Pargament identified two domains of religious coping labeled positive religious coping (PRC) and negative religious coping (NRC). Religious and spiritual struggles (RSS) are a broader domain that encompass both NRC and other concerns related to the divine. Previous research has shown that PRC, NRC, and RSS share associations with mental health outcomes, inclusive of anxiety symptom severity. This review fills a gap in the literature by providing a systematic overview of cross-sectional bivariate associations between PRC, NRC, and RSS specifically with anxiety symptom severity, including posttraumatic stress. There is a small positive association between PRC and posttraumatic stress (z adj = .12), moderate positive associations between NRC and anxiety symptom severity (z adj ranging from .30 to .32), and large positive associations between RSS and anxiety symptom severity (z adj ranging from .50 to .71). Future research should broaden the anxiety symptom presentations examined in the context of NRC and RSS.
Religious leaders are important actors on the pathway to care for many people experiencing mental distress, particularly in low-resource settings. There is a need for collaboration with religious leaders in suicide risk recognition and interventions. From May-June, 2024, we conducted qualitative interviews with 14 religious leaders and eight mental health workers in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania to explore the potential to integrate aspects of faith into IDEAS for Hope, a telehealth-delivered counselling intervention for people living with HIV experiencing suicidal ideation. In these interviews, social and economic challenges and stigma were identified as key drivers of suicide risk. Religious leaders were largely considered to be complementary to mental health professionals by providing referrals, offering spiritual counselling, and supporting HIV treatment engagement. Religious leaders were open to undertaking education and collaborating with health professionals. Results suggest that communities of faith could serve a critical role in addressing barriers to mental health treatment to reduce suicide risk in Tanzania.
Experiential avoidance and religious coping are two commonly used defence mechanisms for coping with distressing life events. This research aims to examine the experiential avoidance that individuals exhibit in the face of distressing events and the effects of these behaviours on religious coping behaviours. This study is descriptive cross-sectional study type. The sample of the study consists of 435 individuals over the age of 18 and without cognitive disabilities, determined by G Power. Data were collected using a Socio-demographic Information Form, a Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Scale, and a Religious Coping Scale. Multidimensional experiential avoidance in individuals explains 16.4% of the total variance in religious coping. As a result, it is noteworthy that while both Positive and Negative religious coping behaviours are used to avoidance, distraction/suppression, and distress endurance from distressing life events, only negative religious coping behaviours are preferred in situations of procrastination, suppression or denial distressing life events.
During 2020 and 2021, 591 clergymen and 486 clergywomen serving in stipendiary parochial ministry in the Church of England completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales. These data were compared with the profiles of 626 clergymen and 237 clergywomen published in 2007. Four significant differences were found between the two samples, with the more recent data showing among both clergymen and clergywomen higher levels of sensing, thinking, and judging, and a significant increase in the SJ temperament (31 to 42% among clergymen and 29 to 42% among clergywomen) with a consequent decline in the NF temperament. The implications of these changes are discussed for preferred styles of ministry.
Acculturation is a complex process involving cognitive, behavioural, and emotional adaptations as people adjust to a new cultural environment. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Multi-Ethnic Acculturation Scale (MAS) among first-generation migrants in Scotland. Migrants from 13 Asian countries completed the English-language MAS, which measures acculturation across three domains: cognitive, behavioural, and physical. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the scale's three-factor structure, demonstrating acceptable model fit and strong internal consistency. Criterion validity was established through significant differences in acculturation scores based on participants' length of residence in Scotland, with longer stays linked to higher acculturation. These findings support the MAS as a promising tool for assessing acculturation in diverse migrant populations. The study highlights the value of multidimensional measures and suggests future research examine longitudinal changes in acculturation over time.
The study aimed purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to examine validity and reliability of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) using four competing factorial models (b) to assess measurement invariance across gender with a sample of college students in Turkey. Confirmatory and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were used to analyse the data from 291 college students. The results indicated that a two-factor correlated model (i.e., positive self-esteem and negative self-esteem) provided a better fit for the data than the previously validated the other three competing models. In contrast to the first factor (self-esteem positive), the second factor (self-esteem negative) was significantly associated with psychological well-being. Both of the factors had strong internal consistency reliabilities. Also, the RSES had measurement invariance across gender. Overall, the RSES is a valid and reliable self-assessment tool that can be used to assess self-esteem and develop self-esteem-related interventions for college students.
Objectification theory contends that societies often value women on the basis of their physical appearance over other personal characteristics. Consequently, women internalise this objectification, leading to a process of self-objectification and body consciousness that can result in excessive body surveillance and body shame. In the present study, we examined the influence of religiosity, and dimensions of religiosity, on self-objectification in a sample (N = 57) of young Muslim American women. Self-report measures included those previously established as valid measures for this population. Findings showed that women who wore the hijab reported significantly less self-objectification than women who did not wear the hijab. Overall, religiosity and the guidance afforded through one's religion were significant predictors of lower self-objectification and body surveillance but only in Muslim women wearing the hijab. Connections between wearing the hijab, religiosity and protection against negative body image are discussed.
Orthodox Judaism has highly structured beliefs and rituals regarding death, bereavement, and the afterlife and as such, with implications for the impact on the bereavement experience. A qualitative content analysis study was conducted to investigate the experience of 21 Orthodox Jewish participants who had suffered a loss of a close relative within the last five years. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview that inquired about their experiences of death, the funeral, and the year of mourning. Analysis revealed several distinct categories that included rational and mystical continuing bonds, how Torah and rituals may give comfort and meaning, and how family and community helped or hurt the process of bereavement.
