Low Religiosity Research Articles

Public support for the right to euthanasia: Impact of traditional religiosity and autonomy values across 37 nations

This article takes a postmodernization perspective on support for the right to euthanasia by treating it as an expression of a process of value change, as a preference for quality over quantity of life. Using the data from the fifth wave of the World Values Survey, this study attempts to answer the question of whether the mass support for the right to euthanasia is an expression of autonomy values rather than just a function of a low religiosity. Multilevel regressions demonstrate that both traditional religiosity and autonomy values have a high impact at the individual level, while at the country level only the effects of traditional religiosity are significant. Autonomy values have stronger association with attitudes to euthanasia in countries with higher levels of postmaterialism. Multilevel path analysis demonstrates that the effect of religiosity is partially and weakly mediated by the values of autonomy at both levels. Although religiosity was found to have a much stronger impact, the independent effect of autonomy values suggests that mass support for the right to euthanasia is a value-driven preference for quality over quantity of life. We conclude by suggesting that the fall in traditional religiosity might emphasize the role of values in moral attitudes regulation.

Nurse opinions about initiating spiritual conversation and prayer in patient care.

The aim of this study was to understand nurses' opinions about initiating spiritual or religious conversation during patient care and to measure how these perspectives are associated with demographic, religious and work-related characteristics. Nurses are expected to provide spiritual care and do so in diverse ways. Little is known about how nurses think about initiating spiritual or religious discourse. Cross-sectional, quantitative. Online survey methods allowed data collection from 445 nurses. The survey, accessed from the homepage of the Journal of Christian Nursing for 6months beginning June 2015, included scales measuring various facets of religiosity, and items assessing nurse opinions about introducing spirituality or religion during patient care and demographic and work-related variables. Variables showing significant associations with Nurse Opinion items in bivariate analyses were examined using binary logistic regression. About 90% of participants believed it appropriate to initiate conversation about spirituality/religion and nearly three-quarters thought it appropriate to self-disclose spirituality/religion or offer prayer under certain circumstances or anytime. All personal religiosity indicators except tentativeness of belief were found to be associated with responses to Nurse Opinion items. That is, higher religiosity was associated with opinion one could initiate such conversations, whereas lower religiosity was associated with waiting for patients to initiate. Nurses working in a faith-based organization were 276% more likely to believe they could initiate such conversation and 153% more likely to think they could initiate an offer of prayer. Nurse religiosity and work environment were associated with nurse opinions about initiating spiritual/religious discourse with patients.

Religious Activity, Psychotic Features, and Suicidality in 688 Acute Psychiatric Inpatients.

Religiosity has been linked to mental health outcomes for decades. This study examined the potential relationship between religiosity and demographic and clinical variables in a sample of psychiatric inpatients. In total, 688 adults admitted to an acute psychiatric facility with a primary mood or psychotic disorder completed the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). The DUREL measures religious activity in 3 domains: organizational religious activity (ORA), nonorganizational religious activity (NORA), and intrinsic (or subjective) religiosity (IR). We categorized scores into high and low religiosity. Bivariate analyses with χ and independent sample t tests were used to examine the association between the DUREL subscales and demographic, clinical, and outcome measures. A generalized linear model was used to identify predictors of suicidality, psychosis, and 30-day rehospitalization. Elevated religious activity was common in the inpatient sample, with 58% categorized as high IR, 43% as high NORA, and 36% as high ORA. For all 3 DUREL subscales, high religiosity scores were associated with significantly more psychosis (P<0.05) and significantly less suicidal ideation (P<0.001). High ORA (P=0.001) and high IR (P=0.01) were associated with significantly fewer suicide attempts. High ORA scores were also associated with an increased length of stay (P<0.05) and more frequent 30-day readmission rates (P=0.01). In the generalized linear model, predictors of lower levels of suicidality were high ORA, high IR, and a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or other psychotic disorder, whereas a diagnosis of depressive disorder was associated with greater suicidality. Predictors of psychosis were high IR and Hispanic ethnicity, whereas a diagnosis of depressive disorder was associated with lower rates of psychosis. Female inpatients were more likely than male inpatients to score high on the ORA (P<0.05), NORA (P<0.05), and IR (P<0.0001) subscales. In addition, a significant relationship was detected between age and high IR scores (P<0.005), with increasing age associated with higher IR scores. Although preliminary, these results suggest that a brief measure of religiosity may provide important information concerning clinical features and acute outcomes in patients hospitalized with serious mental illness.

To lose an unborn child: Post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder following pregnancy loss among Israeli women.

Pregnancy loss (PL) can be a very difficult experience. However, the evidence regarding the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology following PL is inconsistent at best. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) following PL, and their differential predictors. Participants were 97 women, ages 23-47, who have experienced PL starting from the 2nd trimester. They were recruited at the Hadassah Ein-Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. The mean pregnancy week of loss was 27.92. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing PTSD (PCL-5), MDD (BDI-II), sociodemographic variables and factors related to the loss. We have found high rates of probable PTSD (33.3%) and MDD (29.4%) among our sample, as well as high PTSD-MDD comorbidity. A more advanced gestational week of loss and shorter time since PL were positively associated with both PTSD and MDD. Younger age and lower religiosity were associated with more severe PTSD, but not MDD. PL is a potentially-traumatic experience, entailing a heavy burden of PTSD and MDD. Mental health professionals are encouraged to closely monitor women following PL, particularly young mothers, who have experienced PL more recently, and at the advanced stages of pregnancy.

The Roles of Parents and Peer Friends on Adolescent Premarital Sex Behavior in High School Students of Buol District

Background: Most adolescents or teens consider premarital sex behavior is a common and normal activity to do. Parents less able to communicate with their children will provoke conflicts in parents-children relationship and this may lead to impacts on premarital sex behavior in adolescents. Peer friends are also a source of information about sex that is quite significant in the shaping of adolescent knowledge, attitude and sexual behavior. However, information from peers may lead to negative impacts in adolescents such as premarital sex. This activity can lead to unwanted pregnancy, STIs, abortion and school dropouts.Objective: To determine the relationship between the roles of parents and peers in adolescent premarital sexual behavior in SMAN 1, SMA 2, SMK 1 and MAN in Buol.Methods: This study was observational with a cross-sectional design using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study was held in SMAN 1, SMAN 2, SMK 1 and MAN of Buol District in Central Sulawesi with 192 adolescent as the research subjects. In-depth interviews were done to four selected informants.Result and Discussion: The results of bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between the roles of parents and peers in adolescent premarital sexual behavior. Adolescents with low reproductive health information than that of parents have 2 times higher chance to perform high-risk sexual behaviors than adolescents with high reproductive health information than their parents. Adolescents with peers who give bad influence have a 5 times higher risk sexual behavior than teens with peers whose negative influence is lower. The results of this study also showed that there is a relationship between the influence of religiosity and pornographic media associated with high risk sexual behaviorConclusion: High-risk sexual behavior in adolescents is influenced by the parents’ role, poor informations on reproductive health high bad influence from peers is, low religiosity and exposure to pornographic media.Keywords: role of parents, peers, premarital sexual behavior

Religion as an Exchange System: The Interchangeability of God and Government in a Provider Role.

An exchange model of religion implies that if a secular entity such as government provides what people need, they will be less likely to seek help from supernatural entities. Controlling for quality of life and income inequality (Gini), we found that better government services were related to lower religiosity among countries (Study 1) and states in the United States (Study 2). Study 2 also showed that during 2008-2013, better government services in a specific year predicted lower religiosity 1 to 2 years later. In both studies, a combination of better government services and quality of life was related to a particularly low level of religiosity. Among countries, government services moderated the relation between religiosity and two measures of well-being, such that religiosity was related to greater well-being only when government services were low. We discuss the relation between the exchange model and other theoretical approaches to religion.

Strange Bedfellows? Attitudes toward Minority and Majority Religious Symbols in the Public Sphere

AbstractIn this study, we contend that distinguishing individuals who support bans onminorityreligious symbols from those who want to banallreligious symbols improves our understanding of the roots of opposition to minority religious symbols in the public sphere. We hypothesize that both groups are likely driven by markedly different motivations and that opposition to the presence of minority religious symbols in the public sphere may be the result of an alliance between “strange bedfellows,” clusters of individuals whose political outlooks usually bring them to opposite sides of political debates. Drawing on a survey conducted in the province of Quebec (Canada), we find that while holding liberal values and low religiosity are key characteristics of those who would ban all religious symbols, feelings of cultural threat and generalized prejudice are central characteristics of those who would only restrict minority religious symbols. Negative attitudes specifically toward Muslims, however, also appear to motivate both groups.

Discrimination, religious and cultural factors, and Middle Eastern/Arab Americans' psychological distress.

We investigated (1) the moderating role of religiosity in the link between religious affiliation and ethnic discrimination and (2) the moderating roles of religiosity, ethnic identity, and family connectedness in the relations between ethnic discrimination and psychological distress. Our sample consisted of 122 (60% women, 40% men) Middle Eastern/Arab Americans (MEAAs), ranging in age from 18 to 82 years old, who completed an online survey. Muslim identification predicted discrimination for MEAAs with high but not low religiosity. Higher levels of discrimination, more family connectedness, the interaction of discrimination and religiosity, and the interaction of discrimination and family connectedness were unique predictors of psychological distress. Religiosity is a risk factor for experiencing ethnic discrimination among Muslim identified MEAAs. MEAAs who have high religiosity and low to moderate levels of family connectedness are vulnerable to psychological distress associated withethnic discrimination.

The Effect of Religiosity on Adolescent Risky Behaviors

We investigate the relationship between religiosity and risky behaviors in adolescence using data from a large and detailed cohort study of 14 year olds that have been followed for seven years. We focus on the effect of the self-reported importance of religion and on the risk of youths having early sexual intercourse, drinking underage, trying cigarettes, trying cannabis, and being involved in fighting at ages 14–17. We use school and individual fixed effects, and we control for a rich set of adolescent, school, and family characteristics, including achievements in standardized test scores at age 11, parental employment, and marital status. We also control for information on personality traits, such as work ethic, self-esteem, and external locus of control. Our results show that individuals with low religiosity are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors. This effect is robust to separate estimations for boys and girls and to the control variables used. The combination of low work ethic, low self-esteem, and low religiosity seems to have particularly detrimental effects.

Associations between religiosity and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults living with epilepsy

PurposeReligiosity can be important in the everyday life of persons with epilepsy (PWE). How PWE live with religiosity can be influenced by their cultural background. We determined whether religiosity is associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults with epilepsy. MethodsThis multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of five university hospitals in Korea. Religiosity was assessed using the five-item Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). The WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were used. The participants were categorized into three subgroups bounded by the 33rd and 66th percentiles of their DUREL scores. ResultsOf a total of 226 participants, 61.1% declared that they had religious affiliation. The median DUREL score was 11 (interquartile ranges 6, 18). All three subscales of the DUREL were significantly related to WHO-5 (p<0.01). Non-organizational religious activities such as prayer and meditation were also inversely related to anxiety (p<0.05) and depressive symptoms (p<0.01). After controlling for confounding variables, anxiety and depressive symptoms were more extensive in the low religiosity subgroup than in the high or no religiosity subgroup (p<0.01) and well-being was higher in the high or low religiosity subgroup than in the no religiosity subgroup (p<0.05). ConclusionsReligiosity is significantly associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and well-being in Korean adults with epilepsy.

Mental contamination: The effects of religiosity

Background and objectivesMental contamination, which occurs in the absence of contact with a contaminant, has a moral element. Previous studies evoked feelings of mental contamination via listening to a scenario, which described a non-consensual kiss. Since mental contamination has a moral element, we tested the effects of the level of religiosity on feelings of mental contamination and related variables in an experimental design. MethodsFemale undergraduates of high religiosity (n = 48) and low religiosity (n = 44) were randomly assigned to listen to one of two audio recordings involving a consensual or non-consensual kiss from a man described as moral. ResultsMental contamination feelings were evoked successfully in both groups. Effects of scenario condition and religiosity level were seen in mental contamination and related negative feelings. Participants who imagined a non-consensual kiss reported greatest feelings of mental contamination, and internal and external negative feelings. More importantly, high religiosity resulted in greater feelings of mental contamination, internal negative feelings, as well as urges to wash and actual washing behaviors. LimitationsThe current study was conducted on non-clinical Muslim females. This limits the generalization of the findings to the wider population. ConclusionsMental contamination and related feelings can be seen in different forms at different levels of religiosity.

A Risk Typology for Depression in African Americans

ABSTRACTStudies report that African Americans are likely to experience severe, chronic, and disabling depressive symptoms leading to poor depression outcomes. There are several psychosocial and sociocultural factors that individually contribute to depression in African Americans (i.e. chronic stress, negative life events, negative social interaction, social support, and religiosity). However, African Americans are a heterogeneous population and the identification of subpopulations with distinct constellations of multiple co-occurring risk and protective factors may offer greater explanatory potential into depression burden for African Americans. This study used data from the American's Changing Lives Survey to identify risk types for depression in a national sample of African American adults and older adults (n = 1174). Latent class analysis results revealed a risk typology that included 3 distinct risk patterns for African Americans. Individuals in the High Protective/Low Risk Type (41%) had high levels of religiosity and social support. Those in the Moderate Protection/Low Risk Type (44%) had moderate levels of religiosity and social support. The Low Protection/Low Risk Type (15%) had low organizational and non-organizational religiosity and relatively low social support. All three types were marked by relatively low risk factors (i.e. negative events, financial stress, and negative social interaction). Multinomial logistic regression results suggested associations between demographic characteristics (i.e. gender, age, education, marital status), depressive symptoms, and risk type. Study results have implications for the development of depression interventions that are targeted to a specific risk type and tailored to the demographic profile of individuals likely to experience poor depression outcomes.

CORRELATES OF BINGE DRINKING IN A SAMPLE OF CANADIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

There is a lack of recent research exploring the differences between binge and non-binge drinkers among Canadian university students. The current study aims to address this gap in the literature through an exploratory statistical analysis. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were employed to identify the prevalence of binge drinking, as well as its various sociodemographic, behavioural, and mental health correlates. A large majority (83.1%) of the 507 respondents reported consuming alcohol in the previous 12 months; of these, 69.7% (67.0% of males, 70.9% of females) reported engaging in binge drinking (5 drinks in one session for males, 4 for females) at least once in the previous 30 days. Although there was no significant gender difference in the prevalence of binge drinking, there were several gender differences among the correlates. Compared to non-binge drinkers, male binge drinkers reported greater life satisfaction, and greater probability of smoking cigarettes and engaging in risky sex, while females reported greater impulsivity and lower religiosity. As expected, binge drinkers experienced more adverse consequences from alcohol consumption than did non-binge drinkers, but unexpectedly did not differ significantly in mental health and wellbeing. Limitations of the present study and future research directions are discussed with a view to improving our understanding of risk and protective factors related to unhealthy alcohol consumption among university students in Canada and abroad.

We are not alone: The meaning motive, religiosity, and belief in extraterrestrial intelligence

We tested the proposals that paranormal beliefs about extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) are motivated, in part, by the need for meaning and that this existential motive helps explain the inverse relationship between religiosity and ETI beliefs. In Study 1, we experimentally establish that the motive to find meaning in life increases ETI beliefs. In Study 2, we replicate previous research demonstrating that low religiosity is associated with greater ETI beliefs. In Studies 3–4 we tested and found support for a model linking low religiosity to low presence of meaning, high search for meaning, and greater ETI beliefs. In all, our findings offer a motivational account of why people endorse paranormal beliefs about intelligent alien beings observing and influencing the lives of humans.

Public Attitudes toward Consent and Data Sharing in Biobank Research: A Large Multi-site Experimental Survey in the US

Individuals participating in biobanks and other large research projects are increasingly asked to provide broad consent for open-ended research use and widespread sharing of their biosamples and data. We assessed willingness to participate in a biobank using different consent and data sharing models, hypothesizing that willingness would be higher under more restrictive scenarios. Perceived benefits, concerns, and information needs were also assessed. In this experimental survey, individuals from 11US healthcare systems in the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network were randomly allocated to one of three hypothetical scenarios: tiered consent and controlled data sharing; broad consent and controlled data sharing; or broad consent and open data sharing. Of 82,328 eligible individuals, exactly 13,000 (15.8%) completed the survey. Overall, 66% (95% CI: 63%-69%) of population-weighted respondents stated they would be willing to participate in a biobank; willingness and attitudes did not differ between respondents in the three scenarios. Willingness to participate was associated with self-identified white race, higher educational attainment, lower religiosity, perceiving more research benefits, fewer concerns, and fewer information needs. Most (86%, CI: 84%-87%) participants would want to know what would happen if a researcher misused their health information; fewer (51%, CI: 47%-55%) would worry about their privacy. The concern that the use of broad consent and open data sharing could adversely affect participant recruitment is not supported by these findings. Addressing potential participants' concerns and information needs and building trust and relationships with communities may increase acceptance of broad consent and wide data sharing in biobank research.

Corrected by Reflection

Cognitive by-product theorists suggest that the ability to accept religious and supernatural belief is a by-product of humans’ evolved propensity to over-attribute agency to non-human entities such as animals and objects. It is argued that this phenomenon facilitates and underpins belief in gods and supernatural beings. With this in mind, how then is non belief and atheism explained? The present study aimed to explore atheism from the perspective of by-product theory, examining differences in Anthropomorphizing (attributing human qualities to non human entities) in a population of atheists compared to a sample from a general population. One hundred and twenty-three participants recruited from a general population for a study on beliefs and thirty-six participants were recruited via an atheist organization completed the study. Results showed lower use of non-animal agency anthropomorphic concepts was linked to lower religiosity, and that the atheist recruited participants showed the least endorsement of anthropomorphic concepts than the general population sample. The implications of this finding are discussed with respect to the nature of atheism and the role of de-anthropomorphizing in the adoption of an atheist belief position.

Opening the closet door: Openness to experience, masculinity, religiosity, and coming out among same-sex attracted men

Contemporary models of sexual identity emphasize variability in “coming out”. To date, little research has examined the potential role of personality and individual differences. In a Canadian community sample of same-sex attracted men (N=257), greater openness to experience (i.e., openness) and lower religiosity were associated with an earlier age of coming out. Further, openness was associated with an earlier age of coming out over and above childhood gender role, religiosity, and participant age. We also found a 3-way interaction, such that a particularly late age of coming out was found among highly masculine, highly religious men low in openness. Using a dichotomous measure, openness was also lower among those who had not come out (vs. those who were out). Our findings suggest potential barriers to coming out for same-sex attracted men with more conventional and traditional personality traits. Implications for understanding the coming out experience are discussed.

Modern Families

The aim of this study was to examine parenting desire, intention, and experience among a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals ( N = 568) from Portugal between the ages of 18 and 76 years. Approximately 7% ( n = 38) reported having children, with the majority stating a biological kinship with their children primarily from previous heterosexual relationships. The central focus of the current study includes participants without children ( n = 530), on average 12 years younger than those with children. Among this group, 65% stated a desire to have children and 56% stated the intention to have children in the future. A multiple regression revealed that young age, involvement in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender events, and low religiosity significantly predicted parenting intention. To further explore the effects of age on parenting intention, an analysis of variance was conducted. Younger participants reported significantly stronger parenting intention, and these differences were detected between each age/developmental group.

Religiosity and Labour Earnings in Canadian Provinces

Using recent data from the Canadian General Social Survey, I examine how religious belief and practice relate to labour earnings in Canada. Noting that religious landscape strongly varies across Canadian provinces, I explore whether these discrepancies are reflected in the association of wages and religiosity indicators, for men and women. Moreover, I identify two groups of individuals, one without any tie with religion and spirituality, and the other shaping their lives around them. I find that males belonging to the least religious group earn significantly below otherwise identical individuals in the high affiliation province of Newfoundland, while they enjoy a ceteris paribus wage premium in the low religiosity provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. Females of the most religious group, on the other hand, are found at a disadvantage in the Canadian west, where affiliation with Conservative Protestantism is more prevalent.

Smoking status and symptom burden in surgical head and neck cancer patients.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients who smoke are at risk for poor treatment outcomes. This study evaluated symptom burden and clinical, sociodemographic, and psychosocial factors associated with smoking in surgical patients to identify potential targets for supportive care services. Cross-sectional survey. Individuals with HNSCC of the oral cavity, larynx, or pharynx were recruited from two cancer centers and completed questionnaires assessing smoking status (never, former, current/recent), patient characteristics, and symptoms before surgery. Of the 103 patients enrolled, 73% were male, 52% were stage IV, 41% reported current/recent smoking, and 37% reported former smoking. Current/recent smokers were less likely than former smokers to have adequate finances (53% vs. 89%, P = .001) and be married/partnered (55% vs. 79%, P = .03). Current/recent smokers were also more likely than both former and never smokers to be unemployed (49% vs. 40% and 13%, respectively, all P = .02) and lack health insurance (17% vs. 5% and 13%, respectively, all P ≤.04). Fatalistic beliefs (P = .03) and lower religiosity (P =.04) were more common in current/recent than never smokers. In models adjusted for sociodemographic/clinical factors, current/recent smokers reported more problems than former and never smokers with swallowing, speech, and cough (P ≤.04). Current/recent smokers also reported more problems than never smokers with social contact, feeling ill, and weight loss (P ≤ .02). HNSCC patients reporting current/recent smoking before surgery have high-risk clinical and sociodemographic features that may predispose them to poor postoperative outcomes. Unique symptoms in HNSCC smokers may be useful targets for patient-centered clinical monitoring and intervention. 4 Laryngoscope, 127:127-133, 2017.