Religious Coping Styles and Psychological Resilience Among Mothers of Children Hospitalized in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Abstract
Objective: To determine levels of positive/negative religious coping and psychological resilience among mothers of children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to examine their associations with sociodemographic characteristics and perceived psychosocial support needs.
Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December 2025 in a pediatric intensive care unit; 100 mothers were recruited via face-to-face interviews. Data were collected using a sociodemographic form, the Brief RCOPE (positive/negative subscales), and the Brief Resilience Scale.
Results: Scores for Positive religious coping were high (mean = 3.20 ± 0.60), negative religious coping was low (mean = 1.55 ± 0.50), and resilience scores were moderate (mean = 19.35 ± 5.18). Mothers who reported needing psychosocial support had higher positive and negative religious coping scores but lower resilience. Negative religious coping was negatively associated with resilience (r = −0.246, P = 0.014), whereas positive religious coping was not.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that, in addition to psychosocial support, targeted spiritual care may be particularly important for mothers showing elevated negative religious coping during their child’s PICU hospitalization.
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2. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
3. Cabuk B, Kostanoglu A. Anxiety, depression and health profile in mothers with children in the pediatric intensive care unit. 2020.
4. Uludag A, Unluoglu I. Stressors among mothers of infants followed in the neonatal intensive care unit; determining the role of primary care in coping with stress. Konuralp Tip Derg. 2012;4:19-26.
5. Smith BW, Dalen J, Wiggins K, Tooley E, Christopher P, Bernard J. The brief resilience scale: assessing the ability to bounce back. Int J Behav Med. 2008;15(3):194–200.
6. Dogan T. Turkish adaptation of the short psychological resilience scale: Validity and reliability study. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being. 2015;3(1):93–102.
7. Satan A. The effect of religious belief and cognitive flexibility levels to subjective well-being levels. Educ and Soc in the 21st Century. 2014;3(7):56–74.
8. Tekin, F. The role of religious education in coping with stress. Doctoral thesis. Konya, Türkiye: Selcuk University, Institute of Social Sciences; 2005.
9. Pargament KI. The psychology of religion and coping: Theory, research, practice: Guilford press; 2001.
10. Pargament KI, Smith BW, Koenig HG, Perez L. Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal for the scientific study of religion. 1998:710–24.
11. Pargament K, Feuille M, Burdzy D. The Brief RCOPE: Current psychometric status of a short measure of religious coping. Religions. 2011;2(1):51–76.
12. Ekşi H. A research on the relationship between coping, religious coping and mental health: Comparison of education, theology and engineering faculty students. Institute of social sciences. Unpublished doctoral dissertation] Uludag University. 2001. [in Turkish].
13. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
14. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
15. Mallery P, George D. SPSS for windows step by step. Allyn & Bacon, Inc.; 2000.
16. Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS. Using multivariate statistics. 6th ed. Boston (MA): Pearson; 2013.
17. Küçük Alemdar D, Bulut M, Cengiz D, Eren Ö. Spiritual Orientation and Religious Coping Styles of Mothers whose Babies were Hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Türkiye: Relationship with Stress Levels and Parental Beliefs. J Relig Health. 2025;64(4):2901–17.
18. Bozdag F, et al. Religious coping, hopelessness, and quality of life in mothers of children in the pediatric cardiac surgery intensive care unit. Acta Medica Ruha. 2025;3(3):121-128.
19. Liu JF, Xie WP, Lin WH, Cao H, Chen Q. The Association of Positive or Negative Religious Coping Methods With Psychological Distress and Quality of Life Among Parents of Infants With Congenital Heart Disease. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:753032.
20. Zamaniashtiani F, Aliyari R, Fallahi M, Fomani FK, Kenner C, Tajalli S. Resilience, perceived social support and coping style in mothers of infants with congenital anomalies: a cross-sectional, multicenter study. BMC Psychol. 2025;13(1):1276.
21. Rosenberg AR, Wolfe J, Bradford MC, Shaffer ML, Yi-Frazier JP, Curtis JR, et al. Resilience and psychosocial outcomes in parents of children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2014;61(3):552–7.
22. Lima BJ, Okido ACC, Looman WS, Eduardo AHA, Silva-Rodrigues FM, Jardim FA, et al. Religious-spiritual coping among family members of children requiring continuous and complex care: a mixed-methods study. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2025;59:e20250143.
23. Dursun A. Bibliometric analysis of postgraduate theses on religious coping in Turkiye and its relationship with psychological variables. Current Perspectives in Social Sciences. 2024;28(2):258–70.
24. Nikfarid L, Rassouli M, Borimnejad L, Alavimajd H. Religious Coping in Iranian Mothers of Children With Cancer: A Qualitative Content Analysis. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2018;35(3):188–98.
25. Mazhari F, Rayyani M, Iranmanesh S, Heidari S, Sabzevari S. Power of Religious Beliefs and Coping with Cancer: Opinions of Iranian Parents. J Relig Health. 2021;60(4):2878–91.
26. Alemdar DK, Yilmaz G, Günaydin N. The Spiritual and Religious Coping of Mothers with Disabled Children in Turkey: Correlation Between Stress Coping Styles and Self-Efficacy. J Relig Health. 2023;62(2):888–905.
27. Rodrigues SA, de Carvalho EZN, Campos CA, Fontanella BJB, Melo DG. Exploring spiritual/religious coping strategies among mothers of children with severe or profound intellectual disability during genetic counseling in Brazil. J Genet Couns. 2024;33(4):745–56.
28. Dobrakowski PP, Skalski S, Surzykiewicz J, Muszyńska J, Konaszewski K. Religious Coping and Life Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Polish Catholics. The Mediating Effect of Coronavirus Anxiety. J Clin Med. 2021;10(21):4865.
29. Pankowski D, Wytrychiewicz-Pankowska K. Turning to Religion During COVID-19 (Part II): A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression of Studies on the Relationship between Religious Coping and Mental Health throughout COVID-19. J Relig Health. 2023;62(1):544–84.
30. Ano GG, Vasconcelles EB. Religious coping and psychological adjustment to stress: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychol. 2005;61(4):461–80.
31. Kegl B, Novak U, Franc R, Mlinar Reljić N. Psychological and Spiritual Support for Parents of a Premature Baby in the Intensive Care Unit: Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(19):2478.
32. Küçük Alemdar D, Kardaş Özdemir F, Güdücü Tüfekci F. The Effect of Spiritual Care on Stress Levels of Mothers in NICU. West J Nurs Res. 2018;40(7):997–1011.
33. Rahmati M, Khaledi B, Salari N, Bazrafshan M-R, Haydarian A. The effects of religious and spiritual interventions on the resilience of family members of patients in the ICU. Shiraz E-Medical Journal. 2017;18(11):e13007.
34. Reihani T, SEKHAVAT PZ, Heidarzadeh M, MOSAVI SM, MAZLOM SR. The effects of spiritual self-care training on feeling of comfort in mothers of hospitalized preterm infants. 2014.
2. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
3. Cabuk B, Kostanoglu A. Anxiety, depression and health profile in mothers with children in the pediatric intensive care unit. 2020.
4. Uludag A, Unluoglu I. Stressors among mothers of infants followed in the neonatal intensive care unit; determining the role of primary care in coping with stress. Konuralp Tip Derg. 2012;4:19-26.
5. Smith BW, Dalen J, Wiggins K, Tooley E, Christopher P, Bernard J. The brief resilience scale: assessing the ability to bounce back. Int J Behav Med. 2008;15(3):194–200.
6. Dogan T. Turkish adaptation of the short psychological resilience scale: Validity and reliability study. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being. 2015;3(1):93–102.
7. Satan A. The effect of religious belief and cognitive flexibility levels to subjective well-being levels. Educ and Soc in the 21st Century. 2014;3(7):56–74.
8. Tekin, F. The role of religious education in coping with stress. Doctoral thesis. Konya, Türkiye: Selcuk University, Institute of Social Sciences; 2005.
9. Pargament KI. The psychology of religion and coping: Theory, research, practice: Guilford press; 2001.
10. Pargament KI, Smith BW, Koenig HG, Perez L. Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal for the scientific study of religion. 1998:710–24.
11. Pargament K, Feuille M, Burdzy D. The Brief RCOPE: Current psychometric status of a short measure of religious coping. Religions. 2011;2(1):51–76.
12. Ekşi H. A research on the relationship between coping, religious coping and mental health: Comparison of education, theology and engineering faculty students. Institute of social sciences. Unpublished doctoral dissertation] Uludag University. 2001. [in Turkish].
13. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
14. Abela KM, Wardell D, Rozmus C, LoBiondo-Wood G. Impact of Pediatric Critical Illness and Injury on Families: An Updated Systematic Review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2020;51:21-31. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2019.10.013
15. Mallery P, George D. SPSS for windows step by step. Allyn & Bacon, Inc.; 2000.
16. Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS. Using multivariate statistics. 6th ed. Boston (MA): Pearson; 2013.
17. Küçük Alemdar D, Bulut M, Cengiz D, Eren Ö. Spiritual Orientation and Religious Coping Styles of Mothers whose Babies were Hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Türkiye: Relationship with Stress Levels and Parental Beliefs. J Relig Health. 2025;64(4):2901–17.
18. Bozdag F, et al. Religious coping, hopelessness, and quality of life in mothers of children in the pediatric cardiac surgery intensive care unit. Acta Medica Ruha. 2025;3(3):121-128.
19. Liu JF, Xie WP, Lin WH, Cao H, Chen Q. The Association of Positive or Negative Religious Coping Methods With Psychological Distress and Quality of Life Among Parents of Infants With Congenital Heart Disease. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:753032.
20. Zamaniashtiani F, Aliyari R, Fallahi M, Fomani FK, Kenner C, Tajalli S. Resilience, perceived social support and coping style in mothers of infants with congenital anomalies: a cross-sectional, multicenter study. BMC Psychol. 2025;13(1):1276.
21. Rosenberg AR, Wolfe J, Bradford MC, Shaffer ML, Yi-Frazier JP, Curtis JR, et al. Resilience and psychosocial outcomes in parents of children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2014;61(3):552–7.
22. Lima BJ, Okido ACC, Looman WS, Eduardo AHA, Silva-Rodrigues FM, Jardim FA, et al. Religious-spiritual coping among family members of children requiring continuous and complex care: a mixed-methods study. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2025;59:e20250143.
23. Dursun A. Bibliometric analysis of postgraduate theses on religious coping in Turkiye and its relationship with psychological variables. Current Perspectives in Social Sciences. 2024;28(2):258–70.
24. Nikfarid L, Rassouli M, Borimnejad L, Alavimajd H. Religious Coping in Iranian Mothers of Children With Cancer: A Qualitative Content Analysis. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2018;35(3):188–98.
25. Mazhari F, Rayyani M, Iranmanesh S, Heidari S, Sabzevari S. Power of Religious Beliefs and Coping with Cancer: Opinions of Iranian Parents. J Relig Health. 2021;60(4):2878–91.
26. Alemdar DK, Yilmaz G, Günaydin N. The Spiritual and Religious Coping of Mothers with Disabled Children in Turkey: Correlation Between Stress Coping Styles and Self-Efficacy. J Relig Health. 2023;62(2):888–905.
27. Rodrigues SA, de Carvalho EZN, Campos CA, Fontanella BJB, Melo DG. Exploring spiritual/religious coping strategies among mothers of children with severe or profound intellectual disability during genetic counseling in Brazil. J Genet Couns. 2024;33(4):745–56.
28. Dobrakowski PP, Skalski S, Surzykiewicz J, Muszyńska J, Konaszewski K. Religious Coping and Life Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Polish Catholics. The Mediating Effect of Coronavirus Anxiety. J Clin Med. 2021;10(21):4865.
29. Pankowski D, Wytrychiewicz-Pankowska K. Turning to Religion During COVID-19 (Part II): A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression of Studies on the Relationship between Religious Coping and Mental Health throughout COVID-19. J Relig Health. 2023;62(1):544–84.
30. Ano GG, Vasconcelles EB. Religious coping and psychological adjustment to stress: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychol. 2005;61(4):461–80.
31. Kegl B, Novak U, Franc R, Mlinar Reljić N. Psychological and Spiritual Support for Parents of a Premature Baby in the Intensive Care Unit: Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(19):2478.
32. Küçük Alemdar D, Kardaş Özdemir F, Güdücü Tüfekci F. The Effect of Spiritual Care on Stress Levels of Mothers in NICU. West J Nurs Res. 2018;40(7):997–1011.
33. Rahmati M, Khaledi B, Salari N, Bazrafshan M-R, Haydarian A. The effects of religious and spiritual interventions on the resilience of family members of patients in the ICU. Shiraz E-Medical Journal. 2017;18(11):e13007.
34. Reihani T, SEKHAVAT PZ, Heidarzadeh M, MOSAVI SM, MAZLOM SR. The effects of spiritual self-care training on feeling of comfort in mothers of hospitalized preterm infants. 2014.
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| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Mothers Pediatric Intensive Care Units Psychosocial Support Psychological Resilience Religiosity Copings | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Adıgüzel T, Bahçekapılı M. Religious Coping Styles and Psychological Resilience Among Mothers of Children Hospitalized in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study. Iran J Psychiatry. 2026;:1-8.
