Religious Meaning-Making in the Wake of Disaster in Puerto Rico: Spiritual Fortitude, Religious Coping, and God Images Through an Extended Period of Continuous Crisis

The present studies examined the role of religion in coping with disasters in the context of Puerto Rico. Using a three-factor spiritual fortitude scale (SFS-9) translated into Spanish and the Spanish Brief Religious Coping Scale (S-BRCS), Study 1 examined religious coping among church-going residents of three Christian denominations in Puerto Rico at two time points: after Hurricane Maria's strike and after the onset of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Study 2 involved a qualitative exploration of Puerto Rico residents' experiences after Hurricane Maria's strike and during ongoing crises, with a focus on how religion, specifically the survivor images and perceptions of God, contributed to meaning-making for those experiences. Participants in our sample drew on religion and spirituality in positive ways to cope with and endure the multiple disasters that hit the island over several years, as evidenced by high levels of spiritual fortitude, positive religious coping, and positive views of God.