Skip to main content
Log in

Religious Coping in College Students

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

Abstract

Three religious-coping profiles (Self-directing, Deferring/Collaborative, and Eclectic) have been identified in previous research with cardiac-transplantation candidates. This study examines the existence of religious-coping styles in college students and tests the role of religious coping as a stress moderator of psychological and physical symptoms. Additional potential stress buffers were included to help explain the relationship between stress and symptomatology more completely. Results supported the existence of the three religious-coping profiles in students; however, no group differences were found for symptomatology. The role of religion in studies of stress for healthy individuals vs. clinical patients is discussed.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acklin, M.W., Brown, E.C., & Mauger, P.A. (1988). “The Role of Religious Values in Coping with Cancer.” Journal of Religion and Health, 22(4), pp. 322–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, G.W. (1966). “The Religious Context of Prejudice.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 5, pp. 447–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bearon, L.B., & Koenig, H.G. (1990). “Religious Cognitions and the Use of Prayer in Health and Illness.” Gerontologist, 30(2), pp. 249–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergin, A.E. (1991). “Values and Religious Issues in Psychotherapy and Mental Health.” American Psychologist, 46, pp. 394–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C.S., & Gaines, J.G. (1987). “Optimism, Pessimism, and Postpartum Depression.” Cognitive Therapy and Research, 11(4), pp. 449–462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D.A., & Oates, T. (1995). “Daily Hassles, Major and Minor Life Events, and their Interaction with Sociotropy and Autonomy.” Behavioral Research Therapy, 33(7), pp. 819–823.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. (1986). “Contrasting the Hassles Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale: Who's Really Measuring Appraised Stress?” American Psychologist, 41(6), pp. 716–718.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). “A Global Measure of Perceived Stress.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, pp. 385–396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorsuch, R.L. (1984). “The Boon and Bane of Investigating Religion.” American Psychologist, 39, pp. 228–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorsuch, R.L., & McPherson, S.E. (1989). “Intrinsci/extrinsic Measurement: I/E-Revised and Single-item Scales.” The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 28(3), pp. 348–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorsuch, R.L., & Venable, G.E. (1983). “Development of an ‘Age Universal’ I/E Scale.” The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 22, pp. 181–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, T.H., & Rahe, R.H. (1967). “The Social Readjustment Scale.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11, pp. 213–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, A.D., Coyne, J.C., Schaefer, C. & Lazarus, R.S. (1981). “Comparison of Two Modes of Stress Measurement: Daily Hassles and Uplifts Versus Major Life Events.” Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4(1), pp. 1–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kark, J.D., Goldman, S., & Epstein, L. (1995). “Iraqi Missile Attacks on Israel: The Association of Mortality with a Life-threatening Stressor.” Journal of American Medical Association, 273, pp. 1208–1210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkpatrick, L.A. (1990). “A Psychometric Analysis of the Allport-Ross and Feagin Measures of Intrinsic-extrinsic Religious Orientation.” Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 1, pp. 1–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H.G., Siegler, I.C., Meador, K.G., & George, L.K. (1990). “Religious Coping and Personality in Later Life.” International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 5, pp. 123–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R.S. (1966). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leor, J., Poole, W.K., & Kloner, R.A. (1996). “Sudden Cardiac Death Triggered by an Earthquake.” New England Journal of Medicine, 334, pp. 413–419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L. (1994). “University Transition: Major and Minor Life Stressors, Personality Characteristics, and Mental Health.” Psychological Medicine, 24, pp. 81–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K.I. (1990). “God Help Me: Toward a Theoretical Framework of Coping for the Psychology of Religion.” Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 2, pp. 195–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K.I., Kennell, J., Hathaway, W., Grevengoed, N., Newman, J., & Jones, W. (1988). “Religion and the Problem-solving Process: Three Styles of Coping.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 27(1), pp. 90–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, C., Cohen, L.H., & Herb, L. (1990). “Intrinsic Religiousness and Religious Coping as Life Stress Moderators for Catholics versus Protestants.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(3), pp. 562–574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, C.L. & Cohen, L.H. (1993). “Religious and Nonreligious Coping with the Death of a Friend.” Cognitive Therapy and Research, 17(6), pp. 561–577.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L.S. (1977). “The CESD Scale: A Self-report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population.” Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), pp. 385–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I.G., Johnson, J.H., & Siegel, J.M. (1978). “Assessing the Impact of Life Changes: Development of the Life Experiences Survey.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(5), pp. 932–946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C.S. (1985). “Optimism, Coping, and Health: Assessment and Implications of Generalized Outcome Expectancies.” Health Psychology, 4(3), pp. 219–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schonfeld, I.S. (1991). “Dimensions of Functional Social Support and Psychological Symptoms.” Psychological Medicine, 21, pp. 1051–1060.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sears, S.F. & Greene, A.F. (1994). “Religious Coping and the Threat of Heart Transplantation.” Journal of Religion and Health, 33(3), pp. 221–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sears, S.F., Rodrigue, J.R., Greene, A.F., Fauerbach, P., & Mills, R.M. (1997). “Religious Coping and Heart Transplantation: From Pre-transplantation Threat to Post-transplantation Health.” Journal of Religion and Health, 36(4), 345–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C.D., Gorsuch, R.L., & Lushene, R.E. (1970). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitaliano, P.P., Maiuro, R.D., Russo, J., Katon, W., DeWolfe, D., & Hall, G. (1990). “Coping Profiles Associated with Psychiatric, Physical Health, Work, and Family Problems.” Health Psychology, 9, pp. 348–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ware, J.E. (1993). SF-36 Health Survey: Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston: Nimrod Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kolchakian, M.R., Sears, S.F. Religious Coping in College Students. Journal of Religion and Health 38, 115–126 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022973908467

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022973908467

Keywords

Navigation