Negative Religious Coping Diminishes Well-Being by Reducing Mindfulness Among Filipino Catholics: The Relationship as Moderated by Age and Social Media Use

Negative Religious Coping Diminishes Well-Being by Reducing Mindfulness Among Filipino Catholics: The Relationship as Moderated by Age and Social Media Use

by Jofel D. Umandap, PhD in Clinical Psychology Candidate

ABSTRACT:

Using the transactional model of stress and coping, this study investigated conditional mechanisms through which negative religious coping lowers well-being through a moderated mediation model. Using secondary data with (N=215) Filipino Catholic adults, mindfulness (MIND) was examined as a mediator in the relationship between negative religious coping (NRC) and well-being (WB), as moderated by age (AGE) and social media use (SMU). Results confirmed a full mediation pathway, where the detrimental effect of NRC on WB is passed through lowered MIND. This pathway was significantly attenuated among those with high SMU, suggesting that excessive digital engagement serves as a compelling distraction that disrupts the ruminative link between NRC and MIND. AGE was not a significant moderator, yet exploratory analysis revealed key boundary conditions, where the negative effect seemed most pronounced in the mid-life cohort (AGE Level 4, 45 to 54 years old), yet statistically inert in the oldest cohort (AGE Level 6, 65 years and above). Findings extend the transactional model by empirically validating the dynamic, conditional nature of religious coping mechanisms, and provide the first quantitative evidence supporting Gall’s qualitative spiritual framework of coping. Results emphasize the necessity of mindfulness-based cognitive interventions as a skill to mitigate against spiritual distress, particularly when considering age and lifestyle factors.

2:30 pm, Friday, November 14, 2025

Adviser:

Karina Therese G Fernandez, PhD

Panelists:

Erwine S Dela Paz, PhD

Lourdes Joy T Galvez-Tan, PhD

Angelica Issah V Ang, PhD

Darren E Dumaop, PhD

Karina Therese G Fernandez, PhD

Keywords: religious coping, well-being, mindfulness, social media use, Filipino Catholics