RELIGIOUS COPING AND CAREGIVER STRESS: SOCIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO DOMESTIC CARE PRACTICES

Abstract

Family caregiving is an essential yet demanding responsibility that is often accompanied by emotional, physical, and psychological stress. Religious beliefs and practices play a significant role in shaping how caregivers interpret their experiences and cope with the burdens of care in many households. This study examines the sociological dimensions of religious coping among family caregivers, highlighting the influence of faith-based frameworks on stress perception, caregiving roles, and help-seeking behaviors within domestic care settings. Religious coping may serve as a source of emotional strength, offering meaning, hope, and resilience during periods of strain. Prayer, communal support, and reliance on spiritual interpretations of illness can provide comfort and a sense of shared purpose. However, when caregivers feel spiritually inadequate, religious coping may also reinforce self-sacrifice, limit the pursuit of external support, or contribute to guilt. Through a sociological lens, this study explores the interplay between religion, household dynamics, and caregiving expectations, emphasizing how cultural and spiritual values shape the caregiving experience. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing culturally sensitive interventions that support caregiver well-being while respecting religious and social contexts. The analysis underscores the need for holistic approaches in domestic care practices that integrate spiritual resources with practical and psychosocial support systems