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Intrinsic religiousness and well-being among cancer patients: the mediating role of control-related religious coping and self-efficacy for coping with cancer

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Abstract

We examined the relationship between intrinsic religiousness and well-being, with control-related religious coping and self-efficacy for coping with cancer as potential mediators of this relationship among cancer patients. In a cross-sectional design, 179 ambulatory cancer patients completed measures of intrinsic religiousness, religious coping, self-efficacy for coping with cancer, well-being, and demographic variables. Type of cancer, stage of cancer, and time since diagnosis were collected from electronic medical charts. In a path model, the positive association between intrinsic religiousness and three types of well-being—physical, functional, and social—was fully mediated by active religious surrender and self-efficacy for coping with cancer. In addition, the negative association between passive religious deferral and all four types of well-being—physical, functional, social, and emotional—was fully mediated by self-efficacy for coping with cancer. Finally, there was a negative direct association between pleading for God’s direct intercession and emotional well-being. These findings suggest pathways by which intrinsic religiousness and control-related religious coping are linked to various dimensions of well-being among cancer patients.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a National Cancer Institute U56 Comprehensive Cancer Partnership Program Grant (U56 CA118635). We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Sarah Ahmad, Esteban Barreto, Katia Canenguez, Susan DeCristofaro, Rebecca Norris, Laurel Radwin, Geraldine Sanon, Max Stewart, Elizabeth Tracey, and the participants in this research. We especially thank Karen Emmons and Adán Colón-Carmona for their excellent leadership and support of the institutional partnership.

Conflict of interest

John E. Pérez and Amy Rex Smith declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA, 94117-1080, USA

    John E. Pérez

  2. Department of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Amy Rex Smith

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  1. John E. Pérez
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Correspondence to John E. Pérez.

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Pérez, J.E., Rex Smith, A. Intrinsic religiousness and well-being among cancer patients: the mediating role of control-related religious coping and self-efficacy for coping with cancer. J Behav Med 38, 183–193 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-014-9593-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-014-9593-2

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