Frequency Of Church Attendance Research Articles

Religious Coping and Pain Associated With Sickle Cell Disease: Exploration of a Non-linear Model

The current study tested a non-linear model of religious coping among Black patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). We predicted that moderate prayer and church attendance would be associated with less severe affective and sensory ratings of pain, lower levels of psychopathology, and less frequent care utilization. The participants were 67 SCD patients, mean age 36.82 ± 11.47 (range 18–70) of which 45% were men. Using ANOVA procedures, our results indicated a main effect for the frequency of prayer which showed significant differences for anxiety and hostility. Post-hoc t tests revealed that participants who endorsed moderate frequency of prayer reported significantly less anxiety and hostility, relative to participants who reported high or low frequency of prayer. However, participants who endorsed moderate levels of prayer also reported a significantly higher frequency of visits to the emergency department, relative to participants who reported high or low frequency of prayer. However, reports of pain and psychopathology were more linear with participants who reported the highest frequency of church attendance having the highest reports, moderate among those with moderate frequency of church attendance, and lowest among those with infrequent church attendance. These findings challenge and extend the traditional linear conceptualization of religious coping on clinical outcomes among patients with SCD. Directions for future research are discussed.

Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality: Implications for physical and mental health research.

Empirical studies have identified significant links between religion and spirituality and health. The reasons for these associations, however, are unclear. Typically, religion and spirituality have been measured by global indices (e.g., frequency of church attendance, self-rated religiousness and spirituality) that do not specify how or why religion and spirituality affect health. The authors highlight recent advances in the delineation of religion and spirituality concepts and measures theoretically and functionally connected to health. They also point to areas for areas for growth in religion and spirituality conceptualization and measurement. Through measures of religion and spirituality more conceptually related to physical and mental health (e.g., closeness to God, religious orientation and motivation, religious support, religious struggle), psychologists are discovering more about the distinctive contributions of religiousness and spirituality to health and well-being.

Residents' Perceptions of Religious Tourism and its Socio-Economic Impacts on the Island of Tinos

Tourism and religion are historically related through the institution of pilgrimage, from which later the phenomenon of religious tourism emerged. Whilst numerous studies examined how tourism impacts on destinations and how local residents view tourism, there is a paucity of studies looking specifically at how religious tourism and tourists affect local residents living in “holy or sacred” destinations. This paper seeks to fill that gap in the literature by examining the perceptions of local residents of the socio-economic impacts of religious tourism on the island of Tinos, Greece. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey amongst local residents. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of residents welcome religious tourists to the island and perceive the socio-economic impacts as positive. Differences in perceptions were found on the basis of religiousness measured as frequency of church attendance and age of residents. Furthermore, the study found that whilst religious tourists are perceived as being different from “ordinary” tourists and are seen as similar to the residents themselves, they are not necessarily preferred to non-religious tourists. Overall, there is strong evidence that economic considerations override other concerns by local residents. The paper suggests management and development strategies for developing other forms of tourism on the island, whilst maintaining its role as religious site.

Homonegativity Among Professional School Counselors: An Exploratory Study

Homonegativity among female professional school counselors (n = 215) representing a single Southern state was measured using adapted versions of the Homonegativity Scale (HS) and the Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS). With the use of factorial analysis of variance, significant differences (p < .05) were found when HS and MHS scores were compared by (a) having a gay or lesbian friend or personal acquaintance, (b) frequency of church attendance, (c) participation in training about gay or lesbian sexual orientations in the 12 months prior to the study, and (d) having worked as a counselor with gay or lesbian people. Significant differences (p < .05) were found only for MHS scores when responses were compared by (a) race and (b) political affiliation.

Homonegativity among Professional School Counselors: An Exploratory Study

Homonegativity among female professional school counselors (n = 215) representing a single Southern state was measured using adapted versions of the Homonegativity Scale (HS) and the Modern Homonegativity Scale (MHS). With the use of factorial analysis of variance, significant differences (p &lt; .05) were found when HS and MHS scores were compared by (a) having a gay or lesbian friend or personal acquaintance, (b) frequency of church attendance, (c) participation in training about gay or lesbian sexual orientations in the 12 months prior to the study, and (d) having worked as a counselor with gay or lesbian people. Significant differences (p &lt; .05) were found only for MHS scores when responses were compared by (a) race and (b) political affiliation.

Spirituality, Religion, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Recovering From an Acute Myocardial Infarction

To assess the prospective relationship between spiritual experiences and health in a sample of patients surviving an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with depression or low social support. A subset of 503 patients participating in the enhancing recovery in coronary heart disease (ENRICHD) trial completed a Daily Spiritual Experiences (DSE) questionnaire within 28 days from the time of their AMI. The questionnaire assessed three spirituality variables-worship service/church attendance, prayer/meditation, and total DSE score. Patients also completed the Beck Depression Inventory to assess depressive symptoms and the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory to determine perceived social support. The sample was subsequently followed prospectively every 6 months for an average of 18 months to assess all-cause mortality and recurrent AMI. Of the 503 participants who completed the DSE questionnaire at the time of index AMI, 61 (12%) participants either died or sustained a recurrent MI during the follow-up period. After adjustment for gender, education level, ethnicity, and a composite medical prognosis risk score derived specifically for the ENRICHD trial, we observed no relationship between death or nonfatal AMI and total spirituality as measured by the DSE (p = .446), worship service attendance (p = .120), or frequency of prayer/meditation (p = .679). We found little evidence that self-reported spirituality, frequency of church attendance, or frequency of prayer is associated with cardiac morbidity or all-cause mortality post AMI in patients with depression and/or low perceived support.

Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use among older Mexican Americans

To determine predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, we used a cohort of 1445 non-institutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older from the first wave (1993-1994) of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly, followed until 2000-2001. The main outcome was use of any CAM (herbal medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, relaxation techniques or spiritual healing) in the past 12 months and was assessed at 7 years of follow-up. Potential predictors of CAM use at baseline included sociodemographics, acculturation factors, and medical conditions. The overall rate of CAM use among older Mexican Americans was 31.6%. Independent predictors of higher CAM use were female gender, being on Medicaid, frequent church attendance and higher number of medical conditions. In contrast, subjects who were born in US and spoke either Spanish or English at interview had lower CAM use compared with subjects who were born in Mexico.

Best Love of the Child

This paper examines the creation of the ability to give unconditional love (perhaps in tune with the theologians' definition of “best love”) and to discuss how laws might make this easier for children. Given my past work, it is perhaps not surprising that I see this as requiring permanence in the relationship. I hypothesize that children acquire this tendency (or longing, as Aristotle and Jennifer Roback-Morse would term it) as they see it around them. The most likely three relationships from which children can draw models of unconditional love are God's love, the parents' love for each other, and the parents' love for the child. God's love is of course the model for all human unconditional love. We might see parents' response to it in frequency of church attendance or how important they say religion is in their lives. The ability of law (at least in the United States) to influence belief and the exercise of it is of course a delicate constitutional question. The law can certainly continue to not discriminate against religion and to allow such benefits as charitable tax deductions for religious contributions and tax exemptions for religious properties. Tuition vouchers are a help, too. But the controversy in Massachusetts surrounding Catholic Charities' adoption policies show how fragile this balance has become. The parents' love for each other also can serve as a model for children. Other research, including my own, shows that unconditional love is most likely to flourish in marriage as opposed to cohabitation. It is also most evident in what Judith Wallerstein calls “The Good Marriage,” whose opposite is the “Separate Spheres” (or marriage reduced to its lowest common denominator) discussed by Lundberg and Pollock or the “exchange relationship” detailed in Gary Hanson's “Marital Exchange Relationship” piece in psychology. This love is threatened by any attempt to equate marriage and cohabitation (as with current Canadian law and the American Law Institute's Domestic Partnership proposals). It is strengthened by legal efforts to make marriages stronger, whether these are through requirements for premarital counseling or through tax and other subsidies based upon marital status (listed in, for example, the Vermont same-sex marriage case of Baker v. Vermont) and perhaps by laws that force couples to carefully think through the decision to divorce. From a nonlegal perspective, marriage is strengthened by increased support from extended family and the community, secular and religious. The parents' love for him or her is perhaps the first unconditional love noticed by a child. We can see it in what the parent says about the child, what kinds of activities he or she does with the child, and how close the child feels to the parent, perhaps whether the child feels the parent stands up for him or her or acts as an advocate. From an absent parent, we can still get some glimpse of this love through continued contact, attendance at the child's activities, and even faithful payment of child support. From a negative perspective, we see the absence of unconditional love in parents who say they are disappointed with their child, who neglect their child (when they have the means of support), perhaps when they engage in custody battles and certainly when they abuse the child. Law can strengthen parental relationships with children. On the extreme, children in foster care are unlikely to see this love, and efforts should be made to either strengthen the family of origin or place the child in a permanent adoptive or kincare situation. Child abuse is criminal and serious, and should be taken seriously by the law and prevented where possible (including abuse by non-parent adults living in the home). For another example (of many), custody laws can be carefully drafted to minimize incentives for vindictive behavior and to promote relationships with noncustodial parents. We can continue to promote family autonomy so that parents in less stressed families can effectively allow their children to flourish. This paper tests these ideas to the extent possible, finding that characteristics favorable to unconditional loving as adults are present in environments consistent with each of these models. I conclude with a number of policy recommendations to strength families and make them more permanent.

Fatores associados à ideação suicida na comunidade: um estudo de caso-controle

This paper aims to identify variables associated with suicidal ideation during the previous 12 months in the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Using a case-control design, risk factors for suicidal ideation were investigated through analysis of independent variables related to the individual, family, and health. Some 29 cases of suicidal ideation and 166 controls were interviewed. Cases were identified through a previous cross-sectional study, and controls were randomly selected from the same population base among those with no history of suicidal ideation in the previous 12 months. Regression models were used to control for confounders and effect modifiers. According to the results, demographic variables were not associated with suicidal ideation. In the final model, the variables that remained statistically significant were depressive symptoms, emotional difficulties, lack of neighborhood support, and less frequent church attendance. Suicidal ideation was consistently associated with factors related to depressive symptoms, especially lack of energy and depressed mood.

Gender Differences in the Association Between Religious Involvement and Depression: The Cache County (Utah) Study

We examined the relation between religious involvement, membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and major depression in a population-based study of aging and dementia in Cache County, Utah. Participants included 4,468 nondemented individuals between the ages of 65 and 100 years who were interviewed in person. In logistic regression models adjusting for demographic and health variables, frequent church attendance was associated with a reduced prevalence of depression in women but increased prevalence in men. Social role loss and the potential impact of organizational power differential by sex are discussed. Though causality cannot be determined here, these findings suggest that the association between religious involvement and depression may differ substantially between men and women.

Higher church attendance predicts lower fear of falling in older Mexican-Americans

Several studies have shown that involvement in religious activity appears to benefit health. To estimate the association between church attendance and fear of falling, we used a sample of 1341 non-institutionalized Mexican-Americans aged 70 and over from the third wave (1998–1999) of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly, followed until 2000–2001. Baseline potential predictors of fear of falling were church attendance, socio-demographics, history of falls, summary measure of lower body performance (tandem balance, eight-foot walk, and repeated chair stands), functional status, depressive symptoms, cognitive status, and medical conditions. Fear of falling at the two-year follow-up was measured as no fear, somewhat afraid, fairly afraid, and very afraid. Chi-square statistic and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to estimate associations between the outcome and the potential predictors. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that frequent church attendance was an independent predictor of lower fear of falling (odds ratio = 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.58–0.92, P = 0.008) two years later. Other independent predictors of fear of falling were female gender, poorer objective lower body performance, history of falls, arthritis, hypertension, and urinary incontinence. Frequent church attendance is associated with decreased fear of falling in older Mexican-Americans.

Is church attendance associated with Latinas' health practices and self-reported health?

To evaluate (a) the relation between frequency of church attendance, self-rated health, and health behaviors controlling for potential confounders and (b) the influence of acculturation on church attendance and health behaviors. Physical activity and dietary patterns, demographics, and acculturation levels were compared among Latinas who attended church frequently, infrequently, and not at all. Church attendance was independently and positively associated with healthier dietary and physical activity behaviors, but not with self-rated health. Acculturation attenuated the relation between physical activity and church attendance. Latinas' health behaviors and self-rated health may be related to other variables that explain the salutary effects of church attendance.

The relationships of religiosity and personality with suicidal ideation

The prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) has been studied among a sample of some 500 undergraduate students in the UK, and related to several behavioural and attitudinal religious variables and individual personality differences as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. SI was not significantly associated with age, but men appeared more likely to entertain suicidal thoughts than women. There were no significant differences in the mean levels of SI with respect to church affiliation or the frequency of church attendance and personal prayer. A comparison of the predictive effects of religious orientation, as measured by the subscales of the Revised Religious Life Inventory, and the Eysenckian higher order personality dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and social conformity indicated that the contributions made by the religious orientations were small. Neuroticism was a strong predictor of SI, closely followed by psychoticism. This study has not confirmed the generally found negative relationship between SI and religiosity, and has shown that the observed variance in SI is substantially explained by individual differences in personality.

A comparison of African American and white college students’ affective and attitudinal reactions to lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals: An exploratory study

African American (n = 70) university students were compared with White students (n = 140) on their affective (homophobia) and attitudinal (homonegativity) reactions to lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. The results initially suggested that African Americans had modestly higher homophobia and homonegativity scores than Whites. However, those ethnic differences vanished after controlling for frequency of church attendance, religious commitment, and socioeconomic status. For both ethnic groups, gender and religiosity variables significantly predicted homophobia and homonegativity. Men in both ethnic groups had significantly higher homophobia and homonegativity scores than their female counterparts. Lastly, additional regression analyses revealed that one aspect of African American culture—family practices—significantly predicted homophobia, but not homonegativity, above the predictive ability of religiosity. Implications of the results are discussed.

Religious Social Networks, Indirect Mobilization, and African-American Political Participation

This study examines the mobilizing effects of informal political discussions among African-American church attenders. Specifically, I focus on indirect political encouragement through congregant social networks. I utilize data from the 1993-1994 National Black Politics Study to test models of indirect mobilization effects on voting and non-voting political activism. Findings from regression analyses demonstrate that informal political communication in churches is a more effective stimulus of political involvement than clergy messages. In particular, I argue that discussions in religious social networks increases black activism by overcoming the paradoxes of participation, developing a motivating political consciousness in citizens, and producing responsiveness to religious group civic norms. My results suggest that frequent church attendance and expectations of regular con-tact with fellow parishioners serve as important mechanisms for monitoring and re i n forcing civic norms, while clergy messages may be less effective due to their more detached connection with black church attenders.

Religion, Attitudes Towards Working Mothers and Wives' Full-time Employment

This paper uses ISSP-data from the 1990's to analyze the relationship between religion and attitudes towards working mothers both within and across Austria, West and East Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US. In addition, the sub-sample of husbands is used to examine whether these attitudes along with males' religious involvement affect wives' full-time employment. Reinforcing previous research, Austrians and West Germans are the most conservative individuals across the countries examined, whereas British and US-Americans are the most liberal. Denominational affiliation as well as religious participation correlates positively with traditional attitudes across and, though weaker, within countries. Regarding full-time labor participation of wives, the results suggest for a negative effect of both males' attitudes and religious affiliation. Husbands' frequency of church attendance, however, does not affect the likelihood of wives' full-time employment.

The Link Between Religion and Health: Psychoneuroimmunology and the Faith Factor

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Book Forum: PsychoneuroimmunologyFull AccessThe Link Between Religion and Health: Psychoneuroimmunology and the Faith FactorWILLIAM R. YATES, M.D., WILLIAM R. YATESSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., Tulsa, Okla.Published Online:1 Mar 2004https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.3.586AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail This book contains 15 chapters written by national experts in a variety of disciplines. Most of the authors participated in a 1999 conference at Duke University to “review the effects of stress on the immune system and see how this knowledge might inform us about the religion-health relationship.”The number of studies supporting beneficial effects for religion on mental health, physical health, and mortality is growing, but no biological mechanism for such an effect has been proven. The editors propose that religion may have a beneficial effect on immune function through the neuroendocrine system’s modulation of the stress response. Several chapters address this hypothesis by examining neuroendocrine and immune function factors in cancer, autoimmune disorders, wound healing, HIV infection, and other infections. Although there are some studies supporting the editors’ hypothesis, clearly there is a long way to go.One of the important research issues addressed in this book is defining the multiple domains that exist under the umbrella of religion. Many early studies examined the role of religious denomination on health. Clearly, this categorization fails to recognize the complex features of religion and faith. The authors note that religious belief, religious behavior (i.e., frequency of church attendance), use of religion in coping, spirituality, and other features of religion may be related more directly to the beneficial effects of religion on health. Potentially important confounding issues, such as lower rates of smoking in church attenders, are also noted in this book. The authors review the psychometric issues involved in many of these religious domains and make specific recommendations for researchers who want to include religion as a descriptive variable.A final chapter summarizes the editors’ recommendation for an agenda for future research in the study of the effects of religion on health. They advocate a series of research projects, some classified as high priority and others classified as most practical. Some of the most practical studies would have a limited cost. For example, adding several measures of religiosity and several immune function markers to standard chemotherapy clinical trials could help examine the relationship between religion and immune response. The editors give additional examples of how “piggybacking” religion assessments may provide valuable information about the effect of religion on disease, health, and treatment response.I would recommend this book for clinical researchers interested in contributing to the study of the role of religion in psychiatry and medicine. Clinicians interested in the relationship between religion and health will also enjoy this summary of the current state of knowledge and glimpse into potential future research studies.Edited by Harold G. Koenig and Harvey Jay Cohen. New York, Oxford University Press, 2002, 304 pp., $35.00. FiguresReferencesCited byDetailsCited ByPeace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol. 15, No. 4Spirituality in Nursing and Health-Related Literature22 June 2016 | Journal of Holistic Nursing, Vol. 25, No. 4Journal of Muslim Mental Health, Vol. 1, No. 2Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 3 Volume 161Issue 3 March 2004Pages 586-586 Metrics PDF download History Published online 1 March 2004 Published in print 1 March 2004

Exploring contraceptive pill taking among Hispanic women in the United States.

Data from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth have previously shown greater risk of inconsistent contraceptive pill use among Hispanic women. We used the same data to test aculturally based model of pill use among the subsample of Hispanic women. Hierarchical logit analyses revealed that primary use of Spanish, negative attitudes about women in the workplace, two or more recent sex partners, and recent pill adoption were factors that increased the odds of inconsistent use. Living alone or with non-kin was associated with more consistent use, as were showing preference for a stay-at-home model of motherhood, frequent church attendance, and frequent sexual intercourse. Our findings suggest that the strong effects of behavioral variables (e.g., duration of pill use, number of sex partners) are mediated by cultural indicators (e.g., primary use of Spanish, attitudes about sex roles). The extent to which programs address important cultural dimensions of health behaviors could enhance effectiveness.

Adolescent religiosity and sexuality: an investigation of reciprocal influences

The present study examined potential bi-directional associations between religiosity and first sexual intercourse. The sample, drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, included 303 teens (22% Hispanic, 35% Black, 43% White; 53% male) aged 15–16 in 1996 and 17–18 in 1998. All teens included in the sample were virgins at Time 1. In the longitudinal analyses, higher Time 1 religiosity (a composite of importance of religion and frequency of church attendance) was associated with a lower likelihood of first sexual intercourse between Time 1 and Time 2. However, transition to sexual activity between Time 1 and Time 2 was not significantly related to Time 2 religiosity. Thus, results do not support a bi-directional association; instead, it appears that teens with higher levels of religiosity tend to delay sexual involvement more than those with lower levels of religiosity.

Tracing the Profile of Animal Rights Supporters: A Preliminary Investigation

AbstractA question about the "moral rights" of nonhuman animals in the 1993 and 1994 General Social Survey (GSS) effected an understanding of some of the demographics of those supporting animal rights. This study checked results against related questions concerning attitudes toward animal testing and meat consumption. The stereotypical profile of an animal rights supporter is female, well educated, upper-middle class, middle-aged, and white. The data in this study do not support the stereotype. Instead, the young, non-black minorities, and the less educated were more likely to support animal rights; income was not a significant predictor. Other predictors examined included religious denomination, frequency of church attendance, and attitudes toward environmental protection. This study's findings suggest the need to rethink "post-materialist" and "post-citizenship" theories about who supports animal rights. This paper also points the way toward future studies to examine the causal linkages between the predictors and animal rights attitudes.