O coping religioso de pessoas idosas residentes em ERPI

: um estudo fenomenológico

Abstract

This work aims to reflect on the phenomenon of aging, considering that we are a
demographically aged country and, therefore, it is increasingly urgent to think that it is a
complex phenomenon, dependent on a set of external factors and associated with the life of
the elderly. In this sense, the concepts of institutionalization, stress and religious coping were
worked on. We used a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with 8
elderly people in a residential structure for elderly people, with their consent. The data
collected were analyzed using the phenomenological method. This diversity of life histories
has led us to understand how religious coping, the strategies it worked on, can help to combat
stress in the elderly when they are institutionalized. The objective of this dissertation was to
characterize the process of religious coping in the aging process and to understand the
experience of stress, life events and religious coping in the aging process. The results
achieved by this study lead us to the conclusion that religious coping has in most cases
analyzed a positive role, providing better adaptation, adjustment and maintenance of wellbeing in the participants involved.

Date of Award	28 Mar 2018
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Armanda Gonçalves (Supervisor)