Secular versus religious resources and coping in adjustment to bereavement: Results from a National U.S. Sample

Both secular and religious resources and coping strategies have been shown to alleviate distress post-bereavement, but few studies have directly compared their relative contributions to adjustment, which is the aim of the present study. Structural equation modeling examined direct and indirect pathways from resources through coping to outcomes in 168 recently bereaved individuals identifying as Christian. Mindfulness directly predicted lower depression and grief and higher Christian flourishing. Religious commitment directly predicted higher Christian flourishing and indirectly predicted Christian flourishing (through religious coping) and grief (through both positive reappraisal and religious coping). Coping strategies of seeking emotional social support, positive reappraisal, and religious coping were positively associated with grief symptoms, perhaps reflecting active grief processing. Considering secular and religious resources and coping together yields important information about bereavement adjustment. Findings suggest the importance of supporting both mindfulness-based interventions and religious coping practices for bereaved Christians while normalizing grief experiences.