Do Existential Variables Mediate Between Religious-Spiritual Facets of Functionality and Psychological Wellbeing

Marcin Wnuk,Jerzy Tadeusz Marcinkowski

doi:10.1007/s10943-012-9597-6

Marcin Wnuk, Jerzy Tadeusz Marcinkowski

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9597-6

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Abstract

Religiosity has been related to psychological wellbeing outcomes. Although this relationship is primarily based on studies of church attendance or prayer and wellbeing, more recent work has focused on the potential mechanisms that may mediate the religion-wellbeing findings. One of the major function of religion is finding of meaning of life and improving hope. Recent studies have indicated that hope and meaning of life are the potential variables mediate between religion and wellbeing. It was hypothesized that one pathway through which religiosity may exert its positive influence on psychological wellbeing is through finding meaning of life and improving hope. One study was conducted examining the relationships among spiritual experiences, hope, meaning of life and psychological wellbeing operationalized as satisfaction with life, positive affect and negative affect. The following research tools were used: Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, Purpose in Life Test, Hearth Hope Index, Cantril Ladder, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Meaning of life and hope were noticed to mediate between spiritual experiences and satisfaction with life as well as between spiritual experiences and positive affect. Spiritual experiences were not related to negative affect. Both meaning of life and hope predicted negative affect. This study found meaning of life and hope to be an important factors in the religion-wellbeing relationship and related to positive psychological outcomes, including improved satisfaction with life and positive affect as well as reduced negative affect.

Highlights

The survey of the literature has revealed the researchers’ trends for searching for the variables that mediate between the religious and spiritual aspects of the functionality of an individual and his or her wellbeing (Jones 2004; Park 2007; Zullig et al 2006)
One study was conducted examining the relationships among spiritual experiences, hope, meaning of life and psychological wellbeing operationalized as satisfaction with life, positive affect and negative affect
The strongest empirical foundation has been formed by the conviction that religious-spiritual aspects of functionality are the source of the meaning of life, resulting indirectly in the improvement of psychological wellbeing. (Wnuk 2009, 2010; Wnuk et al 2009; Steger and Frazier 2005; Zika and Chamberlain 1988; Vilchensky and Kravetz 2005; French and Joseph 1999)

Summary

Introduction

The survey of the literature has revealed the researchers’ trends for searching for the variables that mediate between the religious and spiritual aspects of the functionality of an individual and his or her wellbeing (Jones 2004; Park 2007; Zullig et al 2006). Another study, performed among Israeli students, revealed a mediating role of the meaning of life between religious faith and psychological wellbeing or distress (Vilchensky and Kravetz 2005). Among the Al-Anon group members, spiritual experiences were the source of meaning of life leading indirectly to an increase in satisfaction with life as well as to the distress level decrease (Wnuk et al 2009). The increase in the frequency of spiritual experiences was revealed to be conducive to finding the meaning of life in alcohol addicts being members of the Alcoholics Anonymous community and reduced the hopelessness level (Wnuk 2009)

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