Religion, psychology share methods for reducing distress, study finds

Religious people facing life crises rely on emotion-regulation strategies that psychologists also use, a new study finds. They look for positive ways of thinking about hardship, a practice known to psychologists as 'cognitive reappraisal.' They also tend to have confidence in their ability to cope with difficulty, a trait called 'coping self-efficacy.' Both have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.