Journal of Religion & Health最新文献

Amputation is a significant health concern leading to physical impairment and impacting mental well-being. Individuals undergoing amputation often experience psychological and social challenges in adapting to their new circumstances. Establishing a close connection with and placing trust in a higher power, such as God, can serve as an effective coping mechanism for alleviating these difficulties. This study is a thematic analysis. The study participants included 16 patients with lower limb amputation due to traumatic accident or injury. Purposive sampling was used, which was continued until data saturation. Unstructured interviews were used as the main method of data collection. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and constant comparison methods. The main theme emerging from the data was religious orientation, which was classified into "fatalism," "Epiphany and Reversal," "faith and trust in God," and "attachment to an intimate relationship with God." The study suggests that a strong bond with God can act as a protective factor against challenges and distress, leading to a reduction in mental health issues and overall improvement in psychological well-being.

The present study was designed to translate the Francis Burnout Inventory Revised into Portuguese and to test this translation among a snowball sample of 266 Catholic priests serving in Portugal (91% diocesan). The data demonstrated: good internal consistency reliability for the two scales proposed by this instrument (negative affect, α = .89 and positive affect, α = .89); support for the association with a measure of self-compassion; and support for the theory of balanced affect against a measure of thoughts of leaving ministry. The priests were found to display a high level of positive affect that masked a degree of negative affect, with a third of them reporting that fatigue and irritation were part of their daily experience.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between religious (positive and negative) coping and coronavirus anxiety among churchgoers (N = 215) in Grenada during the height of the pandemic, and whether age, gender or religion predicted both phenomena. The Brief Religious Coping Scale (BCOPE) and coronavirus anxiety Scale (CAS) were used to measure religious coping and coronavirus anxiety, respectively. Pearson' correlation coefficient revealed a moderate, positive correlation between coronavirus anxiety and religious (positive and negative) coping, which was statistically significant (r = .463, p < .001; r = .569, p < .001). The regression analysis for predicting coronavirus anxiety found that both age (β = .386, p = < .001) and gender (β = .172, p = < .001 were statistically significant toward explaining the variance in coronavirus anxiety. Results also showed that age (β = -.456, p = < .001); β = -.326, p = < .001) has a statistically significant, negative association with both positive and negative religious coping. The importance of providing positive religious coping strategies for congregants and instrumental and emotional support, especially for females, is discussed.

This study investigated whether the relationship between perceived health and somatic anxiety is moderated by religious involvement among a sample of Hispanic Seventh-day Adventists (n = 365) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using PROCESS moderation analysis, we examined the interaction between perceived health and religious involvement on somatic anxiety. Results indicated a significant interaction effect, suggesting that the inverse relationship between perceived health and somatic anxiety was stronger when religious involvement was present.

Evidence is presented that the protective relationships between religious participation and depression, suicide, and substance use are in fact causal. Such evidence comes from rigorous longitudinal studies with large sample size and control for confounding and baseline outcomes; from meta-analyses and systematic reviews of such studies; from robustness of associations to potential unmeasured confounding; and from quasi-experimental designs in the economics literature. The evidence for the associations with anxiety is less clear. The results have societal and public health implications with regard to the proportion of the rise in mental illness that might be attributable to declining religious participation. The results have individual and clinical implications with regard to ethically sensitive evidence-based approaches that might encourage service attendance for those who already positively identify with a religious tradition and encourage other forms of community participation for those who do not.

Religiosity offers individuals a sense of purpose and connection, which can lead to greater life satisfaction and improved psychological well-being and happiness. On the other hand, psychological challenges such as depression, anxiety, stress, and difficulty dealing with uncertainty can negatively affect life satisfaction. This study examined these dynamics using a hypothetical model, incorporating mediation and moderation analyses to explore the connections between intolerance of uncertainty, life satisfaction, religiosity, and psychological symptoms in a group of 565 participants (286 of whom were female). The findings revealed notable positive and negative relationships among these variables. Specifically, the study found that (i) religiosity and psychological symptoms both play a mediating role in the link between intolerance of uncertainty and life satisfaction, and (ii) religiosity serves as a moderator in this relationship. The moderation analysis showed that when religiosity levels are low, the negative effect of intolerance of uncertainty on life satisfaction is significantly stronger. In contrast, high levels of religiosity significantly weaken this negative relationship, indicating that religiosity acts as a buffer against the adverse impact of uncertainty on life satisfaction. These results underscore the potential value of religiosity in helping individuals cope with the harmful effects of uncertainty on their sense of life satisfaction. Additionally, lower levels of psychological symptoms and reduced intolerance of uncertainty were associated with higher life satisfaction, suggesting that religiosity may play a protective role in promoting overall well-being.

Studies examining frailty, physical performance, and falls among the clergy are limited. The objective of the study was to analyze sociodemographic profiles, gait, strength, and falls between diocesan and religious clergy. Participants included eighty-eight male Catholic clergy primarily in the northeast United States. Participants completed a demographic profile and gait velocity and strength measures. Results noted that more diocesan priests were retired (p = .02). Participants with a fall history demonstrated slower gait (p = .001) and weaker grip strength (p = .017) and were more likely to have a fear of falling (p = .009). Findings underscore the importance of fall screening among clergy.

This interdisciplinary study examines the prophet Elijah's experiences as depicted in 1 Kings 18-19 through a multidisciplinary lens, combining theological, literary, and psychological perspectives. Drawing on literary and historical-critical methods, a biblical scholar analyzes the narrative's linguistic and cultural dimensions, while a psychologist evaluates these findings using contemporary mental health frameworks, including the DSM-5 and models of spiritual struggle. By synthesizing these approaches, the study explores Elijah's emotional challenges, highlighting their resonance with modern understandings of mental health and spirituality. The findings suggest that Elijah's profound struggles-marked by triumph, despair, and renewal-offer valuable insights into the interplay of faith, vulnerability, and resilience. These insights illuminate how ancient narratives continue to address contemporary questions of human experience and psychological struggle.

The aim of the study was to assess associations between religiousness (affiliation, and involvement) and five mental and five behavioural health indicators among middle-aged and older adults in a national longitudinal population survey in Thailand. The analytic sample consisted of 2863 participants, with two study assessments in 2015 and 2020. At baseline 91.5 percent were Buddhists and 8.2 percent were Muslims, and 42.6 percent a had high religious involvement. In the adjusted model, moderate and/or high religious involvement was negatively associated with four mental health and four behavioural health risk indicators. Furthermore, being a Buddhist was negatively associated with poor self-rated mental health status, depressive symptoms, insomnia symptoms and loneliness, and positively associated with alcohol use.

This ecumenical White Paper aims to clarify the profile of Christian healthcare chaplaincy in a context of rapidly changing healthcare systems. The increasing complexity and specialization of healthcare, the shift towards outpatient care, mounting economic pressures, the demographic and epidemiological transitions towards chronic and elderly care, and global health crises are profoundly transforming and challenging Christian healthcare chaplaincy. At the same time, the societal context of healthcare chaplaincy is also changing rapidly. While church resources and influence are declining, spiritual and religious diversification is on the rise. This paper engages with this rapid change as a moment of opportunity. It addresses the role of Christian healthcare chaplains in a time of change and clarifies their theological basis, their professional competencies, and the future of their education and training.