A sacred kind of strength? : the role of Catholic religious practices as a coping response to adversity

Abstract

This study investigates the role of four Catholic religious practices as a coping response to adversity. A qualitative mode of inquiry was employed and data was collected using semistructured interviews. Five participants, aged between 35 and 69 years old were recruited for participation in this study. Data from the interviews was analysed by means of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and the analysis yielded four major super-ordinate themes: Emotion Regulation, A Religious Interpretative Framework, Social and Religious Support, and A Higher Power. Religious practices were useful and valuable coping responses for all participants, most of the time, and as such were perceived as beneficial in times of adversity. This research has shed light on the use of religious practices as a coping response in a Maltese setting.