Abstract
Purpose: Spiritual coping is an important determinant of adjustment in youth with chronic illness, but the mechanisms through which it affects outcomes have not been elucidated. It is also unknown whether the role of spiritual coping varies by age or disease group. This study evaluated whether general cognitive attributions explain the effects of spiritual coping on internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents with cystic fibrosis and diabetes and whether these relationships vary by age or disease group. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents (N = 128; M = 14.7 yrs) diagnosed with cystic fibrosis or diabetes completed measures of spiritual coping and attributional style. Adolescents and their caregivers reported on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Overall, positive spiritual coping was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing problems. Negative spiritual coping was related to more externalizing problems, and for adolescents with cystic fibrosis only, also internalizing problems. Optimistic attributions mediated the effects of positive spiritual coping among adolescents with diabetes. The results did not vary by age. Conclusions: An optimistic attribution style may help explain the effects of positive, but not negative, spiritual coping on adjustment of youth with diabetes. Youth with progressive, life-threatening illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis, may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of negative spiritual coping. Future research should examine whether addressing spiritual concerns and promoting optimistic attributions improves adolescents' emotional and behavioral functioning.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 559-565 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Adolescent Health |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2013 |
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Keywords
- Adjustment
- Adolescents
- Attribution style
- Chronic illness
- Spiritual coping
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Spiritual coping and psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness : The role of cognitive attributions, age, and disease group. / Reynolds, Nina; Mrug, Sylvie; Guion, Kimberly.
In: Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 52, No. 5, 05.2013, p. 559-565.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Spiritual coping and psychosocial adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness
T2 - The role of cognitive attributions, age, and disease group
AU - Reynolds, Nina
AU - Mrug, Sylvie
AU - Guion, Kimberly
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - Purpose: Spiritual coping is an important determinant of adjustment in youth with chronic illness, but the mechanisms through which it affects outcomes have not been elucidated. It is also unknown whether the role of spiritual coping varies by age or disease group. This study evaluated whether general cognitive attributions explain the effects of spiritual coping on internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents with cystic fibrosis and diabetes and whether these relationships vary by age or disease group. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents (N = 128; M = 14.7 yrs) diagnosed with cystic fibrosis or diabetes completed measures of spiritual coping and attributional style. Adolescents and their caregivers reported on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Overall, positive spiritual coping was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing problems. Negative spiritual coping was related to more externalizing problems, and for adolescents with cystic fibrosis only, also internalizing problems. Optimistic attributions mediated the effects of positive spiritual coping among adolescents with diabetes. The results did not vary by age. Conclusions: An optimistic attribution style may help explain the effects of positive, but not negative, spiritual coping on adjustment of youth with diabetes. Youth with progressive, life-threatening illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis, may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of negative spiritual coping. Future research should examine whether addressing spiritual concerns and promoting optimistic attributions improves adolescents' emotional and behavioral functioning.
AB - Purpose: Spiritual coping is an important determinant of adjustment in youth with chronic illness, but the mechanisms through which it affects outcomes have not been elucidated. It is also unknown whether the role of spiritual coping varies by age or disease group. This study evaluated whether general cognitive attributions explain the effects of spiritual coping on internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents with cystic fibrosis and diabetes and whether these relationships vary by age or disease group. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents (N = 128; M = 14.7 yrs) diagnosed with cystic fibrosis or diabetes completed measures of spiritual coping and attributional style. Adolescents and their caregivers reported on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Overall, positive spiritual coping was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing problems. Negative spiritual coping was related to more externalizing problems, and for adolescents with cystic fibrosis only, also internalizing problems. Optimistic attributions mediated the effects of positive spiritual coping among adolescents with diabetes. The results did not vary by age. Conclusions: An optimistic attribution style may help explain the effects of positive, but not negative, spiritual coping on adjustment of youth with diabetes. Youth with progressive, life-threatening illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis, may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of negative spiritual coping. Future research should examine whether addressing spiritual concerns and promoting optimistic attributions improves adolescents' emotional and behavioral functioning.
KW - Adjustment
KW - Adolescents
KW - Attribution style
KW - Chronic illness
KW - Spiritual coping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84876692080&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84876692080&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.09.007
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.09.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 23298988
AN - SCOPUS:84876692080
VL - 52
SP - 559
EP - 565
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
SN - 1054-139X
IS - 5
ER -