Abstract
Most older adults report using religion as a resource in coping with the many challenges of late life. Until recently, our understanding of religion in coping was limited by studies utilizing unidimensional measures of religion, which did little to explain the power that religion seems to have for so many people. More recently, multiple facets of religious coping have been explored, along with the implications of their use for many populations, including older adults. In this paper, we examine approaches to conceptualization and measurement of religious coping as they relate to the challenges of late life. We consider some of the social, situational, and personal factors that shape the character of religious coping. We also review the literature on links between forms of religious coping and measures of health and well-being for older adults. Finally, we review recent efforts to incorporate religion and spirituality into psychological interventions, and discuss implications of religious factors in late life for a variety of professionals in gerontology.
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She is engaged in research and program development related to improving end-of-life care for older adults and their family caregivers. Dr. Emery is the Newsletter Editor for Psychologists in Long-Term Care, and is a member of the American Psychological Association and Gerontological Society of America.
Kenneth I. Pargament, Ph.D., is currently Professor of Psychology at Bowling Green State University in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program and adjunct professor in the counseling psychology and religion Ph.D. program at Boston University. He has published extensively in the psychology of religion, stress, and coping. A fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society, Dr. Pargament is author of the book, The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice and co-editor of the book, Forgiveness: Theory, Research, and Practice. He is past president of Division 36 (Psychology of Religion) of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Pargament consults with national and international health institutes, foundations, and universities.
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Emery, E.E., Pargament, K.I. The many faces of religious coping in late life: Conceptualization, measurement, and links to well-being. Ageing Int. 29, 3–27 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-004-1007-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-004-1007-2