Religiosity and Mental Health: A Meta–Analysis of Recent Studies
2003/02/12 by Charles H. Hackney, Glenn S. Sanders · 1 voice · 35 citations
Social Sciences · #Religion and Society Interactions #Religion, Society, and Development #Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
paper · doi:10.1111/1468-5906.t01-1-00160
openalex publication_date 2003/02/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Abstract
A meta–analysis was performed in an attempt to clarify the proposed relationship between religiosity and psychological adjustment. Specific focus was given to the issue of definition, namely, whether differences in researchers’ conceptualizations of religiosity and mental health could account for the various contradictory findings by psychologists of religion. Analysis of 34 studies conducted during the past 12 years revealed that the definitions of religiosity and mental health utilized by psychologists in this field were indeed associated with different types and strengths of the correlations between religiosity and mental health. Discussion of results assesses the fit between relevant theory and the pattern of change in effect size across categories of religion and adjustment, and concludes with implications for therapeutic uses of religious involvement.
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