The Lived Experience of Religiosity and Stress among Middle-Aged Vietnamese American Catholic Immigrants

Abstract

Based on findings from an interpretative phenomenological study, this article reports the lived experiences of religiosity and stress among six middle-aged Vietnamese-born American Catholic immigrants. The findings indicate how midlife is defined; types of midlife stressors; how participants coped with midlife stressors; religious strategies for coping with midlife stressors; and wisdom related to midlife. Implications for both clinical and congregational practice with Vietnamese American Catholic immigrants are outlined and include insights regarding how religious beliefs and practices can promote healthy coping with midlife stressors and facilitate resilience. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.