Perception of God and Paranoia among Iranian University Students

Shideh Fasahati,Seyed Mohammad Kalantarkousheh

doi:10.4236/psych.2014.58109

Abstract

This study examined the correlation between types of perception of God and paranoid thoughts among 312 randomly sampled students—175 female and 137 male—in the Azad Islamic University of Tehran in Iran. Two survey questionnaires were administered to the participants through the University’s website—one assessing their perception of God (Lawrence, 1997), and the other to assess the occurrence of paranoid thoughts among them (Derogatis, Lipman, & Covi, 1973). Data were analyzed using correlation coefficients and regression methods. The results show that only the negative perception of God correlates with paranoia in both males and females, while the perception of God’s blessings in one’s life correlates with paranoid thoughts only among male students. Students with a positive perception of God experience less paranoia than students with negative perception of God—a finding that may actually suggest that positive spirituality/religiosity holds positive and therapeutic benefits for the paranoid.

Highlights

Through the spiritual chronicles of time, it appears that the most forgiving and loving of men had built their psycho-spiritual nature on the basis of first acknowledging and viewing God as the epitome of infinite mercy, kindness and love
There was a meaningful correlation between negative perceptions of God and paranoia in females [r (175) = 0.26, p > 0.05], thereby validating the second hypothesis on such a correlation [for females], wherein having negative perception of God encourages paranoid thoughts
A meaningful correlation did exist between the negative perception of God and paranoia in males [r (135) = 0.21, Table 1

Summary

Introduction

Through the spiritual chronicles of time, it appears that the most forgiving and loving of men had built their psycho-spiritual nature on the basis of first acknowledging and viewing God as the epitome of infinite mercy, kindness and love. It is no wonder, that many religious texts emphasize that one’s terms of endearment with God is a significant determinant and motivation in offering one’s best to others, in all relationships (Brown & Miller, 2005), since “the love of God”—much more than only “the fear of God”—would cause one to develop a “merciful” view of others, by natural extension of the Divine love one feels within one’s core.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion