Protecting the sacred and expressions of rituality: Examining the relationship between extrinsic dimensions of religiosity and unhealthy guilt

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between extrinsic religiosity and unhealthy guilt by testing two specific hypotheses. Using multidimensional measures of religious orientation and guilt, among 344 (169 male and 175 female) adults, and consistent with predictions; extrinsic-personal religiosity was found to be related to trait and state guilt, and extrinsic-social religiosity was found to be related to moral standards guilt. The present findings suggest evidence for a present conceptualization of the relationship between extrinsic religiosity and unhealthy guilt as the result of internal and external conflicts. The findings suggest that, when looking at maladaptive guilt among religious clients in clinical, therapeutic or counselling settings, it may be crucial to distinguish between dimensions of extrinsic religiosity and unhealthy guilt.