One size doesn't fit all: religious/spiritual identities moderate salutary effects of religion. Issue 2 (7th February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Speed, David; Fowler, Ken
• Is Part Of: Mental health, religion & culture. Volume 24:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 111
• Page End: 127
• Publication Date: 2021-02-07
• Subjects: Psychological wellness -- non-religion -- non-spiritual -- moderation; Mental health -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Religion and culture -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Mentally ill -- Pastoral counseling of -- Periodicals; 306.461
• DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1863934
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-4676

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours are frequently described as having salutary effects, but there are likely unexplored exceptions to this general finding. We combined data from the 2011/2012 Canadian Community Health Surveys ( N > 7077) to investigate how religion/spirituality predicted five health outcomes (i.e., three subscales on the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form, self-rated health, and satisfaction with life), and whether these relationships were moderated by a person's religious/spiritual identity. We found that while attendance, prayer/meditation, and religiosity had a statistical relationship with health outcomes, these relationships were frequently weak and often did not apply to people who were Nones, nonspiritual, or nonspiritual-Nones. Moreover, the results suggested that religious/spiritual identities moderated the relationship between religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours, and health outcomes. Specifically, Nones, nonspiritual, and nonspiritual-Nones reported a nonpositive relationship between religion and health. Overall, the conclusion that "religion = better health" is an inadequate generalisation that fails to describe the nuance of the relationship.