Anxiety and Avoidance in Adults and Childhood Trauma Are Associated with Negative Religious Coping.

Alice Kosarkova,Jitse P Van Dijk,Peter Tavel,Klara Malinakova

doi:10.3390/ijerph17145147

Abstract

Religion as a coping strategy is mostly connected with positive health outcomes. Yet, negative religious coping (NRC) has been associated with rather negative outcomes that affect one’s health. The aim of this study was to explore whether insecure adult attachment and childhood trauma are associated with higher NRC. A sample of Czech adults (n = 531, 51.1 ± 17.2 years; 43.5% men) participated in a survey. As measures, the NRC subscale of the Brief RCOPE, the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) were used. From the whole sample, 23.7% respondents reported higher NRC. Respondents with higher anxiety in close relationships were more likely to use negative coping strategies, with an odds ratios (OR) of 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.01–1.59). Similarly, avoidance was associated with negative coping OR = 1.41 (1.13–1.75). Moreover, each subscale of the CTQ-SF revealed a significant association with high summary NRC. Respondents who reported physical neglect scored highest on summary NRC with OR = 1.50 (1.23–1.83) after controlling for sociodemographic variables, but also for anxiety and depression. Our findings support the idea that childhood trauma experience and adult attachment style are associated with higher use of NRC strategies.

Highlights

Religion belongs among well-documented coping strategies, through which one can understand and deal with stressors [1]
We found that negative religious coping (NRC) was associated with both anxiety and avoidance in close relationship and with all five types of childhood trauma experience
Our findings suggest that adult attachment and childhood trauma are associated with negative religious coping

Summary

Introduction

Religion belongs among well-documented coping strategies, through which one can understand and deal with stressors [1]. Two forms can be distinguished: positive religious coping (PRC) and negative religious coping (NRC) [2]. PRC strategies reflect a secure relationship with God, spiritual connectedness, and meaning in life. NRC is characterized by spiritual tension, and conflicts and struggles with God and others in one’s religious community [3]. Religious coping has both positive and negative associations with health [2]. PRC has been associated with increased physical [4] and mental health [5], lower levels of depression [6], and a higher quality of life [7] compared with people who used NRC strategies

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