17th Annual Student Research Conference
Social Science
Does Coping Mediate the Association Between Religiosity and Stress?
Laura A. Sapenoff*, Cheylynne Y. Bosley, Sierra A. Brescia, Elizabeth A. Eckardt, Jennifer Hopper, and Jennifer M. Neidig
Dr. Jeffrey Vittengl, Faculty Mentor
We investigated the associations among self-reported religiosity, coping behavior, and perceived stress in a sample of 162 undergraduates. We hypothesized that religiosity would predict lower stress, and that the association between religiosity and stress would be attributable to coping behavior, especially seeking social support and attempting to avoid problems. We found that extrinsic religiosity (practicing religion for external benefits) predicted higher stress and avoidance, and that avoidance partly accounted for the relationship between extrinsic religiosity and stress. We discuss potential implications of this finding for college students.
Keywords: Religiosity, Stress, Coping, College Students
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 24-5
Location: OP 2210
Time: 11:00