Religious Coping and Well-Being Among Heterosexual Male Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This study examined the use of religious coping among male victims of intimate partner violence. It was aided by the definition from the RCOPE that Pargament et al. developed and validated. The data were collected through semi-structured, formal interviews with 35 Nigerian male victims. The data were analyzed using content analysis within the framework of category development in the grounded theory method. Different types of religious coping were revealed, while their impact on well-being was examined. Most of the victims used positive religious coping such as pleading for direct intercession and religious reappraisal. This brought some peace and happiness to the victims. Their negative religious coping techniques were used only when positive coping techniques did not achieve their desired outcomes. This made victims sad and dispirited. The study provides suggestions for professionals on how religious coping can be used to best serve male victims.