Development of a model for clinical assessment of religious coping: Initial validation of the Process Evaluation Model

The relationship of religion to mental health has been widely researched in recent years, and has pointed to both positive and negative implications of religious coping. Traditionally, those interested in evaluating coping have looked at the efficacy of a particular coping activity. However, coping theory suggests that no one coping strategy is always effective or ineffective. Instead the efficacy of the coping process depends more on the flow, or process, of coping versus simply the outcomes of coping. This study proposes the Process Evaluation Model of religious coping, which defines well being as the degree to which the elements of the coping process are well integrated. Mental health practitioners and clergy (n = 166) completed a survey instrument developed for this study consisting of six vignettes. Each story reflected different degrees of integration in an individual coping with a personal crisis. Using a mixed design, we found support for the Process Evaluation Model. All participants were able to identify well integrated versus poorly integrated religious coping processes. Clinicians and clergy did not differ in their evaluation despite the historical rift between mental health and religion. Implications for clinical assessment and intervention are discussed as well as future directions for research using the Process Evaluation Model.