Coping with COVID‑19: An Examination of the Role of (Non) Religiousness/(Non)Spirituality

Authors

Dena Abbott, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Andrew S. Franks, Central Michigan UniversityFollow

ORCID IDs

Dena M. Abbott http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-1796

Andrew S. Franks http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8907-7386

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2021

Citation

Journal of Religion and Health (2021) 60:2395–2410

doi:10.1007/s10943-021-01284-9

PMCID: PMC8140577

Comments

Published by Springer

PubMed Central ID PMCID: PMC8140577

Abstract

Psychological distress and coping strategies employed during collective trauma events may vary for theists and atheists, as well as others along the (non)religious spectrum. The present study explored these differences via data collected from a US-based sample during the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistical models suggested relationships between maladaptive coping and distress for all participants and potential differences in coping and, in turn, distress between participants high and low in institutional religiousness and individual spirituality. Additionally, all participants, though especially nonreligious participants, appeared less able to engage in adaptive emotion-focused coping strategies. Implications for future research are provided.