Predictors of mental health in women of a politically unstable country, the Philippines

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Abstract
In a study conducted in Manila, the Philippines, the relationships among the (a) negative appraisal of and coping with political instability, (b) socio‐demographic characteristics, (c) morale, and (d) mood of Filipino women (N = 200) were investigated. Findings were as follows: The political instability in the Philippines had a mild negative impact on the women's lives. The women reported mild depression and moderate morale. Their primary coping style was problem‐focused coping. A positive relationship was found among annual individual income, educational achievement, and morale. A negative relationship was found among annual individual income, educational achievement, and depression. Negative relationships were also found between negative appraisals of news of brutal murders and morale and between frequent changes in the President's cabinet and morale. A positive relationship was found between affect‐focused coping and depression, whereas problem‐focused coping and depression were negatively related. No relationship was found between coping style and morale. The findings are discussed from the perspectives of Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) coping theory and Filipino culture. Guidelines for health care delivery are specified.