The role of attachment to God in secular and religious/spiritual ways of coping with a serious disease

Abstract

This study investigated the role of security in one's attachment to God in relation to both secular and religious/spiritual ways of coping with a serious illness. The main objective was to test whether attachment to God and type of disease were related to secular coping strategies, when controlling for the effects of religious/spiritual coping. Study participants (N = 105) had been diagnosed either with cancer (i.e., an acute disease) and were under chemotherapy/awaiting surgery or with renal impairment (i.e., a chronic disease) and were attending dialysis. Results showed that secure attachment to God was uniquely related to fighting spirit, whereas insecure attachment to God was uniquely linked to hopelessness, suggesting that security, unlike insecurity, in one's attachment to God may impact favourably on adjustment to the disease. The only coping strategy related to type of disease was cognitive avoidance, which was linked to chronic disease.

Keywords:

• attachment to God
• religious coping
• secular coping

Notes

Note: **p < .01.

Notes: *p < 0.05.

**p < 0.01.

1. We conducted a one-way (ambivalent vs. avoidant attachment to God) MANCOVA on our key dependent variables, secular coping strategies, before collapsing the two groups (controlling for gender). No statistically significant difference was found.