This set of questions is known as the “Brief R-COPE” and measures the use of religious coping styles. Answering “Quite a bit” or “a great deal” to any of the even-numbered questions may suggest things you might want to discuss with a chaplain. This was originally published by Ken Pargament (Pargament KI, Smith B, W., Koenig HG, Perez L. Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 1998;37(4):710-724.)
The following items deal with ways you have coped with you/your child’s disease since he/she was diagnosed. Don’t answer on the basis of what worked or not – just whether or not you did it. Circle the one answer that best applies to you.
| Not at all | Somewhat | Quite a bit | A great deal |
1. Looked for a stronger connection with God. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
2. Wondered whether God had abandoned me. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
3. Sought God’s love and care. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
4. Felt punished by God for my lack of devotion. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
5. Sought help from God in letting go of my anger. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
6. Wondered what I did for God to punish me. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
7. Tried to put my plans into action together with God. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
8. Questioned God’s love for me. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
9. Tried to see how God might be trying to strengthen me in this situation. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
10. Wondered whether my church had abandoned me. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
11. Asked forgiveness for my sins. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
12. Decided the devil made this happen. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
13. Focused on religion to stop worrying about my problems. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
14. Questioned the power of God. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
- When you’re struggling to make sense out of what is happening
- When there is a major change in care
- When you or your child is having surgery
- When you just want a listening ear
- When prayer or a blessing would be meaningful
- When you’re asking “Why?” questions
- When you’re made at God
- When you are grieving a loss of any kind (family, pet, loss of job, way of life)
- When you face difficult decisions
- When you have a religious question
- When you want help talking to children about difficult topics
