The Greek-Orthodox version of the Brief Religious Coping (B-RCOPE) instrument: psychometric properties in three samples and associations with mental disorders, suicidality, illness perceptions, and quality of life

Vassiliki Paika,Dimitra Papaioannou,Konstantinos N Fountoulakis,Elias Andreoulakis,Konstantinos Kotsis,Kenneth I Pargament,Vassiliki Siafaka,Andre F Carvalho,Elisavet Ntountoulaki,Thomas Hyphantis

doi:10.1186/s12991-017-0136-4

Abstract

BackgroundThe B-RCOPE is a brief measure assessing religious coping. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in people with and without long-term conditions (LTCs). Associations between religious coping and mental illness, suicidality, illness perceptions, and quality of life were also investigated.MethodsThe B-RCOPE was administered to 351 patients with diabetes, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD), and rheumatic diseases attending either the emergency department (N = 74) or specialty clinics (N = 302) and 127 people without LTCs. Diagnosis of mental disorders was established by the MINI. Associations with depressive symptom severity (PHQ-9), suicidal risk (RASS), illness perceptions (B-IPQ), and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were also investigated.ResultsThe Greek version of B-RCOPE showed a coherent two-dimensional factor structure with remarkable stability across the three samples corresponding to the positive (PRC) and negative (NRC) religious coping dimensions. Cronbach’s alphas were 0.91–0.96 and 0.77–0.92 for the PRC and NRC dimensions, respectively. Furthermore, NRC was associated with poorer mental health, greater depressive symptom severity and suicidality, and impaired HRQoL. In patients with LTCs, PRC correlated with lower perceived illness timeline, while NRC was associated with greater perceived illness consequences, lower perceived treatment control, greater illness concern, and lower illness comprehensibility.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that the Greek-Orthodox B-RCOPE version may reliably assess religious coping. In addition, negative religious coping (i.e., religious struggle) is associated with adverse illness perceptions, and thus may detrimentally impact adaptation to medical illness. These findings deserve replication in prospective studies.

Highlights

The Brief Religious Coping inventory (B-RCOPE) is a brief measure assessing religious coping
Reflecting small eigenvalues thereafter (Fig. 1). Based on this and on parallel analysis (PA) [47], it was concluded that a two-factor solution best fitted the results
The results of the present study revealed that the Greek version of B-RCOPE showed a coherent two-dimensional factor structure with remarkable stability across the three samples studied

Summary

Introduction

The B-RCOPE is a brief measure assessing religious coping. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in people with and without long-term conditions (LTCs). Religious coping has emerged as a relevant construct that may influence adaptation to adverse life events and stressors, including physical illnesses [1,2,3]. Individuals coping with adversity including chronic physical illnesses, called long-term conditions (LCTs), may use both positive and negative religious coping strategies, which may influence adaptation processes in opposing manners [3,4,5]. Positive religious coping (PRC) comprises strategies that may lead to beneficial adaptation, and includes seeking God’s love, protection or forgiveness, stronger connection with a transcendent power, praying for others, and reappraisal of the stressor as a benefit. Negative religious coping (NRC), referred to as “religious/spiritual struggle,” encompasses doubt and strain around sacred matters with the divine, questioning God’s existence, doubting God’s love, and redefining the stressor as God’s punishment or as an act of an evil power [13]

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