Religiousness and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in adolescence

  • Maria Oleś The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Institute of Psychology
  • Mariusz Woźny The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Institute of Psychology
Keywords: adolescents, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, religious meaning system

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pepsi-2015-0002

Human religiousness is a complex and multidimensional reality embedded in basic human needs and connected with people’s desires, anxieties, and hopes. The aim of the paper is to assess religiousness, considered in terms of meaning and cognitive emotion regulation strategies, in adolescents. The religious meaning system is a multidimensional construct encompassing convictions, beliefs, emotional connotations, and the rules of worship. In situations of negative events or unpleasant experiences, young people resort to various coping strategies. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies concern relatively stable conscious ways of regulating emotions, which consist in mentally handling the incoming information that evoke emotions. The study concerned young people aged 13 to 16 years (N = 130). Religiousness was assessed using D. Krok’s Religious Meaning System Questionnaire (RMSQ) and cognitive coping strategies were measured using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) by N. Garnefski and V. Kraaij. The results show that there are relations between religiousness, understood in terms of the young participants’ meaning system, and adaptive as well as maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. The results of the study are discussed in the light of theory and research.

References

Brown, L. B. (1996). An experimental perspective on religion as a therapeutic resource. In H. Grzymała-Moszczyńska & B. Beith-Hallahmi (Eds.), Religion, psychopathology and coping (pp. 159-176). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi.
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 267-283.
Chat, E. (2009). Religia w życiu człowieka [Religion in human life]. Sandomierz: Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne.
Chlewiński, Z. (1982). Wprowadzenie do psychologii religii [Introduction to the psychology of religion]. In Z. Chlewiński (Ed.), Psychologia religii [The psychology of religion] (pp. 11-59). Lublin: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL.
Chlewiński, Z. (2000). Religia a osobowość człowieka [Religion and human personality]. In H. Zimoń (Ed.), Religia w świecie współczesnym. Zarys problematyki religiologicznej [Religion in the modern world: An outline of religiological issues] (pp. 89-128). Lublin: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL.
Cohen, A. B., Rankin, A. (2004). Religion and the morality of positive mentality. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 26(1), 45-57.
Compas, B. E., Orosan, P. G., & Grant, K. E. (1993). Adolescent stress and coping: Implications for psychopathology during adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 16, 331-349.
Davidson, R. J. (2000). Aff ective style, psychopathology, and resilience: Brain mechanisms and plasticity. American Psychologist, 55, 1196-1214.
Emmons, R. A. (2006). Spirituality: Recent progress. In M. Csikszentmihalyi & I. Selega Csikszentmuhalyi (Eds.), A life worth living. Contributions to positive psychology (pp. 62-81). Oxford: University Press.
Endler, N. S., Parker, J. D. A. (1990). Multidimensional assessment of coping: A critical evaluation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 844-854.
Francis, L., Pearson, P. R., & Carter, M. (1981). Are introverts more religious? British Journal of Social Psychology, 20, 101-104.
Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V. (2006). Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire – Development of a short 18-item version (CERQ-short). Personality and Individual Diff erences, 41, 1045-1053.
Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V. (2007). The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Psychometric features and prospective relationships with depression and anxiety in adults. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 23(3), 141-149.
Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., Spinhoven, P. (2001). Negative life events, cognitive emotion regulation and emotional problems. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 1311-1227.
Grzymała-Moszczyńska, H. (1991). Psychologia religii. Wybrane zagadnienia [The psychology of religion. Selected issues]. Kraków: Zakład Wydawniczy NOMOS.
Grzymała-Moszczyńska, H. (1996). Religion as transgression: Psychological mechanisms involved in religion and mental illness. In H. Grzymała-Moszczyńska & B. Beit-Hallahmi (Eds.), Religion, psychopathology and coping (pp. 7-93). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi.
Guszkowska, M., Gorący, A., Rychta-Siedlecka, J. (2001). Ważne wydarzenia życiowe i codzienne kłopoty jako źródła stresu w percepcji młodzieży. Edukacja Otwarta, 4, 155-164.
Heszen, I. (2014). Psychologia stresu. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Koenig, H. G., George, L. K., Siegler, I. C. (1988). The use of religion and other emotion-regulating coping strategies among older adults. The Gerontologist, 28(3), 303-310.
Krok, D. (2009). Religijność a jakość życia w perspektywie mediatorów psychospołecznych [Religiousness and the quality of life from the perspective of psychosocial mediators]. Opole: Redakcja Wydawnictw Wydziału Teologicznego Uniwersytetu Opolskiego.
Krok, D. (2011). Skala Religijnego Systemu Znaczeń (SRSZ) [The Religious Meaning System Scale]. In M. Jarosz (Ed.), Psychologiczny pomiar religijności [Psychological measurement of religiousness]. (pp. 153-170). Lublin: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL.
Kubacka-Jasiecka, D., Dorczak, R., Opoczyńska, M., (1996). The role of religious values in functioning and mental health. In H. Grzymała-Moszczyńska & B. Beit-Hallahmi (Eds.), Religion, psychopathology and coping (pp. 235-243). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi.
Lazarus, R. S. (1993). Coping theory and research: Past, present, and future. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 234-247.
Lazarus, R. S., Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.
Lazarus, R. S., Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotion and coping. European Journal of Personality, 1, 141-170.
Maćkowiak-Deskur, K. (2002). Kształtowanie się światopoglądu w okresie dorastania [Worldview formation in adolescence]. In A. Brzezińska, M. Bardziejewska, & B. Ziółkowska (Eds.), Szanse rozwoju w okresie dorastania [Development opportunities in adolescence] (pp. 55-79). Poznań: Wydawnictwo Fundacji Humaniora.
Marszał-Wiśniewska, M. (2006). Poznawcze strategie regulacji emocji w trudnych sytuacjach życiowych: Modyfikująca rola właściwości temperamentalnych i depresyjnych [Cognitive emotion regulation strategies in difficult life situations: The modifying role of temperamental and depressive characteristics]. Przegląd Psychologiczny, 49(3), 322-340.
Marszał-Wiśniewska, M., Fajkowska, M.(2010). Właściwości psychometryczne Kwestionariusza Poznawczej Regulacji Emocji (Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; CERQ) – wyniki badań na polskiej próbie [Psychometric properties of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) – The results of a study on a Polish sample]. Studia Psychologiczne, 49(1), 19-39.
Mihalca, A. (2013). Właściwości psychometryczne wersji CERQ dla dzieci i młodzieży [Psychometric properties of the version of CERQ for children and young people] (computer printout).
Monat, A., Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Stress and coping: An anthology. New York: Columbia University Press.
Nooney, J. G. (2005). Religion, stress, and mental health in adolescence: Findings from add health. Review of Religious Research, 46(4), 341-354.
Oleszkowicz, A. (1995). Kryzys młodzieńczy – istota i przebieg [Youth crisis – Its essence and course]. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego.
Oleszkowicz, A., Senejko, A. (2013). Psychologia dorastania. Zmiany rozwojowe w dobie globalizacji [The psychology of growing up. Developmental changes in the era of globalization]. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Oleś, M., & Woźny, M. (2014). Religijność a poznawcze strategie regulacji emocji (referat) [Religiousness and cognitive emotiona regulation strategies (a presentation)]. 2nd International Conference on the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. 1st Convention of the Polish Society of Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Lublin, July 3-4, 2014, abs. pp. 56-57.
Oleś, P. (1993). Zagadnienie stresu, kryzysu i radzenia sobie [The issues of stress, crisis, and coping]. Roczniki Filozoficzne, 41(4), 5-22.
Pargament, K. I. (1996). Religious contributions to the process of coping with stress. In H. Grzymała-Moszczyńska & B. Beit-Hallahmi (Eds.), Religion, psychopathology and coping (pp. 177-192). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi.
Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., Perez, L. M. (2000). The many methods of religious coping: Development and initial validation of the RCOPE. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(4), 519-543.
Park, C. L. (2005). Religion as a meaning-making framework in coping with life stress. Journal of Social Issues, 61, 707-729.
Park, C. L. (2013). Religion and meaning. In R. F. Paloutz ian C. L. Park (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality (2nd ed., pp. 257-279). New York: Guilford.
Popielski, K. (1996). Psychologiczno-egzystencjalna interpretacja problematyki sensu i sensowności [Psychological and existential interpretation of meaning and meaningfulness issues]. In K. Popielski (Ed.), Człowiek – wartości – sens [Man – values – meaning] (pp. 49-54). Lublin: RW KUL.
Prężyna, W. (1973). Intensywność postawy religijnej a osobowość [The intensity of religious att itude and personality]. Lublin: RW KUL.
Prężyna, W. (1977). Motywacyjne korelaty centralności przedmiotu postawy religijnej [Motivational correlates of the centrality of religious att itude object]. Roczniki Filozoficzne, 25(4), 5-165.
Prężyna, W. (1981). Funkcje postawy religijnej w osobowości człowieka [The functions of religious att itude in human personality]. Lublin: RW KUL.
Raghallaigh, M. N., Gilligan, R. (2010). Active survival in the lives of unaccompanied minors: Coping strategies, resilience, and the relevance of religion. Child and Family Social Work, 15, 226-237.
Rostowska, T., Żylińska, P. (2009). Stopień zaangażowania religijnego a poziom jakości małżeńskiej u partnerów [The degree of religious commitment and the level of marital quality in partners]. In T. Rostowska (Ed.), Psychologia rodziny. Małżeństwo i rodzina wobec współczesnych wyzwań [Family psychology. Marriage and family in the face of modern challenges] (pp. 117-135). Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Diffin.
Stríznec, M. (1995). Coping strategies and religiosity. Studia Psychologica, 37(3), 170-172.
Talik, E. (2013). Jak trwoga, to do Boga? Psychologiczna analiza religijnego radzenia sobie ze stresem u młodzieży w okresie dorastania [When in fear, God is dear? A Psychological analysis of religious coping in adolescents]. Sopot: Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne.
Thompson, R. A. (1991). Emotional regulation and emotional development. Educational Psychology Review, 3, 269-307.
Van der Lans, J. (1996). Religion as a meaning system: A conceptual model for research and counseling. In H. Grzymała-Moszczyńska B. Beit-Hallahmi (Eds.), Religion, psychopathology and coping (pp. 95-105). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi.
Wnuk, M., & Marcinkowski. T. J. (2012). Psychologiczne funkcje religii [Psychological functions of religion]. Problemy Higieny i Epidemiologii,93, 239-243.
Wrześniewski, K., Chylińska, J. (2007). Assessment of coping styles and strategies with school-related stress. School Psychology International, 28(2), 179-194.
Published
2019-04-10
Section
Articles