Perceptions of Divine Figures Among Polish People Struggling with Homelessness or Alcohol Addiction

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate antecedents of positive perceptions of divine agents and the optimistic assumption that the world is meaningful, basically good and trustworthy, as found in Polish men and women who struggle with homelessness or alcohol addiction. In the largely understudied groups of people who were homeless (n = 111) or alcohol addicted (n = 120), we confirmed that communal orientation is a consistent precursor of beliefs in supernatural agents such as God, the Devil and angels, as well as positive perceptions of both God and guardian angels. The antecedents of basic trust varied across participant groups. However, among them were positive attitudes toward God, communal orientation, and a deferring problem-solving style. Additionally, we found asymmetric links between perceptions of divine agents and both duration of addiction and duration of therapy in the addicted group. The former was related to a less positive perception of guardian angels and less perceived collaboration with God, whereas the latter was linked to a more positive perception of angels and more collaboration with God in problem-solving. We discuss the significance of a positive concept of divine beings for people who are homeless or alcohol addicted.

Acknowledgments

The data are available in the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/guz6a/files/. This research was not preregistered.

Notes

¹ We are aware that prolonged religious struggle may be related to decreased religiosity and negative perceptions of divine beings (see Abu-Raiya et al., 2015; Desai & Pargament, 2015; Pargament et al., 2001, 2004). We do not think, however, that religious struggles dominate the process of coping with homelessness or alcohol addiction. Of course, for some individuals, religious struggles may be of particular importance, but at a group level a more urgent need would be to exert personal control or/and find help to survive daily life. To attain these aims it seems more adaptive to use positive religious coping than to question divine benevolence and help. Similarly, people coping with chronic illness may experience religious struggles, however, at a group level positive religious coping should be more pronounced. Indeed, Pargament et al.’s (2004) research on chronically ill patients demonstrated that, although external ratings of illness severity increased significantly in 2 years’ time, patients reported an overall increase in positive religious coping and spirituality (i.e., closeness to God, closeness to the Church and spiritual growth in response to the physical illness). Furthermore, there were no changes in negative religious coping in the 2-year period.

² There is a degree of uncertainty around the term “communal orientation.” Clark, Oullette, Powell, and Milberg (1987) introduced the term “communal orientation” for a type of relationship where people feel and express mutual concern for one another, where they feel responsible for others’ welfare and expect others to be responsive to their needs. However, the term is also used to describe a dimension of self and other perception (e.g., Abele & Wojciszke, 2007) where “communal attributes cover strivings to integrate the self in a larger social unit through caring for others” (p. 752). Throughout this article, “communal orientation” is synonymous with interdependent self-construal (Jin & Park, 2009), and it refers to the dimension of self-perception characterized by a focus on interpersonal contacts and relationships. A communally oriented person describes herself or himself as friendly, caring, benevolent, or sympathetic (see Wojciszke & Szlendak, 2010).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Poland’s National Science Centre [DEC-2014/15/B/HS6/03755].