Abstract

A major impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the global increased rates of mental distress and decreased levels of resilience in healthcare workers. The development of quick, effective interventions for healthcare workers are all the more needed to maintain job performance and increase well-being. Associations between religion and health have been clearly established, and evidence suggests religious coping as an effective strategy for mental wellbeing. The current study investigated whether religious coping could predict levels of mental distress and resilience in a U.S. cohort of healthcare workers. The sample consisted of 137 healthcare workers from a large healthcare institution who completed a survey while participating in a wellness intervention. Multiple and hierarchical regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between religious coping and mental distress. The study hypotheses were partially supported, suggesting strong associations with negative religious coping. COVID-19 related stress and worry was a strong predictor of anxiety and burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion) and was significantly associated with levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion and depersonalization). Negative religious coping was found to be significantly, positively related to anxiety, depression, and depersonalization. Male healthcare workers reported particularly higher levels of depersonalization. Future research should investigate the longitudinal impacts of COVID-19 and focus on the development of tailored interventions for healthcare workers.

Keywords: religious coping, anxiety, depression, burnout, resilience, healthcare workers, COVID-19

LLU Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Department

Clinical Psychology

School

School of Behavioral Health

First Advisor

Colleen A. Brenner

Second Advisor

Kelly Baek

Third Advisor

Kendal C. Boyd

Fourth Advisor

Susanne B. Montgomery

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2026

Date (Title Page)

6-2025

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Medical personnel--Mental health--United States; Medical personnel--Religious life--United States; COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020---Psychological aspects--United States; Burnout, Professional--United States; Religious coping--United States; Resilience (Personality trait); Anxiety--Religious aspects; Depression, Mental--Religious aspects

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xi, 43, 37 p.

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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