Exploring Religiosity and Spirituality in Coping With Sport Injuries

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Diane M. Wiese-Bjornstal University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Kristin N. Wood University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Amanda J. Wambach University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Andrew C. White Hiram College

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Victor J. Rubio University of Autonoma Madrid

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2018-0009
In Print:
Volume 14: Issue 1
Page Range:
68–87
Restricted access

The purpose of this study was to explore religiosity/spirituality (R/S) in coping with sport injuries, based on predictions of the integrated model of psychological response to the sport injury and rehabilitation process. A concurrent mixed methods design framed an online survey incorporating quantitative measures of R/S identification and commitment, health locus of control for sport injury, and ways of coping with sport injury, as well as qualitative open-ended questions about mechanisms through which R/S affected and was affected by coping with sport injuries. Participants included 49 physically active adults who experienced sport injuries, with 37 identifying as R/S. Quantitative findings among R/S participants showed religious commitment was a predictor of God health locus of control and positive religious coping. Quantitative results relative to differences between R/S and no-R/S participants showed that those self-identified as R/S relied on a God health locus of control and utilized active coping more so than did those self-identified as no-R/S, whereas no-R/S participants relied more than did R/S participants on an internal health locus of control. Thematic analyses exploring qualitative data revealed three main themes characterizing mechanisms through which R/S affected and was affected by coping with sport injuries: positive, negative, and no R/S coping strategies and effects. Findings support the predictions of the integrated model of psychological response to the sport injury and rehabilitation process and provide evidence-bases for clinical and counseling interventions that reflect cultural competence in accommodating patient or client R/S during recovery from sport injury.

Wiese-Bjornstal, Wood, and Wambach are with the School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. White is with the Dept. of Psychology, Hiram College, Hiram, OH. Rubio is with the Dept. of Biological and Health Psychology, University Autonoma Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Address author correspondence to Diane M. Wiese-Bjornstal at dwiese@umn.edu.
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