The Level of Anxiety of Catholic Religious Sisters in Relation to Their Coping Mechanism: A Basis for a Psycho-Spiritual Formation Program

Abstract

Anxiety is one of the most common feelings that every Religious Sister experience as they continue to discover and unfold the authenticity of their vocation to Religious Life. However, this will become a springboard of multiple opportunities for growth and development when dealt with optimism, confidence, and courage. This study aimed to determine the level of anxiety in terms of state and trait concerning coping mechanism, which served as a basis in developing a Psycho-Spiritual Formation Program. The research anchored on the theory of Stress and Coping of Folkman and Lazarus and State and Trait Anxiety Model of Spielberger This was mainly undertaken to help formators, community moderators and formation ministry centers in the enhancement and strengthening of a joyful and committed religious life which at this current times were challenged with various demands and expectations. A sample of fifty (50) Catholic Religious Sisters from the different religious congregations responded the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adult by Spielberger, a 4-point Likert Scale that measures the intensity and frequency of anxiety feeling and Ways of Coping Questionnaire by Lazarus and Folkman, which is also a 4-point Likert Scale. Descriptive correlational method of research has been used. Data were analyzed using the correlation coefficient. The findings of the study revealed thatthere is mild state anxiety as experienced by the respondents at the present moment and occasional trait anxiety as what the respondents generally feel when confronted with stressful situations. The coping mechanism profile of the respondents showed positive reappraisal as used quite a bit and escape avoidance as used somewhat. The result also showed that as the respondents used positive coping mechanism, the lower the feeling of anxiety has been experienced, thus revealed an inverse (negative) correlation.