Spiritual,Religious, Nonspiritual,and Nonreligious Narratives in Marginalized Older Adults: A Typology of Coping Styles

SUMMARY

Narrative therapy is an important tool in the phenomenological framing of life events with older clients. Seventy-nine older adults who lived independently in four subsidized high-rise housing facilities in Chicago were interviewed in a research project about managing life challenges. Cases represent four types in a spiritual-religious typology: religious and spiritual, religious only, spiritual only, and neither religious nor spiritual (Zinnbauer, 1997). This article explores how older adults managed adversity and maintained a sense of self-efficacy. Findings indicate that older adults use many references to religion and spirituality in their narratives, either embracing these domains or defining themselves in contrast to them. Narrative therapy suggests that the implications of religious and spiritual resources addressed in client stories may reinforce coping capacity and promote aging well.     

Duke University's Program on Religion,Aging, and Health

ABSTRACT

Assisted living facilities (ALFs) offer a level of care between independent living and nursing homes. Recently researchers have begun to explore quality-of-life issues concerning residents of ALFs. Considerable research suggests that religion is positively associated with both emotional and physical health. This study examines how residents use religious practices to cope with the challenges of life in ALFs. Qualitative analysis of in-person interview data from 55 residents of ALFs revealed a variety of religious practices, such as prayer, church attendance, and Bible reading. Most residents deemed religion important and reported that religious practices provided a framework for coping with problems. Coping ranged from the mundane (e.g., attending a gospel concert to offset the otherwise dull routine of the home) to the transcendent (e.g., enlisting the support of an omnipotent ally in the face of adversity). Six ways residents utilized religion as a coping mechanism emerged. Residents used religion to maintain continuity with their previous lives; to obtain relief from physical or emotional pain; to provide a framework for socialization; to develop courage; to maintain a purpose for their lives; and to prepare for death. Suggestions for enhancing the quality and variety of religious activities within ALFs are offered.     

Health,Finances, Religious Involvement,and Life Satisfaction of Older Adults

ABSTRACT

This study examines the patterns and relationships between twelve independent variables and the expressed subjective well-being of older adults within that classic community setting of the Lynds' “Middletown.” The twelve variables include measures of church attendance, religious activity, religious conservatism/liberalism, subjective health status, social participation, importance of leisure, participation in physical activity, age, sex, marital status, and level of education.     

Behavioural Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Associated with Recovered Memories

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sometimes associated with recovered memories (RMs) of traumatic events. That is, the sufferer reports having forgotten traumatic events for a period of time, only to recall them later on. As the memories of traumatic events are recalled, post-traumatic stress disorder may emerge. The cause of recovered memories is uncertain and is the subject of debate. Some recovered memories may be reasonably accurate, while others may be ''recollections'' of imagined rather than actual events. It is unclear whether conventional PTSD therapies, such as behaviour therapy, are appropriate and effective in treating PTSD-RM. The present article considers these issues in the context of a case study, in which a patient with PTSD-RM was treated with behaviour therapy ( in vivo and imaginal exposure). The patient sought treatment because he wanted relief from his PTSD symptoms, regardless of whether his recovered memories were accurate (he was completely convinced in the accuracy of the memories). Treatment outcome was compared with the outcome of 13 PTSD patients who did not have recovered memories, who were also treated with behaviour therapy. Results suggest that PTSD-RM can be effectively treated with behaviour therapy. However, such treatment is unlikely to be appropriate for all cases of PTSD- RM. Selection criteria are discussed.     

Anticipatory Stress Influences the Immune System: Evidence from ChemotherapyAssociated Blood Samples in Cancer Patients

Anticipatory reactions are hypothesized to affect physiological conditions through multiple processing systems. To determine whether anticipatory reactions include the immune system, immune variables from 73 patients treated with immunomodulating chemotherapy for breast or ovarian cancer were studied in a hospital treatment setting and compared with samples obtained in the patients' homes 2 days earlier. The number of white blood cells increased significantly between samples. Increases were also observed in the counts and proportions of granulocytes, while decreases were observed in the counts and proportions of lymphoyctes. No changes were observed in a healthy control group. The nervous system executes regulatory effects on the formation and distribution of leukocytes. Such mechanisms render psychological influences on blood samples possible, including samples that form the basis for decisions related to cancer treatment. The immune changes observed are discussed in relation to mechanisms and adaptive values of anticipation and neurally mediated impacts on the immune system.     

Beteendeterapi Vid Angest,Depression Och Smkrta

Davidson, P 0 (Ed) : The Behavioral Management of Anxiety, Depression and Pain. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1976. 197 sid.     

An analysis of coping profiles and adjustment in persons with rheumatoid arthritis

This study examined dispositional and situative antecedents of vigilant and avoidant coping behavior. Seventy-two subjects were classified in coping style on the basis of their responses to the vigilance and cognitive avoidance scales of the Mainz Coping Inventory (MCI, Krohne, 1989), and alternatively, on their trait anxiety and defensiveness scores (cf. Weinberger, Schwartz, & Davidson, 1979). In a subsequent laboratory task, subjects were exposed to various conditions of predictability of an aversive event. In anticipation of an aversive loud tone, coping behavior was operationally defined as choosing to listen either to a warning channel (i.e., vigilance) or instead to music (i.e., avoidance). Probability of occurrence of a warning signal while listening to the warning channel varied across trials, being either 0%, 33%, 66%, or 100%. Subjects were exposed to each level and were informed about the respective probability in advance. In general, listening to the warning channel increased with an increase in the probability of the warning signal. However, four groups of subjects who differed in their pattern of coping behavior across trials were observed: rigid-avoidant copers (always listening to music), rigid-vigilant copers (always monitoring the warning channel), flexible copers (switching from music to warning channel with increasing probability of warning), and inconsistent copers (vacillating between music and warning channel regardless of probability of warning). Coping style classifications did not show substantial associations with coping behavior. However, subjects demonstrating the inconsistent coping pattern scored high on trait anxiety.     

MEETING CALENDAR

Abstract

Stress, coping, and appraisal were explored in order to better understand the factors associated with smoking cessation. Employees from 61 worksites received one of three programs which incorporated the use of self-help manuals, incentives, social support groups, and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Results indicated successful quitters perceived less stress in their lives, used more problem-focused coping and less emotion-focused coping, and perceived more control over their stressors than participants who were not able to quit smoking.     

Roles of Leisure in Coping with Stress Among University Students: A Repeated-Assessment Field Study

This article reports findings of a study to examine the effects of leisure coping on various stress coping outcomes including: immediate outcomes (perceived coping effectiveness, perceived satisfaction with coping outcomes, and perceived stress reduction) and distal or long-term outcomes (physical and mental ill-health and psychological well-being), above and beyond the contributions of general coping - coping not directly associated with leisure. A repeated-assessment field design was used to examine ways in which university students cope with stressors in their daily lives. The study found that leisure coping beliefs (leisure-generated dispositional coping resources) significantly predicted lower levels of mental and physical ill-health and greater levels of psychological well-being above and beyond the effects of general coping. Also, the use of leisure coping strategies (situation-specific stress coping strategies through leisure) was significantly associated with higher levels of perceived coping effectiveness and stress reduction when the effects of general coping were taken into account. Significant contributions of specific leisure coping dimensions were found as well.