Religious comfort and anxiety in women with cancer: The mediating role of hope and moderating role of religious struggle.

Abstract

Religiosity is an important source of consolation among individuals suffering from cancer. However, religion does not always bring comfort. Religious struggles elicit stress. We examined whether religious comfort predicts anxiety in patients diagnosed as having cancer. Hope was examined as a mediator and religious struggle as a moderator in this relationship. In this cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical research, 77 Polish women with cancer were selected using sequential convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Religious Comfort and Strain Scale, the Adult Hope Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A statistical procedure using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression was employed. Religious comfort correlated negatively with anxiety (.007) and positively with hope (.006). Hope correlated negatively with anxiety (.011). Hope was a mediator in the relationship between religious comfort and anxiety: indirect effect (IE) = -0.07; 90% CI, -0.161 to -0.001. Patients who derive more comfort from religion feel stronger hope and, consequently, lower anxiety. The index of moderated mediation (IMM) was significant when we introduced fear-guilt as a moderator: IMM = 0.07; 90% CI, 0.001-0.007. Thus, the effect of religious comfort on anxiety reduction through hope is bigger if the experience of religious fear-guilt is smaller. Religion appears to protect against developing anxiety because it enhances hope. However, religious guilt can stop cancer patients from using their religious resources.