Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the enactment of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia on 18 March 2020, leading to drastic changes in family life. This study aimed to examine the influence of religion and religious coping on the psychological distress of Malaysian couples during the earlie...
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| _version_ | 1831794598553321472 |
|---|---|
| author | Chu Sin Yee Siau Ching Sin Chua Bee Seok Mimi Fitriana Rahmattullah Khan Low Wah Yun |
| author_facet | Chu Sin Yee Siau Ching Sin Chua Bee Seok Mimi Fitriana Rahmattullah Khan Low Wah Yun |
| author_sort | Chu Sin Yee |
| building | UMS Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Malaysia Sabah |
| content_source | UMS Institutional Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the enactment of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia on 18 March 2020, leading to drastic changes in family life. This study aimed to examine the influence of religion and religious coping on the psychological distress of Malaysian couples during the earlier stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between April and June 2020, we collected data using an online survey platform through snowball sampling to Malaysians who were married or cohabiting. Those who agreed to participate answered the Brief Religious Coping Scale and the Depression Anxiety and Stress-21. Most of the participants (N=199) were female (74.4%), 30 to 34 years old (21.5%), and Muslims (47.9%). Mean scores of positive and negative religiosity copings were 22.6 (SD = 6.03) and 11.0 (SD = 4.00) respectively. The results of three multiple linear regression models were significant for depression (R2=.25, F (8, 198) = 8.007, p<.001), anxiety (R2=.30, F (8, 198) = 9.949, p<.001), and stress (R2=.27, F (8, 198) = 8.415, p<.001). Positive religious coping was negatively associated with depression (β=-.36, p<.001), anxiety (β=-.41, p<.001), and stress (β=-.40, p<.001) after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Contrarily, negative religious coping was associated with higher depression (β=-.29, p<.001), anxiety (β=-.26, p<.001), and stress (β=-.27, p<.001) levels. The results suggest that positive religious coping such as focusing on religion to stop worrying and believing that God’s tests are strengthening the individual can be a protective factor against psychological distress among Malaysian couples. Vice versa, wondering if God is powerless or feeling punished by God was associated with worse psychological distress. This study indicated that religion remains an important consideration in psychological distress, and religious authorities and leaders may play a larger role in ameliorating the distress felt by individuals through strengthening their positive religious coping. |
| format | Proceedings |
| id | my.ums.eprints-31411 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Sabah |
| language | en en |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Fakulti Psikologi dan Pendidikan |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | my.ums.eprints-314112021-12-21T01:29:17Z https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/ Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic Chu Sin Yee Siau Ching Sin Chua Bee Seok Mimi Fitriana Rahmattullah Khan Low Wah Yun BF1-990 Psychology HQ503-1064 The family. Marriage. Home The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the enactment of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia on 18 March 2020, leading to drastic changes in family life. This study aimed to examine the influence of religion and religious coping on the psychological distress of Malaysian couples during the earlier stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between April and June 2020, we collected data using an online survey platform through snowball sampling to Malaysians who were married or cohabiting. Those who agreed to participate answered the Brief Religious Coping Scale and the Depression Anxiety and Stress-21. Most of the participants (N=199) were female (74.4%), 30 to 34 years old (21.5%), and Muslims (47.9%). Mean scores of positive and negative religiosity copings were 22.6 (SD = 6.03) and 11.0 (SD = 4.00) respectively. The results of three multiple linear regression models were significant for depression (R2=.25, F (8, 198) = 8.007, p<.001), anxiety (R2=.30, F (8, 198) = 9.949, p<.001), and stress (R2=.27, F (8, 198) = 8.415, p<.001). Positive religious coping was negatively associated with depression (β=-.36, p<.001), anxiety (β=-.41, p<.001), and stress (β=-.40, p<.001) after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Contrarily, negative religious coping was associated with higher depression (β=-.29, p<.001), anxiety (β=-.26, p<.001), and stress (β=-.27, p<.001) levels. The results suggest that positive religious coping such as focusing on religion to stop worrying and believing that God’s tests are strengthening the individual can be a protective factor against psychological distress among Malaysian couples. Vice versa, wondering if God is powerless or feeling punished by God was associated with worse psychological distress. This study indicated that religion remains an important consideration in psychological distress, and religious authorities and leaders may play a larger role in ameliorating the distress felt by individuals through strengthening their positive religious coping. Fakulti Psikologi dan Pendidikan 2021-09 Proceedings PeerReviewed text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/1/Religious%20coping%20as%20a%20determinant%20of%20psychological%20distress%20among%20married%20co-habiting%20Malaysians%20during%20the%20covid-19%20pandemic-ABSTRACT.pdf text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/2/RELIGIOUS%20COPING%20AS%20A%20DETERMINANT%20OF%20PSYCHOLOGICAL%20DISTRESS%20AMONG%20MARRIED%20CO-HABITING%20MALAYSIANS%20DURING%20THE%20COVID-19%20PANDEMIC.pdf Chu Sin Yee and Siau Ching Sin and Chua Bee Seok and Mimi Fitriana and Rahmattullah Khan and Low Wah Yun (2021) Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Ganaprakasam/publication/354692266_THE_RELATIONSHIP_BETWEEN_HELICOPTER_PARENTING_AND_NONSUICIDAL_SELF-INJURY_AMONG_ADOLESCENTS_IN_KEDAH_MALAYSIA/links/6147d4e8a595d06017db6f94/THE-RELATIONSHIP-BETWEEN-HELICOPTER-PARENTING-AND-NONSUICIDAL-SELF-INJURY-AMONG-ADOLESCENTS-IN-KEDAH-MALAYSIA.pdf#page=66https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Ganaprakasam/publication/354692266_THE_RELATIONSHIP_BETWEEN_HELICOPTER_PARENTING_AND_NONSUICIDAL_SELF-INJURY_AMONG_ADOLESCENTS_IN_KEDAH_MALAYSIA/links/6147d4e8a595d06017db6f94/THE-RELATIONSHIP-BETWEEN-HELICOPTER-PARENTING-AND-NONSUICIDAL-SELF-INJURY-AMONG-ADOLESCENTS-IN-KEDAH-MALAYSIA.pdf#page=66 |
| spellingShingle | BF1-990 Psychology HQ503-1064 The family. Marriage. Home Chu Sin Yee Siau Ching Sin Chua Bee Seok Mimi Fitriana Rahmattullah Khan Low Wah Yun Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title | Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting Malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | religious coping as a determinant of psychological distress among married co-habiting malaysians during the covid-19 pandemic |
| topic | BF1-990 Psychology HQ503-1064 The family. Marriage. Home |
| url | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/1/Religious%20coping%20as%20a%20determinant%20of%20psychological%20distress%20among%20married%20co-habiting%20Malaysians%20during%20the%20covid-19%20pandemic-ABSTRACT.pdf https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/2/RELIGIOUS%20COPING%20AS%20A%20DETERMINANT%20OF%20PSYCHOLOGICAL%20DISTRESS%20AMONG%20MARRIED%20CO-HABITING%20MALAYSIANS%20DURING%20THE%20COVID-19%20PANDEMIC.pdf https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/31411/ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Ganaprakasam/publication/354692266_THE_RELATIONSHIP_BETWEEN_HELICOPTER_PARENTING_AND_NONSUICIDAL_SELF-INJURY_AMONG_ADOLESCENTS_IN_KEDAH_MALAYSIA/links/6147d4e8a595d06017db6f94/THE-RELATIONSHIP-BETWEEN-HELICOPTER-PARENTING-AND-NONSUICIDAL-SELF-INJURY-AMONG-ADOLESCENTS-IN-KEDAH-MALAYSIA.pdf#page=66https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Ganaprakasam/publication/354692266_THE_RELATIONSHIP_BETWEEN_HELICOPTER_PARENTING_AND_NONSUICIDAL_SELF-INJURY_AMONG_ADOLESCENTS_IN_KEDAH_MALAYSIA/links/6147d4e8a595d06017db6f94/THE-RELATIONSHIP-BETWEEN-HELICOPTER-PARENTING-AND-NONSUICIDAL-SELF-INJURY-AMONG-ADOLESCENTS-IN-KEDAH-MALAYSIA.pdf#page=66 |
| url_provider | http://eprints.ums.edu.my/ |