Abstract
This project aimed to develop a brief and culturally sensitive measure of positive religious coping that could be useful in research with Arab Americans of both Christian and Muslim affiliations. In Study 1,62 items were generated based on previous religious coping measures and knowledge of religious practices in the Arab community. Seventy-six community respondents completed this pilot questionnaire. Based on Rasch rating scale analysis, 15 items were retained for the Brief Arab Religious Coping Scale (BARCS). In Study 2, the BARCS was completed by an Internet sample of 599 Arab Americans. The measure demonstrated excellent reliability and strong internal validity, although it did not correlate with acculturation stress and depression as expected. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Note: This manuscript was reviewed through a double-blind peer review process prior to the first author's appointment as the Editor-in-Chief of this journal. This review process was coordinated by the co-editor of this thematic issue with the managing editor of the journal.
Notes
Cronbach's alpha for the 15-item BARCS in Study 1 was.94. Cronbach's alpha for the 15-item BARCS in Study 2 was.94.
Participants reported parental heritage from the following Arab states: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.