Essex, M., & Kupfer, D. J. (2008). How and why criteria defining moderators and mediators differ between the Baron & Kenny and MacArthur approaches. Health Psychology, 27, S101–S108. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.27.2.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer, L. M., Stanton, A. L., Meyerowitz, B. E., Rowland, J. H., & Ganz, P. A. (2011). A longitudinal examination of couples’ coping strategies as predictors of adjustment to breast cancer. Journal of Family Psychology, 25(6), 963–972. doi:10.1037/a0025551.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krause, N. (2011). Religion and health: Making sense of a disheveled literature. Journal of Religion and Health, 50, 20–35. doi:10.1007/s10943-010-9373-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kremer, H., Ironson, G., & Porr, M. (2009). Spiritual and mind-body beliefs as barriers and motivators to HIV-treatment decision-making and medication adherence? A qualitative study. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 23, 127–134. doi:10.1089/apc.2008.0131.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landis, J. R., & Koch, G. G. (1977). The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33(1), 159–174. doi:10.2307/2529310.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laurencelle, R. M., Abell, S. C., & Schwartz, D. J. (2002). The relation between intrinsic faith and psychological well-being. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 12, 109–123. doi:10.1207/S15327582IJPR1202_03.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Lazarus, B. N. (1994). Passion and reason: Making sense of our emotions. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litwinczuk, K. M., & Groh, C. J. (2007). The relationship between spirituality, purpose in life, and well-being in HIV-Positive persons. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 18(3), 13–22. doi:10.1016/j.jana.2007.03.004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behavior Research Therapy, 33, 335–343. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, P., & McBride-Henry, K. (2012). What factors impact upon the quality of life of elderly women with chronic illness: Three women’s perspectives. Contemporary Nurse, 41(1), 18–27. doi:10.5172/conu.2012.41.1.18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, G. R., Haydon, A., McRee, A. L., Ford, C. A., & Halpern, C. T. (2011). Growing up with a chronic illness: Social success, education/vocational distress. Journal of Adolescent Health, 49(2), 206–212. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.12.001.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mosack, K. E., Abbott, M., Singer, M., Weeks, M. R., & Lucy, R. (2005). If I didn’t have HIV, I’d be dead now: Illness narratives of drug users living with HIV/AIDS. Qualitative Health Research, 15(5), 586–605. doi:10.1177/1049732304271749.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Musgrave, C., Allen, C. E., & Allen, G. J. (2002). Spirituality and women of color. American Journal of Public Health, 92, 557–560. doi:10.2105/AJPH.92.4.557.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newlin, K., Melkus, G. D., Tappen, R., Chyun, D., & Koenig, H. G. (2008). Relationships of religion and spirituality to glycemic control in Black women with type 2 diabetes. Nursing Research, 57, 331–339. doi:10.1097/01.NNR.0000313497.10154.66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., McCarthy, S., Shah, P., Ano, G., Tarakeshwar, N., Wachholtz, A., et al. (2004). Religion and HIV: A review of the literature and clinical implications. Southern Medical Journal, 97, 1201–1209. doi:10.1097/01.SMJ.0000146508.14898.E2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peterman, A. H., Fitchett, G., Brady, M. J., Hernandez, L., & Cella, D. (2002). Measuring spiritual well-being in people with cancer: The functional assessment of chronic illness therapy—Spiritual well-being scale (FACIT-Sp). The Society of Behavioral Medicine, 24(1), 49–58. doi:10.1207/S15324796ABM2401_06.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, J. P. (1979). Reliability: A review of psychometric basics and recent marketing practices. Journal of Marketing Research, 16, 6–17. doi:10.2307/3150868.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, J. L. (2009). Spirituality provides meaning and social support for women living with HIV. In D. E. Brashers & D. J. Goldsmith (Eds.), Communication in the management of health and illness (pp. 301–321). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, J. L. (2011). The case for connection: Spirituality and social support for women living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 39(4), 352–369. doi:10.1080/00909882.2011.608700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, J. L., Johnson, M. A., & Tenzek, K. E. (2010). Spirituality as a life line: Women living with HIV and the role of spirituality in their support system. International Journal of Feminist Thought, 4(1), 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polzer, R. L., & Miles, M. S. (2007). Spirituality in African Americans with diabetes: Self-management through a relationships with God. Qualitative Health Research, 17, 176–188. doi:10.1177/1049732306297750.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2007). Positive psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarakeshwar, N., & Pargament, K. I. (2001). Religious coping in families of children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 16, 247–260. doi:10.1177/108835760101600408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, Y., & Burleson, B. R. (2001). Effects of sex, culture, and support type on perceptions of spousal social support: An assessment of the “support gap” hypothesis in early marriage. Human Communication Research, 27, 535–566. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2001.tb00792.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Johnston Hall, Room 210, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

    Katherine A. Rafferty, Ashley K. Billig & Katie E. Mosack

Authors
  1. Katherine A. Rafferty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ashley K. Billig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katie E. Mosack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katherine A. Rafferty.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rafferty, K.A., Billig, A.K. & Mosack, K.E. Spirituality, Religion, and Health: The Role of Communication, Appraisals, and Coping for Individuals Living with Chronic Illness. J Relig Health 54, 1870–1885 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9965-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9965-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation