Families' use of religion/spirituality as a psychosocial resource

The hospitalization of a child is stressful for a family. Turning to religion/spirituality (R/S) is a potential coping mechanism. Using an integration of Antonovsky's salutogenic model and human ecological theory, this study sought to determine if there is a relationship between the use of R/S as a psychosocial resource and the ability of the family to cope with the stress of child hospitalization. Although findings were inconclusive, a majority of families believed that R/S was important in helping them cope and that their beliefs and practices influenced their choice to use R/S as a resource. Implications for health care providers and administrators are discussed.