Religious authoritarianism and psychopathology in college students.

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that religious authoritarianism is associated with indices of psychopathology in late adolescent college students (ages 18–20). The Mayo Religious Authoritarianism Scale was administered to 161 lower division college students who also completed the MMPI, the clinical scales of which were used to provide measures of emotional disturbance. Religious authoritarianism was not associated with any of the MMPI clinical scale scores; however, religious authoritarian subjects scored higher on the Ego Strength Scale of the MMPI than did high authoritarian subjects.