The Chinese Spiritual Coping Scale: Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation

Spiritual Coping in Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

CONTEXT

Family caregivers face significant challenges when providing care to individuals with advanced cancer. Spiritual coping strategies may support caregivers in addressing these challenges.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated spiritual coping levels among Chinese family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and explored associated factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited 358 family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. The Spiritual Coping Scale was used to evaluate spiritual coping levels, while various scales, including the Caregiver Reaction Assessment Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale-Schwarzer, and Perceived Social Support Scale, were used to identify influencing factors. T-tests and analysis of variance were used for group comparisons. Pearson's correlation and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze the associated factors.

RESULTS

Chinese family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer had moderate spiritual coping levels. Differences in spiritual coping levels were observed in sex, religion, and the presence or absence of anxiety and depression (p < 0.05). Women and caregivers who identified as religious had higher levels, while those with anxiety or depression had lower levels. Spiritual coping was positively correlated with self-efficacy and spiritual health (p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that religion, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and spiritual health were statistically significant associated factors for spiritual coping scores, explaining 43.3% of the variance in scores (F = 53.769, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The spiritual coping of Chinese family caregivers should be considered by health care providers, who should focus on alleviating their anxiety and depression while improving self-efficacy and spiritual health, especially among nonreligious caregivers.

The relationship between coping strategies and psychological distress in Chinese older adults with multiple chronic conditions

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between socio-demographic and clinical variables, physical function, coping strategies and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs).

METHODS

A secondary analysis of data from a prior cross-sectional survey investigated coping and mental health among adults with multiple chronic conditions living in China. A convenience sample of 185 adults with MCCs was recruited from a university-affiliated hospital between November 2017 and May 2018 in Northern Anhui, China.

RESULTS

Of the 185 participants, 63% of participants had scores indicating symptoms of anxiety and 54% had scores indicating depression. Stepwise regression models explained 47% of the total variance for the levels of anxiety and 34% for the levels of depression. In the anxiety model, gender, body pain, physical functioning, positive adaptation, denial and disengagement coping, and spiritual coping showed significant associations. In the depression model, gender, physical functioning, positive adaptation and spiritual coping showed significant associations.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the need to screen for anxiety and depression among older adults with MCCs. Individualised interventions that address coping strategies should be encouraged to maintain psychological well-being in this population.