Stress, Coping, and Psychological Well-being among Religious Women in South India: A Pilot Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

The religious women in India face unique, largely under-researched mental health challenges, especially given their communal living experience, religious demands, and limited autonomy. This pilot study aims to assess the levels of perceived stress, coping, and psychological well-being among religious women and examine intercorrelations among these variables. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 104 purposively sampled religious women belonging to select congregations in South India. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale, the Brief COPE Inventory, and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics including correlation analysis were used. Most participants reported moderate stress. Stress was negatively correlated with psychological well-being (r = -0.23, p = 0.028) and coping (r = -0.21, p = 0.045), while coping was positively correlated with well-being (r = 0.34, p = 0.003). Age and professional role influenced well-being. The mental health of the religious women requires tailored support and adaptive coping as buffers of stress. The leadership serving them can address their well-being by prioritizing emotional resilience, cultivating a self-care culture, alongside holistic spiritual formation.