Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Fall 2025

Date of Submission

2025-07-30

Advisor

Dr Saima Saif

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Stress, Coping, Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

This is a mixed methods study exploring the association of SES & perceived stress with coping and faith-based strategies in urban Pakistan. As part of a convergent design, the study combines quantitative data of 150 participants (n = 75 in the low and upper/middle groups) assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Brief COPE Inventory and qualitative information from semi-structured interviews with six individuals (three from each group). Quantitative findings indicated that participants of lower SES backgrounds reported significantly higher perceived stress as well as more frequent use of avoidance coping, whereas participants of upper to middle SES backgrounds reported greater use of problem-focused strategies. Religiously motivated coping was not statistically different from each other, but negatively related to stress for both, the less well-off group. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed four major themes: types of stressors, coping strategies, role of faith in coping, and perceived effectiveness of these strategies. Those of lower SES emphasized stress around survival and applied their faith as both spiritual solace and practical coping device. Higher SES participants experienced performance-based stress and mixed problem-solving with intermittent spiritual recourse. These findings contribute to and extend prior theories of stress and coping—namely, Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model and Pargament’s theory of religious coping—by suggesting how structural inequalities influence one’s own psychological experience and responses. The findings highlight the importance of contextualized mental health interventions that consider both structural limitations and cultural resources, particularly religiosity as essential to coping in resource deprived contexts.

Pages

125

Download

The full text of this document is only accessible to authorized users.

Share

COinS