BackgroundThe B-RCOPE is a brief measure assessing religious coping. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in people with and without long-term conditions (LTCs). Associations between religious coping and mental illness, suicidality, illness perceptions, and quality of life were also investigated.MethodsThe B-RCOPE was administered to 351 patients with diabetes, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD), and rheumatic diseases attending either the emergency department (N = 74) or specialty clinics (N = 302) and 127 people without LTCs. Diagnosis of mental disorders was established by the MINI. Associations with depressive symptom severity (PHQ-9), suicidal risk (RASS), illness perceptions (B-IPQ), and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were also investigated.ResultsThe Greek version of B-RCOPE showed a coherent two-dimensional factor structure with remarkable stability across the three samples corresponding to the positive (PRC) and negative (NRC) religious coping dimensions. Cronbach’s alphas were 0.91–0.96 and 0.77–0.92 for the PRC and NRC dimensions, respectively. Furthermore, NRC was associated with poorer mental health, greater depressive symptom severity and suicidality, and impaired HRQoL. In patients with LTCs, PRC correlated with lower perceived illness timeline, while NRC was associated with greater perceived illness consequences, lower perceived treatment control, greater illness concern, and lower illness comprehensibility.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that the Greek-Orthodox B-RCOPE version may reliably assess religious coping. In addition, negative religious coping (i.e., religious struggle) is associated with adverse illness perceptions, and thus may detrimentally impact adaptation to medical illness. These findings deserve replication in prospective studies.

Background: Resilience is defined as the capacity to successfully maintain or regain mental health and well-being in the face of significant adversity or risk. The Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale-14 (RS-14) is a brief measure assessing resilience. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in three samples, people with long-term conditions (LTCs) attending the emergency department, people with LTCs attending specialty clinics and people without LTCs. Associations between resilience and mental illness, suicidality, and quality of life were also investigated. Methods:The RS-14 was administered to 495 participants; 366 patients with diabetes, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) and rheumatic diseases attending either the emergency department (N=74) or specialty clinics (N=292) and 129 individuals without LTCs. Diagnosis of mental disorders was established by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Associations with depressive symptom severity (PHQ-9), suicidal risk (RASS), and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were also investigated. Results:The Greek version of RS-14 showed a coherent one-dimensional factor structure with remarkable stability across the three samples. Cronbach's alphas were 0.88-0.91 across the three samples, being 0.89 for the entire sample. Furthermore, greater RS-14 scores were associated with better mental health, lower depressive symptom severity and suicidal risk and better health-related quality of life and satisfaction with general health. Conclusion:The results of the present study showed that the Greek version of RS-14 may reliably assess resilience. In addition, lower levels of resilience are associated with established mental disorders and increased suicidal risk, and thus may detrimentally impact mental health. These findings deserve replication in prospective studies.

Background: Sense of coherence (SOC) is defined as a global orientation based on a person's confidence that stimuli are structured and predictable, the resources needed to meet these demands are available, and these demands are seen as challenges, worthy of investment, and engagement. The SOC scale is an instrument measuring how people manage stressful situations and stay well. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in two samples, people with and without long-term conditions (LTCs). Associations between sense of coherence and mental illness, suicidality, and quality of life were also investigated.

These findings suggest that the perceived impact of the current Greek recession is not correlated with suicidal risk per se, but the recession may act as precipitator in combination with other risk factors, such as the presence of a mental illness, thus supporting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in vulnerable groups.

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