The Impact of Religious Coping on Jealousy among University Students

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of religious coping on jealousy among university students in Islamabad, Pakistan. Jealousy is a complex emotional response characterized by resentment, anger, and shame, typically triggered by perceived threats to relationships or social standing. Although religion serves as a significant source of emotional guidance in Pakistani society, empirical research on how religious coping specifically relates to jealousy remains scarce. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML). Jealousy and religious coping were assessed using the Academic Jealousy Scale and the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that negative religious coping was significantly and positively correlated with jealousy (r = .31, p < .01), whereas positive religious coping showed a weak and non-significant association. Multiple regression analysis further indicated that negative religious coping significantly predicted jealousy (β = .29, p < .01), accounting for 11% of the variance. An independent-samples t-test revealed no significant gender difference in jealousy. These findings suggest that students who engage in maladaptive religious coping strategies such as feeling punished by God, experiencing spiritual discontent, or questioning divine love may be more prone to jealousy in academic and social contexts. The study contributes to the limited literature on jealousy and religion by demonstrating the dual nature of religious coping and highlighting the need for culturally sensitive interventions that promote adaptive faith-based coping strategies. The findings have implications for mental health professionals, educators, and community leaders seeking to foster emotional resilience among young adults in Muslim-majority contexts.