The Study of Religion, Spirituality and Wellbeing: Research Trends

Abstract

Research on religion, spirituality, and wellbeing has witnessed significant growth in the last decade. In an effort to better organize the expanding body of published studies, a classification into three groups is proposed. The first group encompasses studies focusing on the therapeutic aspects of religion and spirituality, such as coping mechanisms, resilience, and their impact on health. The second cluster deals with research exploring the positive effects of religion and spirituality, including improvements in quality of life, the pursuit of meaning, and their association with happiness and fulfilment. The third group is centred around 'human flourishing' and delves into developmental and normative approaches. Across all three groups, ongoing research consistently reveals a positive influence of religion and spirituality, even though there are debates concerning the mediators of these positive effects. Despite this progress, several unresolved issues persist in the current research, warranting further investigation in this important and evolving field.