The Influence of Religion, Country of Origin, and United States Acculturation on Stress Coping Techniques in a Spanish-Speaking Free Clinic Population.

IntroductionMany Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States experience high levels of stress but disproportionately underutilize mental health services due to cultural, socioeconomic, and religious barriers in accessing culturally relevant mental health care.MethodsCross-sectional survey of Spanish-speaking adults to assess demographics, religious beliefs, and stress-coping preferences.ResultsOf 100 participants, 90% of participants identified as religious, with 75% reporting moderate to high religious influence on daily life. Higher religious influence correlated with a broader range of coping strategies, both faith-based (e.g., prayer, church attendance) and secular (e.g., work-related tasks, nature immersion, creative outlets). Non-religious participants primarily relied on exercise, entertainment, and socialization. Acculturation correlated with religious influence (r [1, 99] = 0.348, p < 0.001), while country of origin was not significantly associated with particular coping strategies.ConclusionThese findings suggest that religiosity is associated with an expanded breadth of coping behaviors among Spanish-speaking patients and may serve as an additional protective factor in managing stress. By defining specific mechanisms that are commonly utilized within this population, these findings inform the development of more culturally and spiritually sensitive mental health interventions. Lastly, this study reiterates the importance of tailoring support to individual levels of religiosity and acculturation.