Personal Religiosity Research Articles

Existential Needs in Mental Health - Who Cares? A Mixed Methods Study in Norway.

Mental health care that is open to patients' existential needs requires well-trained professionals who work in teams and use an open conceptualization of spirituality, religion and other meaning-making domains. Using a mixed methods approach, this article explores how professionals (n = 262) in secular Norway perceive obstacles and opportunities in existential care. The results show correlations between age group, personal religiosity, terminology and perceived expertise. Commitment is high, but collaboration with chaplains and team training are neglected.

RELIGIOUS IMPLICATORS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S SENSE OF SECURITY

ABSTRACT: Aim: The aim of the study was to capture the relationship between the subjective sense of security and the religiosity of youth. The goal was to identify those areas of the sense of security that correlate with elements constituting the sense of security and to capture differences between the genders of the participants. Methods: The study used Z. Uchnast's Security Feeling Questionnaire and R. Jaworski's Personal Religiosity Scale. A total of 112 individuals aged 19 to 28 participated in the study. Statistical analyses were conducted using Statistica software, employing non-parametric tests due to the non-normality of distributions. Results: The highest average ratings by participants concerned the sense of closeness (M=2,56), while stability (M=1,99) and trust (M=2,03) were rated lower. Gender analysis showed significant differences, with women rating their overall sense of security higher than men. Overall religiosity showed low but statistically significant correlations with self-trust and other dimensions of security, indicating positive associations with higher levels of religious engagement. Conclusion: Religiosity may serve a supportive role in building a sense of security, particularly through aspects of trust and closeness in interpersonal relationships. Further research is needed to better understand these mechanisms and to explore how other demographic variables may influence these relationships. Oryginality: Dynamic changes in postmodernism, introducing chaos into the lives of young people, imply a sense of threat. Therefore, it is important to periodically conduct studies monitoring the state of personal religiosity, which is strongly stigmatized today yet simultaneously constitutes a positive predictor of the sense of security. The originality of the article is indicated by the results of scientific research and the conclusions drawn from them. Keywords: security, sense of security, closeness, stability, trust, religiosity, personal religiosity, impersonal religiosity, faith, morality.

The power of faith: Racial discrimination and religiosity among Black American men.

Research on prosocial behavior among Black¹ Americans should account for the daily realities that many face, including racial discrimination and cultural resources which may provide sources of resilience amidst injustice, such as religiosity and spirituality. We assessed whether racial discrimination, religiosity, and existential well-being (EWB) are related to the odds of engaging in prosocial behaviors for Black men. Using data from a community-dwelling sample of 171 Black men in the United States, we used logistic regression tests to assess whether racial discrimination, organizational religiosity, personal religiosity, and EWB were associated with Black men's volunteering, mentoring, and charitable giving. We also examined whether racial discrimination moderated the association between religiosity and prosocial behavior. Discrimination was not significantly associated with Black men's odds of engaging in prosocial actions. Odds of volunteering were significantly greater among Black men who reported more regular involvement at their religious institutions. Personal religiosity was also significantly associated with greater odds of mentoring youth and charitable giving. Discrimination did not significantly moderate any associations. Black men's faith is a relevant contributor to their prosocial action. Religious institutions and psychologists can work collaboratively in supporting this positive trajectory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Relationship between Faith and Knowledge in the Works of Mykhailo Maksymovych

The paper deals with images of faith and knowledge in the works of Mykhailo Maksymovych, a famous botanist, folklorist, and historian of the 19th century and the first rector of the University of Saint Volodimir in Kyiv. Mykhailo Maksymovych’s way of solving the problem of the relationship between religion and science is analysed in the general context of the intellectual processes in Eastern Europe of the 19th century. The study is based on Mykhailo Maksymovych’s published works, memoirs, letters, and unpublished texts, held in the Institution of Manuscript at the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (Kyiv). The methodological foundation is the approaches of the Cambridge School of Intellectual History, theorising on cultural memory and quantitative content analysis with MAXQDA-2022. The paper shows that Mykhailo Maksymovych’s attitude to the demarcation problem of knowledge and faith resulted from a combination of his personal religiosity and his fascination with the ideas of Friedrich Schelling. Mykhailo Maksymovych perceived the Bible as a relevant description of the “factual” dimension of human history. He represented the philosophy of the heart, widespread in Ukrainian intellectual life of that period. Maksymovych’s deep personal religiosity, combined with his theoretical ideas about the correlation between faith and knowledge, led him to the idea of Orthodox coherence between Russia and Ukraine. This was an actualisation of the early modern idea, elaborated in the Kyivan Synopsis of the late 17th century. Mykhailo Maksymovych actualised these ideas on the basis of Romanticism. Early modern ideas were close to Maksymovych’s consciousness because he was religious in the traditional Orthodox sense. Religious images of Ukraine in the works of Mykhailo Maksymovych were similar to the ideas of Konstantin Leontiev, a famous Russian conservative philosopher of the second half of the 19th century.

Self-Reported Religiosity and Spirituality of Registered Nurses in Virginia.

The professional nurse cares for an increasingly diverse population, varying in ethnicity, culture, and faith beliefs that influence health and wellness. The moral obligation of the nurse to provide individualized, holistic care of clients includes spiritual care. Supported by the Agape Model of Nursing, nurses should understand their personal religiosity and its impact on the care they provide. The purpose of this study was to better understand the self-reported religiosity and spirituality of registered nurses licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Adverse childhood experiences, individual-level risk and protective factors, and recent drug use in a community sample of Nigerian women.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with a wide range of health problems and health-compromising behaviors, including drug use, but are understudied in sub-Saharan Africa. Further, some data suggest that some types of ACEs are more strongly associated with outcomes than others. We investigated associations between different types of ACEs and recent drug use among 2,011 women living in Katsina State, Nigeria. This community-based survey included questions on ACE exposure, modifiable individual-level risk and promotive factors, and past-year drug use. Tobacco, cannabis, and the nonmedical use of cough syrup with codeine and tramadol were the most frequently used drugs. Logistic regressions revealed that across most drugs, ACEs reflecting abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, but not community violence, increased the likelihood of drug use, odds ratios (ORs) = 1.30-3.10. Ease of access to drugs, ORs = 1.33-2.98, and personal religiosity, ORs = 1.19-2.27, also enhanced the risk of drug use, and higher depressive affect was associated with codeine, OR = 1.27, and tramadol use, ORs = 2.42. Practicing religious rites, ORs = 0.38-0.70; disapproval of drug use, ORs = 0.36-0.57; and perceived harm from drug use, ORs = 0.54-0.71, reduced the likelihood of drug use. Efforts to prevent abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction; reduce access to drugs; treat depression; and increase disapproval and harm associated with drug use may reduce drug use in the context of ACE exposure.

Analysis of the relationship between religion, abortion, and assisted reproductive technology: Insights into cross-national public opinion

With advancement in reproductive technologies, public opinion regarding these procedures varies considerably across the world. While prominent public debates have focused on abortion, we know less about the factors shaping feelings regarding Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Both procedures challenge the idea that human life starts with conception – with the fertilization of an embryo. Using European Values Survey data and multilevel modeling, we compare how religion and other personal and country-level factors shape disapproval toward abortion and ART. Conservative Protestants and people who are more engaged with their religion and live in a more religious country are more likely to disapprove of abortion and ART. More supportive polices and attitudes regarding ART, but not abortion, are correlated. Additionally, economic development moderates the relationship between personal religiosity and abortion, but not ART. This finding provides important insight into why abortion has remained such a controversial issue, even in richer nations.

Satisfaction with the marital relationship and the religiosity of the spouses

The issue of marital satisfaction has aroused great interest in the scientific community and has been the subject of many analyses. Research conducted in this field has mainly focused on the search for factors that determine marital relationship satisfaction. Among them, the importance of religiosity has been highlighted, in supporting the durability of romantic relationships and leading to greater marital satisfaction. This research aims to verify hypotheses and research questions based on the literature, answering the question: is there a relationship between personal religiosity and marriage satisfaction? The study included 86 married couples, a total of 172 individuals, whose mean age was 38.49 years. Personal Religiousness was characterized by the Jaworski Personal Religiousness Scale, while marital relationship satisfaction was measured with the Norton’s Quality Marriage Index (QMI) questionnaire adapted by Czyżkowska and Cieciuch. The results of the study indicate that spouses’ personal religiousness has a significant and positive impact on marital satisfaction.

122. Exploring the Influence of Organized Religion and Personal Religiosity on Suicidal Ideation Among Young Sexual Minority Women: A Qualitative Investigation

122. Exploring the Influence of Organized Religion and Personal Religiosity on Suicidal Ideation Among Young Sexual Minority Women: A Qualitative Investigation

Individual religiosity or effect of denominational schools? Analysis of the impact of religiosity and denominational schools on the results of 8th grade students in Bihor County, Romania

Research in recent decades examining the correlates of educational outcomes highlights the role of religiosity in students' academic progress and achievements. An increasing number of recent studies in the field of education confirm this hypothesis, the one of the positive influences of religiosity on behavior and attitudes with a positive effect on the achievement of educational goals and academic results. As such, denominational schools are also under the attention of many researchers who observe differences between these religious schools and other, non-religiously affiliated schools. The sociological literature even speaks of a „religious school effect”, inspired by the original idea of the „Catholic school effect”, stressing that beyond the impact of individual religiosity on school outcomes, mediated mainly by attitudinal and psychosociological effects, there are also moderators at the institutional level resulting from the specificity of denominational schools. In the present study we test these two hypotheses simultaneously by modeling the learning averages of a large sample of 8th graders in Bihor County, Romania, using simple linear regression. Our results confirm what we have already found in previous studies, namely that personal religiosity has a positive effect on learning outcomes, while a separate effect at the institutional level cannot be shown.

Religion as a factor of systemic social changes: the specifics of current situation

The one of results of secularization was diminishing of religion capacity to affect on social processes, in particular on social changes. At the same time there are enough examples from different countries when religion was significant for social changes, their direction and extent. Religious agents have participated in processes of democratization (but have supported conservative and authoritarian turns also), have promoted some changes of values and norms in the middle of broad masses. Such influence was making by religious organizations and communities mainly. They provided moral support of actions, directed to changing of social conditions, supported and promoted progressive and humanistic ideas, directly participated in social and political activity for the some programs, legitimized changes and de- legitimized existing order, was a means for mobilization of masses, acted as a part of civil society. But in modern societies, there are number of limitations for religious possibility to support the social changes or to direct implement them. Namely it is about the depth of personal religiosity of broad mass, the capacity of religion to give new ideas, related to secular norms of life (ideas which are inside of religious teaching, or promoted and supported by religious organizations), the presence of cooperation between religious organizations and secular institutions and communities). In secular societies, the possibilities of influence of religious actors are quite limited both for self-sufficiency (only combination of activity of secular and religious actors can be successful), and for extent (religious agents makes local effects of changes and changes in some social sphere or segments), and have extended in time efficiency. The turn of state to religious organizations for help in realization some plans of social transformations appears to be justified, but for realization of such politics great caution is required and such cooperation is must be a part of long strategy.

Unpackaging gender differences in justifying morally debatable behaviors around the world: The role of personal religiosity and society’s socialization priorities for its children

Women generally report greater religiosity and justify morally debatable behaviors less than men. This study examined if personal religiosity mediates the relationship of gender and justification of different types of morally debatable behaviors across societies with diverse religious heritages. We also explored how a society’s endorsement of preferred qualities in the socialization of children would moderate the links between personal religiosity and justification of morally debatable types of behavior. Using the World Values Survey Wave 7 data (47 societies; 66,992 respondents), we identified three types of justifiable behaviors, namely, behaviors threatening human life and family values, dishonest-illegal, and interpersonally violent behaviors. Controlling for age and education, women scored higher in personal religiosity and justified dishonest-illegal and interpersonally violent behaviors less than men, but behaviors threatening human life and family values more than men. Personal religiosity only partially mediated the link between gender and the justification of behaviors threatening human life and family values, indicating that factors other than personal religiosity account for gender differences in justifying types of morally defensible behavior. The linkage strengths of personal religiosity to behaviors threatening human life and family values and dishonest-illegal behaviors were moderated by societal endorsement of preferred qualities in the socialization of children. Thus, both gender and the socialization of a society’s human capital impact on how different types of morally debatable behaviors are justified around the world. Possible explanations for these results are offered and future research directions suggested.

Religiosity, trust, and the acceptance of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic restrictions: the case of Poland

ABSTRACT The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationships between personal religiosity, trust, and the acceptance of restrictions which could be imposed on individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to overcome the crisis. The study was carried out in Poland, a country with one of the highest declared levels of religiosity in Europe. Interpersonal and institutional trust were measured. The acceptance of the pandemic restrictions was positively related to personal religiosity and institutional trust (trust in the Church, trust in the Government, and trust in the health authorities). However, there was no association between the acceptance of the restrictions and interpersonal trust. Trust in the Church turned out to mediate the relationship between religiosity and the acceptance of most restrictions associated with the pandemic. The results of the study are discussed in the context of other studies on the relationship between religiosity and health behavior.

Religion and Spirituality among Child and Youth Care Workers in KwaZulu-Natal

There has been little empirical research on the salience of spirituality in a child and youth care context. In order to bridge this scholarly gap, this study sought to investigate the views of child and youth care practitioners in KwaZulu-Natal, with regard to the role of religion and spirituality in child and youth care. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data from 215 practitioners working in various child and youth care settings. The study found high levels of personal religiosity and spirituality among the sample and significant support for the role of religion and spirituality and the use of spiritually based interventions, despite little educational preparedness in this regard.

Validation of the Portuguese Version of Hoge Intrinsic Motivation Religiosity Scale and Rohrbaugh and Jessor Religiosity Scale

This study aims to validate, for the Portuguese population, the bidimensional structure of the Hoge Intrinsic Motivation Religiosity Scale (HIMRS) and the four-dimensional structure of the Rohrbaugh and Jessor Religiosity Scale (RJRS); it also aims to establish an association between the two religious scales and religious identity. To this end, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with polychoric matrix (for ordinal data) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) were carried out. Besides reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), and AVE squared roots. The Portuguese versions of the HIMRS and RJRS presented good model fit. These instruments correlated with each other and with religious identity. Differences in religious motivation and in religious identity concerning sociodemographic variables were found: women, divorced, and older participants define themselves as being more spiritual or religious persons than men, single or married, and younger participants. Also, years of education were positively associated with religious intrinsic motivation and negatively associated with religious extrinsic motivation. This study provides two more instruments with adequate properties to assess intrinsic religious motivations, past-year frequency of religious service attendance, and personal religiosity for the Portuguese population.

Women’s Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence in Turkey: The Role of Leisure Activities, Religiosity, and Patriarchy

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is an essential social and health problem worldwide and attitudes toward IPV are one of the important factors related to this issue. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of factors including social activities involvement, religiosity, and patriarchal ideology on attitudes toward IPV. Based on literature related to these factors three hypotheses were developed to test by the 2013-Turkey Demographic and Health Survey which includes a sample of 8847 women. Findings from a number of logistic regression models demonstrate that participation in leisure activities decreases the acceptance of IPV. On the contrary, an increase in personal religiosity and women’s patriarchal beliefs enhances the justification of IPV among women. Among social-demographic characteristics, education and household wealth seem to be important factors preventing the approval of IPV. The findings of the study are discussed in the context of the social and cultural background of Turkey.

Do Religious Politicians Take Risks Differently? Evidence From Pakistan

AbstractGiven popular religiosity, the presence of religious parties, and the politicization of religious issues, it is highly likely that politicians with varying levels of personal religiosity are active in politics. Yet, our knowledge of how politicians’ religiosity influences their political choices is still limited, particularly for developing countries. In this paper, I use data from a survey experiment fielded to Pakistani politicians in 2018 to study whether and how politicians’ personal religiosity influences their political risk preferences. Scholars debate whether religiosity is correlated with higher or lower risk aversion among citizens; however, no study has examined this relationship among politicians. I find that higher religiosity systematically predicts which politicians are more risk‐averse and highly religious politicians’ decisions under uncertainty are inconsistent with expected utility maximization and prospect theory. These findings suggest that in contrast to existing assumptions of elite decision‐making, politicians’ religiosity systematically influences their risk preferences and choices.

Religiosity, Mental Health and Substance Use among Black and Hispanic Adults during the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between personal religiosity, mental health, and substance use outcomes among Black and Hispanic adults during the first six months of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City (NYC). Phone interviews were conducted with 441 adults to obtain information on all variables. Participants self-reported race/ethnicity as Black/African American (n = 108) or Hispanic (n = 333). Logistic regression were used to examine associations between religiosity, mental health, and substance use. There was a significant inverse association of religiosity and substance use. Religious people had a lower prevalence of drinking alcohol (49.0%) compared to non-religious people (67.1%). Religious people also had substantially lower prevalence of cannabis or other drug use (9.1%) in comparison to non-religious people (31%). After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household income, the association of religiosity with alcohol use and with cannabis/other drug use remained statistically significant. Despite restricted access to in-person religious activities and congregational supports, the findings suggest that religiosity itself may be helpful from a public health perspective, independent of serving as a conduit for other social services.

Barriers and Motivations for the Metabolic Control of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Assisted in a Tertiary Service in a City in Brazil

AIMS: To evaluate the main barriers and motivations for metabolic control in patients with Diabetes Mellitus.
 
 METHODS: 101 patients assisted at the Endocrinology and Metabology service with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes were invited to participate in the research and answer a questionnaire developed by the authors, consisting of 65 questions, to assess barriers and treatment motivations.
 
 RESULTS: There was a predominance of females (75.2%), low education level (57.4%), income between 1.5-3.0 minimum wages (60.4%), Catholic affiliation (65.3%) and use of oral antidiabetic associated with insulin (43.6%). Patients demonstrated knowledge about the disease and the importance of maintaining good metabolic control. Most reported family support and acceptance in respect to the fact of suffering from diabetes, as well as stress related to eventual symptoms. The main motivating factors found were family relationships and personal religiosity.
 
 CONCLUSION: Ignorance and misunderstanding of some aspects of the disease, lack of support from the health system and non-acceptance of the disease are factors that interfere in the control. On the other hand, family relationships and religious engagement were considered highly motivating factors, encouranging patients to search for metabolic control and quality of life.

Pharmacy students' attitudes and beliefs about spirituality and spiritual care in professional education in Zimbabwe

IntroductionA majority of Zimbabweans are religious and/or spiritual. Spirituality and spiritual care (SC) are important parts of patient care. The study's objective was to investigate pharmacy students' attitudes/beliefs about spirituality and SC in pharmacy education and practice in Zimbabwe. MethodsThis cross-sectional descriptive nationwide study gathered data from pharmacy students at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and Harare Institute of Technology. The 38-item survey measured students' spirituality and SC perspectives and their religious and demographic characteristics. ResultsMost respondents were Christian (89%), female (54%), and attended the UZ (63%). Slightly over half agreed/strongly agreed that they “would like to undertake coursework that will make them competent in providing SC to patients” (52%), SC education would improve their clinical performance (51%), and education that promotes spiritual well-being or integration will make them more empathetic and compassionate practitioners (63%). Pharmacy students also believed that more education on spirituality should be given to pharmacy students (48%), SC is an important part of pharmacy practice (74%), “discussing patients' spiritual or religious beliefs can improve the pharmacist-patient relationship” (74%), and anticipated to incorporate spirituality into professional practice upon graduation (50%). ConclusionsMost pharmacy students in Zimbabwe considered themselves spiritual/religious and had positive perceptions about spirituality and SC in pharmacy education and practice. There was a positive association between students' personal religiosity and their beliefs about SC. Students anticipated that SC would be incorporated into their education and future professional practice and indicated they wanted more education and training to feel competent in SC.