Negative Religious Coping, Posttraumatic Cognitions, and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: A Mediation Analysis

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Annaliese Weiss, Emily Ineson, Kristina Bayless, Kaysn Irby, Rebekah Marcengill, Rain Sopha         

When experiencing a traumatic or stressful event, some people can develop Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), while others don’t. We seek to understand how the ways in which people interpret and cope with traumatic events influence PTSS. We examine how people think about themselves, the world, and their religion in relation to these events. We measured Negative Posttraumatic Cognitions, specifically negative thoughts about self (“I have no future”), negative thoughts about the world (“people are not what they seem”), and thoughts of self-blame (“the event happened because of the way I acted”; Foa et al., 1999). We also measured Negative Religious Coping (NRC) which is often defined as feeling conflict, guilt, or anger towards higher powers (“I felt as though God abandoned me”; Pargament et al. 1998). Previous research indicates that those scoring high on NRC experience more severe PTSS (Pargament et al., 1998). Berzengi and colleagues (2017) found that this relationship is mediated by Posttraumatic Cognitions. This means that NRC influences Posttraumatic Cognitions, which in turn influence PTSS. In their analysis, Berzengi and colleagues (2017) grouped the three types of Posttraumatic Cognitions and treated them as one construct. In our project we examine the mediating effect of each of the three types of Posttraumatic Cognitions separately. In our presentation, we discuss the relationships and interactions among these variables, and how they have potential implications for future research and clinical practice.         

• Annaliese Weiss is a sophomore majoring in criminology and psychology from Clemson, SC. She plans to obtain a masters degree in forensic psychology after graduating and is currently an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Southard-Dobbs.             

• Emily Ineson is a senior psychology major from London, England and is a research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition Lab. While at Lander University, she has been a member of the Psi Chi Honor Society, a Supplemental Instructor and Tutor for psychology courses, and an athlete on the women’s tennis team. In Fall 2023 she begins her Ph.D. in Psychological Science at University of North Carolina at Wilmington.         

• Khristina Bayless is a senior psychology major and human services minor from Alexandria, VA. She has an Associate of Arts degree from Piedmont Technical College. She is currently a Research Assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition lab.  

• Kaysn Irby is a junior psychology major from Greenwood, South Carolina. She is a double minor in child and family studies and in human services. She is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition Lab.  

• Rebekah Marcengill is a senior psychology major and art minor from Greenwood, S.C. She is a Research Assistant in the Stress and Cognition lab led by Dr. Southard-Dobbs. She is also a Supplemental Instructor for Psychology 101.

• Rain Sopha is a sophomore psychology major and honors student from Irmo, South Carolina who is a double minor in general studio art and human services. Rain is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition lab and aspires to be an art therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor.