Although recent scholarship focuses on the importance of religion to ethnic minorities and immigrants, relatively little attention has been given to how faith and spirituality help Asian immigrant elderly cope with life's challenges. This exploratory study was undertaken via in-depth interviews with 12 Chinese American older adults to further explore the meaning of suffering and faith as a coping mechanism for these challenges. Findings reveal that these respondents have developed particular adaptive strategies in managing their life challenges incorporating socio-emotional, cognitive, and instrumental aspects. Religious/spiritual coping was found to be embedded with respondents' values, faith, and cultural beliefs, and seem to be an important factor in developing effective coping strategies. Implications for the importance of culturally sensitive social work practice are discussed. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Spirituality Coping Religion Asian American older adults

China psychological aspect mental health human Aged Adaptation, Psychological ethnology Social Work religion United States Humans Asian Americans male Emigrants and Immigrants Asian American Aged, 80 and over Socioeconomic Factors female adaptive behavior socioeconomics Spirituality Article migration geriatrics