Exploring The Moderating Effect of Spiritual Resilience on The Relationship between Psychological Resilience and Mental Health

Abstract

In recent years, the literature has increasingly emphasized potential factors contributing to resilience, with a particular focus on components related to spirituality and their interconnectedness with mental health. However, research findings regarding the role of spirituality have proven to be complex. This cross-sectional study explored whether spiritual resilience moderates the connection between psychological resilience and mental health. The study sample, consisting of 280 adults (81.1% female, 18.9% male) aged 18-65 years (M= 25.19; SD= 7.87) living in Turkey, completed a questionnaire that included a socio-demographic form, the Spiritual Resilience Scale, the Connor-Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale (short-form), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The results of the t-test analysis indicated that individuals who placed a high level of importance on religious beliefs exhibited high scores in spiritual resilience (p< .05). The correlation analysis results indicated positive correlations in the expected direction between psychological resilience and spiritual resilience. In contrast, psychological and spiritual resilience negatively correlated with general health. The findings from the moderator analysis indicated that spiritual resilience has a moderating role in the relationship between psychological resilience and general health. Consequently, enhancing spiritual resilience is crucial in the interplay between psychological resilience and mental health.