Religious Coping and Nativity Status Among Mexican-Origin Latinxs: A Mixed-Methods Study

In this mixed-methods study, we explored the reported use of religious coping strategies and their perceived benefits in a sample (N = 40) of Mexican-born and U.S.-born Mexican Americans. Data were drawn from an interview-based qualitative study on religiosity and mental well-being among Mexican-origin Latinxs. Quantitative analyses indicated that more Mexican-born participants reported use of religious coping strategies (77.8%) than U.S.-born Mexican Americans (30.8%) when not probed about religious coping. Thematic analysis of the perceived benefits of religious coping yielded 2 key themes (social support and positive influences on behavior) among Mexican-born participants and 1 key theme (meaning-making) among Mexican-born and U.S.-born Mexican American participants. We discuss research and clinical implications of these nativity status differences.