Health psychology (option) contemporary study: Nakonz and Shik (2009)

Aims and method

Aims: to find out whether the coping needs created by migration lead migrants towards more charismatic religious groups; whether this promotes coping strategies suited to migrants' experiences; and whether religious coping helps them tolerate exploitative working conditions by reducing the emotional cost.

Method: ethnography over 3 months in Hong Kong. A pilot with 20 Filipinos (mostly female domestic workers) was followed by work with religiously active groups. Nakonz attended Sunday services and after-church activities (the workers' day off), presenting herself as a student writing a research paper. Data: field notes, in-depth open-ended interviews with 10 individuals and four focus groups.

Participants: all female Filipino domestic workers, aged mid-twenties to late forties, abroad for under one year to over twenty years, attending religious gatherings every Sunday.

Findings

• Hardships: loneliness and homesickness were the biggest, then working conditions (long, exhausting hours) and worry about family at home. Income was rated positively, but participants were unhappy overall.
• Religious coping strategies:

- Reinterpreting hardships as part of God's plan (an external locus of control).

- 'Giving the burden to God': handing over worries.

- Distraction through church activities.

- Sharing problems with trusted fellow members.

- Church networks that gave funds and referrals to 'good employers'.

• Participants defined religion largely by its coping benefits.

Conclusions and evaluation

Conclusions: most strategies aimed at emotional adjustment or passing responsibility to a higher power (emotion-focused coping) rather than changing the stressors. Participants appeared empowered, and most were aware of their rights. Charismatic churches gave a socially similar group coping tools and practical advice.

Evaluation:

• Strengths: rich qualitative data in a natural setting (high ecological validity); several methods (observation, interviews, focus groups) allow triangulation; gives a voice to an under-researched group.
• Weaknesses: small, specific sample (female Filipino domestic workers in charismatic churches in Hong Kong), so limited generalisability; interpretation of qualitative data is subjective; focus groups may produce conformity; the researcher concealed her full role, raising ethical questions about informed consent; contact only on Sundays.

Worked example

Classify 'giving the burden to God' using coping strategy types.

1. It does not change the stressors (long hours, separation from family).
2. It reduces the distress the person feels by handing worries to a higher power.
3. So it is **emotion-focused** coping (with some appraisal-focused reinterpretation of hardship as God's plan).

Answer: Emotion-focused coping.

Check yourself

1. Which research method did Nakonz and Shik (2009) use?
   • A laboratory experiment
   • A meta-analysis
   • A randomised controlled trial
   • Ethnography with interviews and focus groups
   Show answer

   Ethnography with interviews and focus groups. Fieldwork over three months.

2. How many individuals took part in in-depth interviews?
   Show answer

   10. 10 individuals.

3. How many focus groups were held?
   Show answer

   4. Four focus groups.

4. What did participants report as their biggest hardship?
   • Loneliness and homesickness
   • Low income
   • Lack of religious services
   • Poor health care
   Show answer

   Loneliness and homesickness. Followed by working conditions.

5. Most of the religious coping strategies in Nakonz and Shik's study were
   • problem-focused
   • negative coping such as alcohol
   • emotion-focused
   • biological treatments
   Show answer

   emotion-focused. They adjusted emotions rather than changing stressors.

6. Which ethical issue arises in Nakonz and Shik (2009)?
   • The researcher presented herself only as a student writing a paper
   • Participants were given electric shocks
   • Children were studied without consent
   • Participants were given medication
   Show answer

   The researcher presented herself only as a student writing a paper. Possible deception about her full role.

7. Explain why the findings of Nakonz and Shik (2009) may not generalise.
   Show answer

   The sample was only female Filipino domestic workers in charismatic churches in Hong Kong, so the findings may not apply to male migrants, non-religious migrants or other countries.. Sample plus who it might not apply to.

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Sources

• Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level in Psychology specification, Issue 6 (November 2024, first assessment January 2026)
• Pearson IAL Psychology summary of studies: WPS03

Last updated 8 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.