Assessment of Beliefs and Behaviors in Coping – Pilot Version

The following items ask about your experiences with religion and spirituality in coping with stress. Please rate the degree to which you agree/disagree with each one based on your personal belief system.
1 = strongly disagree‚ 2 = disagree‚ 3 = neutral‚ 4 = agree‚ 5 = strongly agree
1. In my experience‚ organized religion provides structure to my life that helps mecope with stress.
2. In my experience‚ the practices (e.g.‚ prayer‚ attending ceremonies) associated with organized religion helps me cope with life.
3. In my experience‚ the daily routine established by organized religion helps in coping with stress.
4. In my experience‚ rituals associated with organized religion help me cope with stress.
5. In my experience‚ the obligations associated with organized religion help in coping with stress.
6. In my experience‚ the support network offered by organized religion helps in coping with stress.
7. In my experience‚ the sense of community provided by organized religion helps in coping with stress.
8. In my experience‚ being around others with similar beliefs helps in coping with stress.
9. In my experience‚ ha‎ving a religious community to belong to helps in coping with stress.
10. In my experience‚ the system of values taught by organized religion helps make life less stressful.
11. In my experience‚ the guidance offered by organized religion helps me cope with the demands of life.
12. In my experience‚ ha‎ving religious teachings helps reduce stress in my life.
13. In my experience‚ my personal relationship with a higher power helps reduce stress in my life.
14. In my experience‚ knowing that I have a personal relationship with a higher power helps me cope with stress.
15. In my experience‚ my relationship with a higher power is a source of comfort that reduces stress in my life.
16. In my experience‚ the unconditional acceptance offered by my relationship with a higher power helps me cope with stress.
Assessment of Beliefs and Behaviors in Coping – Final Version
Many people find the following aspects of religion and spirituality helpful in coping with their stress. Do YOU think it is helpful for OTHER people to use them to manage their stress? Using the scale below for each item‚ please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement.
1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Agree 4 = Strongly Agree
Religious and spiritual practices can help people cope with stress by:
1. providing overall structure in everyday life
2. offering meaningful pursuits/practices (e.g. prayer‚ meditation)
3. providing a daily routine
4. providing opportunities to worship (e.g. attending religious ceremonies and services)
5. providing a social network
6. offering a sense of community
7. offering a way to be around others with similar beliefs
8. providing a religious community to belong to
9. providing a system of values
10. offering guidance (e.g. via scriptures and/or leaders)
11. allowing for a personal relationship with a higher power (e.g. God‚ Jesus‚ Allah‚ Krishna‚ etc.)
12. supporting a belief in a higher power
13. providing comfort through a relationship with a higher power
14. providing unconditional acceptance of oneself through relationship with a higher power
15. providing a connection with a higher power (e.g. the universe‚ God‚ etc.)
16. providing a worldview that makes sense of life
17. offering a sense of control in life
18. providing a helpful way to view the world
19. giving life a sense of meaning
20. explaining why things happen in life
Next‚ please rate how frequently YOU find yourself relying on the following aspects in managing YOUR stress.
1 = never/ 2 = a few times a year/ 3 = a few times a month/ 4 = a few times a week/ 5 = daily or almost daily
Religious and spiritual practices can help ME cope with stress by:
1. providing me overall structure in life
2. offering me meaningful pursuits/practices (e.g. prayer‚ meditation)
3. providing me a routine
4. providing me opportunities to worship (e.g. attending religious ceremonies and services)
5. providing me a social network
6. offering me a sense of community
7. offering me a way to be around others with similar beliefs
8. providing me a religious community to belong to
9. providing me a system of values
10. offering me guidance (e.g. via scriptures and/or leaders)
11. allowing me a personal relationship with a higher power (e.g. God‚ Jesus‚ Allah‚ Krishna‚ etc.)
12. supporting my belief in a higher power
13. providing me comfort through a relationship with a higher power
14. offering me unconditional acceptance of myself through relationship with a higher power
15. providing me a connection with a higher power (e.g. the universe‚ God‚ etc.)
16. providing me a worldview that makes sense of life
17. offering me a sense of control in life
18. providing me a helpful way to view the world
19. giving my life a sense of meaning
20. explaining why things happen in my life
Many people find the following aspects of religion and spirituality helpful in coping withtheir stress. Do YOU think it is helpful for OTHER people to use them to manage their stress? Using the scale below for each item‚ please rate the extent to which you agree ordisagree with each statement.
1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Agree 4 = Strongly Agree
Religious and spiritual practices can help people cope with stress by:
1. providing overall structure in everyday life
2. offering meaningful pursuits/practices (e.g. prayer‚ meditation)
3. providing a daily routine
4. providing a social network
5. offering a sense of community
6. offering a way to be around others with similar beliefs
7. providing a religious community to belong to
8. providing a system of values
9. offering guidance (e.g. via scriptures and/or leaders)
10. allowing for a personal relationship with a higher power (e.g. God‚ Jesus‚ Allah‚ Krishna‚ etc.)
11. supporting a belief in a higher power
12. providing comfort through a relationship with a higher power
13. providing unconditional acceptance of oneself through relationship with a higher power
14. providing a connection with a higher power (e.g. the universe‚ God‚ etc.)
15. providing a worldview that makes sense of life
16. offering a sense of control in life
17. providing a helpful way to view the world
18. giving life a sense of meaning
19. explaining why things happen in life
Next‚ please rate how frequently YOU find yourself relying on the following aspects inmanaging YOUR stress.
1 = never/ 2 = a few times a year/ 3 = a few times a month/ 4 = a few times a week/ 5 = daily oralmost daily
Religious and spiritual practices can help ME cope with stress by:
1. providing me overall structure in life
2. offering me meaningful pursuits/practices (e.g. prayer‚ meditation)
3. providing me a routine
4. providing me a social network
5. offering me a sense of community
6. offering me a way to be around others with similar beliefs
7. providing me a religious community to belong to
8. allowing me a personal relationship with a higher power (e.g. God‚ Jesus‚Allah‚ Krishna‚ etc.)
9. supporting my belief in a higher power
10. providing me comfort through a relationship with a higher power
11. offering me unconditional acceptance of myself through relationship with ahigher power
12. providing me a connection with a higher power (e.g. the universe‚ God‚ etc.)
13. providing me a worldview that makes sense of life
14. offering me a sense of control in life
15. providing me a helpful way to view the world
16. giving my life a sense of meaning
17. explaining why things happen in my life
 
This instrument can be found on pages 122-124 & 145-146 of Initial Development and Validation of theAssessment of Beliefs and Behaviors in Coping (ABC). Available online at: http://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/ETD-UT-2012-08-6020
 

Shah‚ M. M.‚ Douglas‚ R. P.‚ Maheshwari‚ D.‚ & McCarthy‚ C. J. (2008‚ August 17). Assessingthe role of religion and spirituality in coping with life demands. Poster presented at Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association‚ Boston‚ MA.

Kulkarni‚ Monique Shah. (2012). Initial Development and Validation of the Assessment of Beliefs and Behaviors in Coping (ABC). Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The University of Texas at Austin August 2012

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