[The association between religious coping styles and psychopathological symptomatology within a Christian population]. / De samenhang tussen religieuze coping­stijlen en psychische klachten in een christelijke bevolkingsgroep.

BACKGROUND: Religious coping can be seen as a method which applies religious resources, including prayer, and trust and appeals to God, in order to deal with stressful situations. AIM: To gain insight into the associations between religious coping styles and mental health and to investigate whether the use of the coping styles differs between mental health care clients and non-mental health care clients with a Christian background. METHOD: The sample consisted of 655 Dutch participants with a Christian worldview, aged 18 to 79 years (M = 42.6, SD = 14.2). 60.9% were female and 49.5% higher educated. Intra- and extramural clients in mental health care were involved. A cross-sectional, online survey was used, combined with an available client database. RESULTS: More use of the collaborative coping style was associated with less psychological complaints. More use of the (passive-)deferring and selfdirecting coping styles was associated with more psychological complaints. Christian mental health care clients used the collaborative and the deferring coping styles less often compared to Christian non-clients. CONCLUSION: The collaborative religious coping style is positively associated with mental health. Mental health care clients amongst them use this style less often compared to non-clients. Awareness of religious coping styles and appropriate support are indicated.