A longitudinal analysis of the role of religious appraisals and religious coping in adults\u27 adjustment to divorce

This study longitudinally examined the role of religious appraisals and religious coping for adults\u27 psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual adjustment to divorce. Eighty-nine participants completed measures within six months of filing for divorce and one year later. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that participants\u27 religious appraisals of divorce and religious coping methods predicted change in some measures of participants\u27 psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual adjustment. In addition, regression analyses indicated that positive and negative religious coping methods offered some unique benefit and risk, respectively, to individuals\u27 post-divorce adjustment over time, above similar non-religious coping methods. Finally, mediational analyses indicated that positive and negative religious coping methods mediated links between religious appraisals of divorce and post-divorce adjustment. This study is the first of its kind to provide longitudinal support that religion and spirituality are relevant to adults\u27 adjustment to divorce