Strength Of Religious Beliefs Research Articles

The relationship between the strength of religious faith and spirituality in relation to post-traumatic growth among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in eastern Poland: a cross-sectional study.

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced intensive care unit (ICU) nurses to adapt to extreme conditions in a short period of time. This resulted in them experiencing extremely stressful situations. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between post-traumatic growth (PTG) and religiosity and spirituality (R/S) among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in intensive care during the pandemic. 120 nurses working in Lublin, eastern Poland, participated in the cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was made up of three standardised tools: The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, The Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, The Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List. In terms of spirituality, the study group of nurses achieved the highest score in the Connectedness with Nature subscale (4.37 ± 1.07), while the strength of religious beliefs had a positive correlation with post-traumatic growth only in the Spiritual changes subscale (r = 0.422, p < 0.001). The following dimensions of spirituality were significantly correlated with post-traumatic growth in the multi-factor model that included religiosity and spirituality: Transcendent experiences, Spiritual activities, Meaningfulness, Acceptance, and Trust. We saw that increase in the assessment of the Transcendent experiences, Meaningfulness and Trust subscales significantly mirrors increase in post-traumatic growth, while increase in the assessment of the Spiritual activities and Acceptance subscales significantly mirrors decrease in post-traumatic growth. The above variables explained up to 44% of the dependent variable. Both religiosity and spirituality were significantly associated with post-traumatic growth in the group of ICU nurses, but spirituality appears to have played a larger role. Our findings support the value and significance of the development of spiritual and religious identity as a means of enhancing positive psychological changes in the face of traumatic events.

Love thinketh no evil: mediation role of brand love on consumer religiosity and consumer forgiveness in Tanzanian Islamic banking

PurposeThis study aims to develop and test a research model that explores the empirical relationship between consumer religiosity, brand love and consumer forgiveness. Its objective was to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that can influence consumers to extend forgiveness to brands in the context of Islamic banking in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey design to gather data from 399 respondents in the Dodoma and Dar-es-salaam regions of Tanzania. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data, which were subsequently analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS 21.FindingsThe study’s findings revealed that consumer forgiveness is influenced by the level of brand love at an individual level. Additionally, the findings indicate that in the context of Islamic banking, brand love is an emotional behavior that is influenced by the strength of religious beliefs, that is, consumer religiosity. Consequently, the findings highlighted the mediating role of brand love in the proposed relationship between consumer religiosity and consumer forgiveness.Practical implicationsThe fact that Islamic banking is guided by Islamic laws (Sharia) and Islamic values means that competitiveness in this sector can be established by serving consumers who are well-versed in Islamic teachings and doctrines. Furthermore, customers who possess a strong understanding of Islamic teachings and doctrines can be an asset to Islamic banks, as they are less likely to switch banks due to service delivery issues.Originality/valueThis empirical study is one of the few attempts to explore the relationship between consumer religiosity, consumer forgiveness and brand love. It expands our understanding of consumer forgiveness by examining the influence of deontological norms (applying norms to assess Islamic banking practices) and teleological evaluation (evaluating Islamic banking practices based on the overall balance of right and wrong expected to occur).

Enabling social entrepreneurship: examining the impact of state, market and religious factors

PurposeThe study examines how the interactions among three prominent institutional logics—state, market and religion—fundamentally shape the patterns of individuals’ engagement in social entrepreneurship (SE).Design/methodology/approachThe study develops a configurational theoretical framework and uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to test the hypotheses by gathering data on social ventures from 35 countries from the World Values Survey and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.FindingsThe results show that the prevalence of social entrepreneurial ventures is enabled by different combinations of logics of action, governance mechanisms, strength of religious beliefs and religious pluralism.Originality/valueThis research reveals that the relationship between institutional logic profiles and SE is contingent on the coherence between different institutional logics.

Just-word beliefs and community-level abortion stigma: An exploratory survey

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate whether belief in a just world is associated with community-level abortion stigma. Study designFrom December 2020 to June 2021, we conducted a national U.S. survey of 911 adults using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Survey respondents completed both the Community-Level Abortion Stigma Scale and Global Belief in a Just World Scale. We used linear regression to evaluate the association between just-world beliefs, demographic characteristics, and community-level abortion stigma. ResultsThe mean Global Belief in a Just World Scale score was 25.8. The mean Community-Level Abortion Stigma Scale score was 2.6. The strength of just-world beliefs (β = 0.7), male gender (β = 4.1), a history of a previous pregnancy (β = 3.1), post college education (β = 2.8), and strength of religious beliefs (β = 0.3) were associated with higher community-level abortion stigma. Asian race was associated with lower community-level abortion stigma (β = −7.2). ConclusionsAfter controlling for demographic characteristics, strong just-world beliefs were associated with higher community-level abortion stigma. ImplicationsUnderstanding just-world beliefs may provide a potential target for stigma-reduction strategies.

Australian Health Professionals’ Attitudes toward Voluntary Assisted Dying: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) is when a terminally ill person with decision-making capacity consensually ends their life with assistance from an authorised professional. Many countries have legalised VAD, and health professionals’ roles within VAD frameworks are varied. Health professionals must be well informed of their legal obligations to ensure they practice within the legal boundaries, and those professionals with objections toward VAD should ensure that their eligible patients have equitable access. Given the current landscape of VAD, it is important to understand different health professionals’ attitudes toward VAD and what may underpin these attitudes. We explored (a) Australian health professionals’ attitudes toward VAD; (b) the psychological components that underpin those attitudes; (c) health professionals’ level of knowledge about VAD; (d) health professionals’ most common beliefs, emotions, and experiences related to VAD. A cross-sectional correlational survey design was used. A total of 182 Australian health professionals participated in the online survey based on a tripartite model of attitudes. We conducted a binomial logistic regression through a Generalised Linear Mixed Model and found polarised attitudes toward VAD between health professionals. Attitudes were accounted for by beliefs, emotions, education, and strength of religious beliefs. Knowledge of VAD was low, but not associated with overall attitude in our model. We highlight the importance of reflexive practice to help health professionals identify their values and feelings related to VAD, and to understand how these may affect their clinical practice. Low knowledge of VAD suggests that legislative and procedural training should be mandatory.

Exploring the relationship between dispositions to think critically and sustainability concern in HESD

PurposeHigher education is uncertain which sustainability-related education targets should be sought and monitored. Accepting that something needs to be measurable to be systematically improved, the authors explored how measures relate to potential targets. This paper aims to focus on dispositions to think critically (active open-minded thinking and fair-minded thinking in appraising reasoning) as measures and explored how they related to sustainability concern as an indicative educational target.Design/methodology/approachThis research included the development and testing of research instruments (scales) that explored dispositions to critical thinking and sustainability concern. Authors researched these instruments within their own correspondence groups and tested them with university students and staff in Pakistan, the USA, Austria, India and New Zealand. The authors also asked a range of contextualising questions.FindingsRespondents’ disposition to aspects of active, open-minded thinking and fair-minded thinking do predict their concern about facets of sustainability but their strength of religious belief was an important factor in these relationships and in their measurement.Practical implicationsThis research demonstrates the complexity of monitoring dispositions to think critically and sustainability concern in educational systems, particularly in circumstances where the roles of religious beliefs are of interest; and suggests ways to address this complexity.Originality/valueThis research integrates and expands discourses on ESD and on critical thinking in diverse disciplines and cultures. It investigates measurement approaches and targets that could help higher education institutions to educate for sustainable development and to monitor their progress, in ways that are compatible with their culture and values.

Capitalist Views and Religion

We examine how religious affiliation and strength of religious beliefs are associated with support for free-market capitalism. A new dataset created with an innovative online survey platform includes more detailed data than has been used in prior studies. Protestants and Catholics are on the whole found to be similar in their view of markets. Christians are found to be more pro-market than those who are not religious. Separate from affiliation, religiosity is positively correlated with support for free markets. Further, significant variation in views of free markets is seen according to education, gender, income level, and early life family structure.

Examining the Complex Relation Among Religion, Morality, and Death Anxiety: Religion Can Be a Source of Comfort and Concern Regarding Fears of Death.

This study examined the relationship among religiosity, morality, and fear of death. Students (n = 328, 75% women, Mage = 18.9) completed measures of fear of death, frequency of immoral behavior, discrepancy between ideal and actual religious practices, strength of religious beliefs, views of God as punishing or forgiving, and behavior efficacy (the extent to which fate in the afterlife was perceived to be determined by behavior in this life). Frequency of immoral behavior was not related to fears of death, but both strength of religious views and behavior efficacy were negatively correlated with fears of death. In contrast, perceived failure to live up to religious standards was associated with more death anxiety, especially among those with punishing views of God. These findings support the idea that some aspects of religion can help protect people from death anxiety, whereas other aspects of religion can exacerbate fears of death.

Locus of Control and College Students’ Use of Alcohol, Cigarettes and Drugs

Past studies have shown that an external locus of control (LOC) is associated with health-threatening behaviors, such as the use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, Results of research on the relationship between perceived control and substance use in high school and college students have been mixed and inconclusive. 32 male and 98 females undergraduates, ages 17-25, who volunteered (with informed consent) to take part in the study were given the Dimension (Physical, Psychological, Social, Moral) X Outcome LOC Inventory and a questionnaire assessing use of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and demographic information. Results indicated that 84% of the participants reported use of alcohol, 22% cigarettes and 17% drugs. No differential effects were found for cigarette or drug use. There were significant positive relationships between alcohol use and Physical and Psychological LOC, especially for males. Heavier alcohol use was associated with a more external LOC. There were no significant differential effects for participants over the legal age limit. (&gt;21) For “underage” participants, there was a significant positive relationship between alcohol use and Psychological LOC. Demographically, a higher Economic level was associated with heavier alcohol use for males, females and underage participants. For participants &gt;21, a strong religious belief was associated with less use of alcohol. Past inconsistent findings can be attributed to differences in substance in question, gender, demographics (age, economic level and strength of religious belief) and the measure and dimension of perceived control.

Locus of Control and College Students’ Use of Alcohol, Cigarettes and Drugs

Past studies have shown that an external locus of control (LOC) is associated with health-threatening behaviors, such as the use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, Results of research on the relationship between perceived control and substance use in high school and college students have been mixed and inconclusive. 32 male and 98 females undergraduates, ages 17-25, who volunteered (with informed consent) to take part in the study were given the Dimension (Physical, Psychological, Social, Moral) X Outcome LOC Inventory and a questionnaire assessing use of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and demographic information. Results indicated that 84% of the participants reported use of alcohol, 22% cigarettes and 17% drugs. No differential effects were found for cigarette or drug use. There were significant positive relationships between alcohol use and Physical and Psychological LOC, especially for males. Heavier alcohol use was associated with a more external LOC. There were no significant differential effects for participants over the legal age limit. (&gt;21) For “underage” participants, there was a significant positive relationship between alcohol use and Psychological LOC. Demographically, a higher Economic level was associated with heavier alcohol use for males, females and underage participants. For participants &gt;21, a strong religious belief was associated with less use of alcohol. Past inconsistent findings can be attributed to differences in substance in question, gender, demographics (age, economic level and strength of religious belief) and the measure and dimension of perceived control.

Perceived stigmatization and discrimination of people with mental illness: A survey-based study of the general population in five metropolitan cities in India.

Background:India faces a significant gap between the prevalence of mental illness among the population and the availability and effectiveness of mental health care in providing adequate treatment. This discrepancy results in structural stigma toward mental illness which in turn is one of the main reasons for a persistence of the treatment gap, whereas societal factors such as religion, education, and family structures play critical roles. This survey-based study investigates perceived stigma toward mental illness in five metropolitan cities in India and explores the roles of relevant sociodemographic factors.Materials and Methods:Samples were collected in five metropolitan cities in India including Chennai (n = 166), Kolkata (n = 158), Hyderabad (n = 139), Lucknow (n = 183), and Mumbai (n = 278). Stratified quota sampling was used to match the general population concerning age, gender, and religion. Further, sociodemographic variables such as educational attainment and strength of religious beliefs were included in the statistical analysis.Results:Participants displayed overall high levels of perceived stigma. Multiple linear regression analysis found a significant effect of gender (P < 0.01), with female participants showing higher levels of perceived stigma compared to male counterparts.Conclusion:Gender differences in cultural and societal roles and expectations could account for higher levels of perceived stigma among female participants. A higher level of perceived stigma among female participants is attributed to cultural norms and female roles within a family or broader social system. This study underlines that while India as a country in transition, societal and gender rules still impact perceived stigma and discrimination of people with mental illness.

From Awareness to Action: Teacher Attitude and Implementation of LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum in the English Language Arts Classroom

This survey research describes English language arts teachers’ comfort levels in integrating literature with lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) themes or characters into their curricula and classroom practices. Significant relationships were found between teachers’ age, comfort, awareness of resources, and implementation levels. Although younger teachers had higher comfort levels with LGBT texts, they displayed lower resource awareness levels and static implementation rates. In addition, comfort, awareness, and implementation of LGBT curriculum materials were also correlated with teacher location and with strength of religious belief, with rural teachers and strongly religious teachers displaying lower comfort and implementation levels. Availability of supportive resources such as gay–straight alliances (GSAs) and library holdings, as well as teachers’ awareness of these resources, is also examined. Specific barriers rural teachers encounter when implementing LGBT-inclusive literature/curriculum are identified. A call for future research and professional development is extended.

Nurses and opioids: results of a bi-national survey on mental models regarding opioid administration in hospitals.

ObjectivePain remains insufficiently treated in hospitals. Increasing evidence suggests human factors contribute to this, due to nurses failing to administer opioids. This behavior might be the consequence of nurses’ mental models about opioids. As personal experience and conceptions shape these models, the aim of this prospective survey was to identify model-influencing factors.Material and methodsA questionnaire was developed comprising of 14 statements concerning ideations about opioids and seven questions concerning demographics, indicators of adult learning, and strength of religious beliefs. Latent variables that may underlie nurses’ mental models were identified using undirected graphical dependence models. Representative items of latent variables were employed for ordinal regression analysis. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,379 nurses in two London, UK, hospitals (n=580) and one German (n=799) hospital between September 2014 and February 2015.ResultsA total of 511 (37.1%) questionnaires were returned. Mean (standard deviation) age of participants were 37 (11) years; 83.5% participants were female; 45.2% worked in critical care; and 51.5% had more than 10 years experience. Of the nurses, 84% were not scared of opioids, 87% did not regard opioids as drugs to help patients die, and 72% did not view them as drugs of abuse. More English (41%) than German (28%) nurses were afraid of criminal investigations and were constantly aware of side effects (UK, 94%; Germany, 38%) when using opioids. Four latent variables were identified which likely influence nurses’ mental models: “conscious decision-making”; “medication-related fears”; “practice-based observations”; and “risk assessment”. They were predicted by strength of religious beliefs and indicators of informal learning such as experience but not by indicators of formal learning such as conference attendance.ConclusionNurses in both countries employ analytical and affective mental models when administering the opioids and seem to learn from experience rather than from formal teaching. Additionally, some attitudes and emotions towards opioids are likely the result of nurses’ cultural background.

Identyfikacja wyznaniowa i państwowa polityka religijna

The present article seeks to analyze the religious trends in the development of the Belarusian society during the period of the transformation of the former Soviet Union, on the basis of research by Belarusian sociologists. Special attention is paid to the religions identification of the Belarusians, the strength of religious beliefs and the religions behaviour of the citizens. Analysis covers inter alia the confessional, geographical and ethnic factors, which influence the religiousness among certain groups of the population, and the mutual relationship between the State and the Church under the laws concerning the freedom of conscience. In this aspect we analyze the currently propagated idea about the “diversified” model of interaction between the State and individual denominations.

A March to a Better World? Religiosity and the Existential Function of Belief in Social-Moral Progress

This article reports an investigation of the existential function of belief in progress, specifically faith in social and moral advancement. We argue that for belief in progress to provide a sense of purpose and significance in our world, it must concern humanity and society and not merely the technological advances humankind accomplishes. We observed an effect of mortality salience on belief in social-moral (but not scientific-technological) progress, which was moderated by strength of religious belief. Participants low in religious belief showed an increase in belief in social-moral progress, while those high in religious belief did not. Follow-up analyses revealed that the latter finding was primarily due to Protestant participants, who scored highest on strength of religious faith and belief in inherent sin, and were the least optimistic about the future of humanity.

Intellectual Humility and Reactions to Opinions about Religious Beliefs

Intellectual humility, a recognition of the fallibility of one's own views and an openness to changing those views when warranted, is a construct with roots in philosophy that is only now beginning to receive attention from psychological scientists. We focus on intellectual humility in the domain of religious belief and conduct an initial test of the hypothesis that the influence of religious beliefs on evaluations of written opinions about religious matters is moderated by intellectual humility. We find that our ad hoc measure of intellectual humility in the religious domain is best characterized in terms of four correlated dimensions, allowing for focused tests of our hypothesis. We find some support for the hypothesis. Individuals with strong religious beliefs who are low in intellectual humility in the religion domain, regardless of dimension, react more strongly than their high humility counterparts to written opinions regarding religious beliefs—both opinions that support and contradict their own beliefs. Ancillary analyses show a moderate curvilinear relation between strength of religious beliefs and intellectual humility in the religion domain, with lower humility accompanying stronger views in favor of and against religious beliefs.

Defining the Threshold at which Health Care Professionals Consider Withdrawing Life Sustaining Ventilation in Neonatology

Objective: To determine the variation inhealthcare provider perspectives regarding Withdrawing Life Sustaining Ventilation (WLSV) in Neonatology. Methods: We surveyed physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, and neonatal pharmacists at two North American neonatal intensive care units to assess how neonatal healthcare providers use numerical risk to assist decision-making in Withdrawing Life Sustaining Ventilation. The survey presented nine scenarios depicting varying projected disabilities (single and multiple) at 3 years of age. Participants were asked to choose a predicted risk for the proposed disabilities (threshold) at which they would consider offering the WLSV option to parents. Ten additional questions regarding demographic information, attitudes, beliefs, and personal experiences were included. Results: The response rate was 59% (332/562). Respondents were primarily female nurses. For all respondents, the choice of WLSV was offered at statistically increasing frequency for the following disabilities: deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. The risk of severe mental retardation was the strongest influencing variable. The median choice for risk of severe mental retardation alone (61-70% risk) showed no significant difference from the median choice for risk of multiple disabilities (two or more). Median responses were not significantly different with respect to age, number of children, ethnic origin, occupation, religion, strength of religious belief, or knowledge of a friend/relative with impairments. Conclusions: Poor cognitive outcome is the principal determinant in WLSV decision-making among health care providers.

Constructions of religiosity, subjective well-being, anxiety, and depression in two cultures: Kuwait and USA

The aim of the present study was to explore the associations of religiosity with subjective well-being (SWB) and psychopathology (anxiety and depression) among college students recruited from two different cultures, Kuwait (n = 192) and the USA (n = 158). The students responded to the following scales in their native languages, Arabic and English, respectively: the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, the Love of Life Scale, the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale and the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale. They also responded to six self-rating scales assessing happiness, satisfaction with life, mental health, physical health, religiosity and strength of religious belief. The Kuwaiti students obtained higher mean scores on religiosity, religious belief and depression than did their American counterparts, whereas American students had higher mean scores on happiness and love of life. Two factors were extracted: 'SWB versus psychopathology' and 'Religiosity'. Based on the responses of the present two samples, it was concluded that those who consider themselves as religious experienced greater well-being.

Quality of life, subjective well-being, and religiosity in Muslim college students

The majority of published research in quality of life (QOL), subjective well-being (SWB), and religiosity has been carried out on Western populations. The objective of this study was to explore the associations between QOL, SWB, and religiosity in an Arabic, Muslim, and understudied sample. A convenience sample of 224 Kuwait University undergraduates was recruited. Their ages ranged from 18 to 28 years. The Arabic version of the World Health Organization QOL scale-Brief (WHOQOL-Bref), along with six self-rating scales of physical health, mental health, happiness, satisfaction with life, religiosity, and strength of religious belief were used. The test-retest reliabilities of all the scales ranged between 0.72 and 0.88, indicating good temporal stability. All the correlations of the scales with criteria were significant and ranged from 0.39 to 0.65 indicating from acceptable to good criterion-related validity. Sex-related differences were significant favoring men in nine out of the 13 scales. All the 66 correlations but two were significant and positive. The principal components analysis followed by varimax orthogonal rotation yielded two factors: "Quality of life and well-being" and "Religiosity". Based on the significant and positive correlations between QOL, SWB, and religiosity, it was concluded that religiosity may be considered as a salient component of, and a contributing factor to, QOL among this sample of Muslim college students. Therefore, Islamic beliefs and practices may have the potential to be integrated in the psychotherapeutic procedures among Muslim clients.

Religious doubts and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: The association with religious attitudes

Religious doubts seem to be a part of identity and faith development in adolescence and young adulthood. Such doubts, however, are often linked with psychological distress, though the results in the field are not consistent. It seems important therefore to explore further the relationship between religious doubts and mental health. This study investigated the moderating role of religious attitudes (strength of religious belief, and literal vs. symbolic approach to religion) on this relationship in a sample of 403 Hungarian high school and university students aged 15–25 years in a cross-sectional survey. Results provided support for a three-way moderation: the positive correlation between doubts and anxiety/depression was stronger the higher the level of religious belief, but was strongest when religious beliefs and symbolic approach were both high. These associations were found to be stable across gender and educational level. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.