Moderating Effects of Personality Traits in Relationship Between Religious Practices and Mental Health of University Students

Personality, Religiosity and Satisfaction with Life in Young Muslim and Christian Women in Pakistan

This study investigated the relationship between personality traits, religiosity and satisfaction with life in young Muslim and Christian women. The current research involved a convenience sample (N = 200; Mage = 21.26) that was drawn from Kinnaird College for Women University Lahore, and Youhanabad Town Lahore, Pakistan. The Big Five Inventory, Centrality of Religiosity Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were administered. Results of correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship between 'conscientiousness' and 'religious ideology' among Muslim women, whereas 'openness' and 'agreeableness' were strongly associated with all the dimensions of religiosity in Christian women. Findings of hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that extraversion and agreeableness significantly predicted life satisfaction among Muslim and Christian participants respectively. Religiosity did not contribute to life satisfaction among both groups. Results of independent sample t-test showed that Christian women reported significantly higher degrees of extraversion and life satisfaction as compared to Muslim women who in contrast reported significantly higher level of agreeableness, neuroticism, and public religious practice. The findings are discussed in the context of gender, religion, culture and mental health.

The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Emotional Stability and Mental Health in Art Vocational and Technical College Students During Epidemic Prevention and Control

Objective

To investigate the relationship between the personality traits, emotional stability and mental health state of students in vocational and technical colleges of art under epidemic prevention and control based on latent trait-state theory.

Methods

Using the stratified sampling method, we selected 1569 students in vocational and technical colleges of art as research subjects. From 1 April 2022 to 5 April 2022, we conducted an online survey using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Adult Edition) (EPQA), Emotional Stability Self-Test Scale and University Personality Inventory (UPI) to analyse the relationship between the traits, emotional stability and mental health of students in vocational and technical colleges of art.

Results

For the EPQA personality traits, boys had lower extraversion and introversion scores than girls (47.71 ± 11.23 vs 49.06 ± 10.74, p = 0.021). In terms of mental health, boys had lower scores than girls (12.20 ± 12.73 vs 14.64 ± 11.85, p< 0.001). There were significant grade differences in psychoticism and total mental health scores in terms of EPQA personality traits (P < 0.01). There were significant associations between all dimensions of personality traits, emotional stability and mental health (r = 0.68, 0.62, p < 0.01). Emotional stability plays a partial mediating role in the effects of neuroticism on mental health.

Conclusion

There is a close relationship between personality traits, emotional stability and mental health. Under the condition of epidemic prevention and control, strengthening the management of the self-emotional stability of students in vocational and technical colleges of art is helpful in improving students' mental health.

Religiosity, stress, and depressive symptoms among nursing and medical students during the middle stage of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Morocco

BACKGROUND

Recent studies on nursing and medical students showed a higher prevalence of depression and stress than the general population. Religiosity and spirituality are common in Muslim countries and are usually used as a means of coping strategy for psychological and mental disorders.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to evaluate the association between religious actions, depressive symptoms, and stress among students of nursing education lasting 3 years and students from the first 3 years of medical education lasting 7 years. The study was conducted at Ibn Zohr University of Agadir, Morocco.

METHOD

A sample of different stages of nursing and medical students was recruited. Religiosity was assessed by Muslim Belief into Action (M.BIAC) scale. The depressive symptoms and stress were, respectively, assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).

RESULTS

Four hundred and thirteen students participated in this study. Our results showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (62.2%) and stress (66.8%). The depression scores were higher in the following subsample categories: students in the first 2 years of studies, female medical students, and nursing students with significant differences. The recorded religiosity was greater among students without depression compared to students with depression (p < 0.001). In the multivariate regression, the BIAC score demonstrated religiosity as neither a risk factor nor a protective factor of depression.

CONCLUSION

Religiosity constitutes a protective factor of depression and stress among nursing and medical students. This should improve the student's ability to cope with stressful situations during their training. Prospective studies are needed to further investigate this association and how religiosity improves mental health. This would contribute to improved academic performance and wellbeing among medical and nursing students.

Muslims and Mental Health Services: A Concept Map and a Theoretical Framework

Muslim populations in Western countries are growing, and they face biopsychosocial, spiritual, and economic challenges. Although Islam gives utmost attention to mental health stability, Muslims tend to underutilize mental health services. Mental health professionals, whether they be researchers, practitioners, or trainers working in schools, colleges/universities, mental health agencies, and research institutions, are well positioned to serve Muslims. Mental health professionals can address Muslims' biopsychosocial and spiritual issues and enhance their quality of life. In the current study, as the authors, we (a) reviewed 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts on Muslim mental health to understand how researchers have used concept maps or theoretical frameworks to design their empirical research, (b) prepared a comprehensive concept map based on the literature review to determine the central concepts affecting Muslims' approach to the use of mental health services, and (c) proposed a contextual theoretical (conceptual) framework. We titled the framework as Muslims' approach to use of mental health services based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TPB/TRA) in the context of a Social Ecological Model (SEM). We drew the framework based on TPB/TRA, SEM, and the review of Muslim mental health literature (the concept map). The concept map and the framework provide the most important constructs about challenges Muslim's face when attempting to utilize mental health services. Future researchers can use the concept map and the framework to conduct theoretically and evidence-based grounded empirical research. We provided implications for researchers, practitioners, educators, and social advocates wishing to contribute to service provision to this population.