Several studies have found correlations between neuroticism as one of personality traits and used negative religious coping strategies in difficult life situations, which in turn has a negative impact on physical and mental health outcomes. Therefore, it is important to explore the explanatory factors for the association between neuroticism and negative religious coping. This study aims at investigating whether there is a mediator effect of the image of God and a moderator effect of religiosity on the relation between neuroticism and the use of negative religious coping strategies. The group of respondents consisted of 336 Latvian-speaking Roman Catholic adults aged 18 to 86 (M = 44.42; SD = 12.90, 74.9 % women). The data was collected by an online survey with the following instruments: the Brief RCOPE, the God Image Scale, the Latvian Personality Inventory LPAv-3, the Centrality of Religiosity Scale CRS-5 and the Socio-demographic Inventory. The results of this study revealed that the image of God has a partial mediating effect on the relation between neuroticism and negative religious coping. The study also indicated that religiosity is a moderator in relationship between neuroticism and negative religious coping – the higher the degree of religiosity the closer the relation between neuroticism and negative religious coping. The outcomes of the study can be used as basis for religious interventions in psychotherapy, as well as health-care consulting and pastoral counselling aimed at reducing the negative impact of negative religious coping on physical and psychological health.

The present study aims to examine the relationship between personality traits, God image and religious coping (RC) among Roman Catholics in Latvia. There were 336 respondents, aged 18 ‒ 86. We applied the Brief (RCOPE), God Image Scale (GIS), Latvian Personality Inventory (LPAv-3), The Centrality of Religiosity Scale CRS-5, including demographic data. The results showed positive correlation between Neuroticism and negative RC, but negative correlation with positive RC. Such personality traits as Openness, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness correlated positively with positive RC. Also Honesty-Humility and God Image correlated positively with positive RC and negatively – with negative RC. The study showed positive correlations between some dimensions of religiosity (and positive RC. Religious ideology and religious experience correlated negatively with negative RC. The study revealed that on the scale level the most relevant predictors of positive religious coping are scales such as religiosity and image of God, and personal traits such as agreeableness and openness. Likewise it was identified that on the scale level the most relevant predictors of negative religious coping are scales such as image of God, neuroticism and religiousness. These findings suggest tenets for psychological and pastoral interventions to decrease the impact of negative RC.

Studies to date have linked religious struggle to poorer health outcomes. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between religious struggle, emotions, emotion regulation skills, and self-rated physical health and to search for possible mediating variables explaining this relationship. The study examined the mediating role of negative emotions and emotion regulation skills in the association of religious struggle with health outcomes in a sample of Latvian Christians. The study involved 306 participants aged between 16 and 74, belonging to different Christian denominations. Instruments used for data collection include the Religious and Spiritual Struggle (RSS) Scale, Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire (ERSQ), and The Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ). The results of the study demonstrated an association between religious struggle and poorer health outcomes and confirmed the mediating role of negative emotions and emotion regulation skills in these relationships. Emotion regulation skills are associated with a higher frequency of positive emotions and better health outcomes. The findings from this study could help in designing more effective interventions for individuals experiencing religious struggle in crisis situations.