The role of positive and negative religious/spiritual coping in women’s adjustment to breast cancer: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Purpose: Investigate change in women’s use of religious/spiritual coping (R/S) in relation to breast cancer.Design: Longitudinal, prospective.Sample: Fifty-six breast cancer and 82 benign diagnosis.Methods: R/S coping and depressed mood were assessed at pre-diagnosis, 3, 6, and 12 months post-diagnosis.Findings: Breast cancer patients increased their use of benevolent reappraisal coping from 3 to 6 months post-diagnosis while women with a benign diagnosis evidenced stability in this coping strategy. Negative R/S coping and depressed mood were associated concurrently and longitudinally for both diagnostic groups.Conclusions: Depressed mood and negative R/S coping are intertwined across time suggesting that women from both diagnostic groups may experience emotional and spiritual struggle in their adjustment to the threat of breast cancer.Implications for Psychosocial Providers: Clinicians need to identify and intervene early to help women address negative R/S coping as it may influence women’s adjustment within the first year post-diagnosis.