The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Mental and Physical Health

The potential role of religiosity, psychological immunity, gender, and age group in predicting the psychological well-being of diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia within the Bayesian framework

This study aimed to investigate the differences in Religiosity (R), Mental Immunity (MI), and Psychological Well-Being (PWB) in patients with diabetes due to gender and age group variables, and to detect the best predictors of PWB in diabetic patients within the Bayesian framework. The study was conducted from May 2022 to February 2023 on a random sample of 186 Saudis diagnosed with diabetes. After obtaining participants' consent, they completed three R, MI, and PWB scales. Bayesian Independent Samples t-test was performed to identify differences, and Bayesian linear regression analysis was used to reveal the best prediction model of PWB. The results of the Bayesian independent samples t-test indicated strong evidence supporting the alternative hypothesis H1, suggesting differences between male and female diabetic patients in R, MI, and PWB, with Bayesian factor values exceeding 10 (8.338×10+23, 1.762×10+25, and 1.866×10+24), and Cohen's δ of (-1.866, -1.934, -1.884). These results indicated that females with diabetes have higher means of R, MI, and PWB compared to males. However, the results also suggested evidence for the null hypothesis H0 of no differences in R, MI, and PWB among diabetic patients due to age group, with Bayesian factor values (0.176, 0.181, and 0.187) less than 1.00 and small Cohen's δ of (-0.034, -0.050, -0.063). Bayesian linear regression analysis detected strong evidence that the model including MI is the best predictive model (BF10 for mental immunity is 1.00 and for the other two models are 0.07 and 4.249×10-16) for the PWB of diabetic patients, however, there is no evidence that the model including R or the interaction between R and MI is the best predictor of PWB for diabetic patients. These findings highlight the need for direct psychological care services for male diabetic patients and the urgent need to enhance IM in diabetic patients to improve their PWB. Furthermore, results recommended that healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia integrate MI interventions into diabetes care programs.

Offender Rehabilitation: The Middle Way of Maimonides to Mental and Social Health

Traditional religious and spiritual texts offer a surprising wealth of relevant theoretical and practical knowledge about human behavior. This wellspring may contribute significantly to expanding our current body of knowledge in the social sciences, and criminology in particular. In Jewish religious texts, specifically by Maimonides, we can find profound analyses of human traits and guidelines for a normative way of life. Among other things, modern criminological literature attempts to link certain character traits and divergent behaviors. Using the hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this present study analyzed Maimonidean writings, mainly Laws of Human Dispositions, in order to understand Moses ben Maimon (1138-1204) and his view of character traits. The analysis yielded four themes: (1) Human personality between nature and nurture; (2) The complexity of human personality, imbalance and criminality; (3) Extremism as a way to achieve balance; and (4) The Middle Way, flexibility and common sense. These themes can serve therapeutic purposes, as well as inform a rehabilitation model. Grounded in a theoretical rationale about the nature of humans, this model is designed to direct individuals to balance their traits by self-reflection and constant practice of the Middle Way. The article concludes by proposing that implementing this model may promote normative behavior and thus contribute to rehabilitating offenders.

Religious Belief Among Women in Australia: Characteristics and Role in Influencing Children's Health-Related Quality of Life and Lifestyle

Religiosity can be an important factor in women's health-related behaviour, attitudes, and decision-making. Evidence however, regarding the religiosity of mothers and its influence on child health, is scarce. Based on a large population-based cohort in Australia, we aim to examine the religiosity of women in Australia and the association of maternal religiosity with children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and lifestyle. Our findings indicate that (1) maternal religious involvement was higher for women with higher education levels, ascertained religious values in decision-making, and abstinence from binge drinking in the household, (2) maternal religiosity positively influenced their children's HRQOL, (3) children of mothers who were more religious had less worries or fewer school-work problems, but the children of mothers with stronger religious beliefs used more internet/computer during the week but had less time playing games on weekends. This study provides additional specificity to inform future health interventions in religious community contexts to enhance the positive influence of maternal religious belief for better development of their children.

Exploring life stressors, depression, and coping strategies in college students

Objective: College students experience a variety of stressors that can increase the risk for mental health concerns, like depression. It is crucial for practitioners working on college campuses to understand the relationship among stressful life events, depression, and coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore life stressors' impact on reported depressive symptoms and how adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies moderate that relationship in college students. Participants: Data was used from a comprehensive health behavior survey. Participants included 969 college students. Methods: Multivariable logistic models were used to examine the association between stressful events, depression, and coping strategies. Results: Results from multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that college students who experienced life stressors and participated in more negative than positive coping strategies were 2.49 (95% CI = 1.34, 4.63) times more likely to experience depression. Conclusions: Implications and creative interventions are provided for mental health practitioners working on college campuses.

A Narrative Review Exploring the Similarities between Cilento and the Already Defined "Blue Zones" in Terms of Environment, Nutrition, and Lifestyle: Can Cilento Be Considered an Undefined "Blue Zone"?

Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society, not only as a function of lifespan, but, more importantly, as a function of healthspan. There are Longevity Blue Zones (LBZs), regions around the world, such as in Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Icaria, Greece; and Ogliastra, Sardinia, that are characterized by a significant percentage of residents who live exceptionally long lives, often avoiding age-related disability to a significantly higher degree than in the Western way of life. Longevity is not a universal phenomenon, so if there are places in the world with characteristics similar to the LBZs, it is important to identify them in order to better understand what other factors, in addition to the known ones, might contribute to a long and healthy life. This narrative review aims to identify common factors between Cilento and the five LBZs, taking into account environmental, nutritional, and lifestyle factors. Articles from 2004 to the present, limited to studies published in English, German, and Italian, were searched in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The co-authors agreed on 18 final reference texts. In order to evaluate the similarities between Cilento and the LBZs, a descriptive comparative approach was used. Cilento and the LBZs share several common factors, including a hilly altitude ranging from 355 to 600 m; a mild climate throughout the year, with temperatures between 17.4 and 23.5 degrees Celsius; traditional professions, such as agriculture and animal husbandry; and a predominantly Mediterranean or plant-based diet, with typical recipes based on legumes, tubers, vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil. Additionally, maintenance of strong intergenerational family relationships, religious devotion, and social relationships within the community are also prevalent. Given the similarities to Cilento, one might wonder if this is an LBZ waiting to be discovered. The lessons learned from this discovery could be applied to the general population to protect them from non-communicable chronic diseases and help slow the aging process.

Religious coping, care burden and psychological distress among informal caregivers of COVID-19 patients: Results of a cross-sectional survey in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

There is a complex relationship between health and religiosity. People may use religion to cope with difficulties and uncertainties in their life - such as induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between religious coping, care burden and psychological distress among caregivers during COVID-19 in Pakistan.

METHOD

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Pakistan. We used the Religious Coping Scale (RCOPE), Care Burden Scale (CB), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to measure psychological stress from 303 caregivers. Data were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression model for each of the three outcome variables, which are depression, anxiety, and stress. This analysis allows to investigate whether adding variables significantly improves a model's ability to predict the criterion variable.

RESULTS

The findings reveal that emotional care burden, physical care burden, negative religious coping, and social care burden explain a significant amount of the variance of three components of psychological distress among caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Health experts, psychologists, and policymakers can make better strategies to combat pandemics like COVID-19 by incorporating religious coping methods.

The Role of Religiosity and Spirituality in Helping Polish Subjects Adapt to Their Tinnitus

This study aims to assess whether religiosity and spirituality might be significant internal resources that help people with tinnitus to adapt to their condition. The study group comprised 256 Polish patients with tinnitus (123 women and 133 men) who answered the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Tinnitus Functional Index (both of which measure tinnitus annoyance) and the Self-Description Questionnaire (which measures: religious attitudes, ethical sensitivity, and harmony). Significant positive correlations between religious attitudes and tinnitus annoyance were found in subjects with tinnitus. The higher the religiosity, the higher tinnitus the annoyance, at least in the two TFI questionnaire dimensions: sense of control and quality of life (although these correlations were statistically significant only for men). Religiosity was found to be a positive predictor of tinnitus annoyance. Also, ethical sensitivity positively predicted tinnitus annoyance, whereas harmony was a negative predictor. We suggest that psychologists and audiologists should, in their diagnostic and therapeutic work with patients with tinnitus, pay attention to the religious and spiritual aspects of their patients' lives.

The Indirect Relationship Between Spiritual Experiences and Subjective Wellbeing Through Hope? A Sample of Chilean Students

Spirituality and religiousness are important factors for adolescents wellbeing. Little is known about the mechanisms underlying the positive relationship between spirituality as well as religiousness and subjective wellbeing. This study aimed to verify, whether, in a sample of Chilean students, religiousness is indirectly related to hope through spiritual experiences, and whether spiritual experiences are indirectly related to subjective wellbeing via hope. The sample consisted of 177 Chilean students and the following measures were applied: the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, the Herth Hope Index, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and one item measuring the frequencies of prayer and Mass attendance. According to obtained results religiousness was indirectly, positively related to hope through spiritual experiences. In turn spiritual experiences were indirectly, positively related to subjective wellbeing through hope. Conducted research confirmed the beneficial role of religious practices, spiritual experiences, and hope for Chilean students' subjective wellbeing and the presence of mechanisms underlying the relationships between religiousness as well as spirituality and subjective wellbeing.

The Effects of a Scenario-Based Spiritual Care Course on Spiritual Care Competence among Clinical Nurses: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Across their lifespans, and in many clinical settings, patients have spiritual care needs. Many nurses lack competence related to providing spiritual care. Popular educational strategies, such as simulated educational programs and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), have not been widely adopted in nursing spiritual care education. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a scenario-based spiritual care course on spiritual care competence in nurses. This quasi-experimental study employed a repeated-measures pre-test/post-test design with assessments immediately before, immediately after, and 3 months post-intervention. Nurses providing direct patient care in diverse clinical settings were recruited from a large medical foundation in northern Taiwan. The intervention was a one day scenario-based spiritual care course and OSCE. The experimental group (n = 53) and controls (n = 85) were matched for their similar units, ages, working experience, and clinical ladder status. The Spiritual Care Competence Scale (SCCS), Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS), Spiritual Care Perspective Scale-Revised (SCPS-R), and reflection logs were completed by both experimental and control groups. The Course Satisfaction Scale, OSCE Checklist, and Standardized Patient Feedback Scale (SPFS) were completed by the experimental group only. The experimental group had significantly higher SPS scores and self-evaluated SCCS scores, and lower SCPS-R scores (more positive spiritual perspectives), than controls at 3 months post-intervention. The experimental group showed significant within-subject effects at three time points on SPS scores, SCPS-R scores, and self-evaluated SCCS scores. Mean global performance of OSCE was 3.40 ± 0.91, and SP feedback indicated strengths and areas for improvement. In conclusion, the scenario-based spiritual care course effectively enhanced nurses' spiritual care competence, competence, and skills. Blended education techniques can therefore enhance nurses' ability to support patients with spiritual care needs.

Relationship Between Spirituality, Religiosity, and General Life Satisfaction Among Canadians Living with Neurological Conditions in New Brunswick and Manitoba

This study assessed the association between religion and spirituality on general life satisfaction among a sample of community-dwelling Canadians with neurological conditions. The data represented responses from two provinces that participated in the national Canadian Community Health Survey-Annual Component (CCHS-2011). A weighted subsample (n = 4562) of respondents with neurological conditions from the provinces of New Brunswick and Manitoba was used. Multivariate logistic regression fitted the models using STATA version 14. Spiritual coping, self-perceived general, and mental health were found to be predictors of greater life satisfaction and quality of life. It may be beneficial to incorporate spiritual and religious needs in the circle of care for those living in the community with neurological conditions.

Religiosity, Religious Coping and Distress Among Outpatients with Psychosis in Singapore

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of religious coping and explore the association between religious coping, religiosity, and distress symptoms amongst 364 outpatients diagnosed with psychosis in Singapore. Positive and Negative Religious Coping (PRC and NRC), religiosity (measuring the constructs of Organised Religious Activity (ORA), Non-Organised Religious Activity (NORA), and Intrinsic Religiosity (IR)) and severity of distress symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) were self-reported by the participants. The majority of participants (68.9%) reported religion to be important in coping with their illness. Additionally, multiple linear regression analyses found that NRC was significantly associated with higher symptoms of distress. In contrast, ORA was significantly associated with lower anxiety symptom scores. Overall, the study indicates the importance of religion in coping with psychosis and the potential value in incorporating religious interventions in mental health care.

Harmony Between Humanity and Nature: Natural Vs. Synthetic Drug Preference in Chinese Atheists and Taoists

A commonplace observation across many cultures is that humans show a strong preference for natural items on drug choice in the medical domain. Despite an emerging line of psychological research on individual differences in the naturalness-is-better bias, few studies have focused on the role of religious beliefs. According to the core idea of Taoism, people should free themselves from selfishness and desire and behave in concert with the alternating cycles of Nature. Based on the findings regarding the positive relationship between connectedness to nature and naturalness preference, we predict that Taoists, who emphasize harmony between humanity and nature, should show a stronger naturalness-is-better bias than atheists on drug choice due to their higher level of natural connectedness. The results showed that both Chinese atheists and Taoists selected a natural over synthetic drug even though the safety and efficacy of the medicines were described as identical. More importantly, the naturalness-is-better bias is more pronounced in Taoists than atheists. These data suggest that religious beliefs related to individuals' connectedness to nature may moderate the naturalness-is-better bias in health decisions.

Spiritual Health Support for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness in the Community

This paper presents a qualitative research project that examines the role of the spiritual health practitioner in an interprofessional Assertive Community Treatment team. The full-time spiritual health practitioner worked alongside the team to support clients with severe mental illness over a six-month period from September 2016 to March 2017. The project examined how the spiritual health needs of clients were addressed through the clinical practice of a spiritual health practitioner. Written in a narrative voice, the findings are presented and discussed, study limitations are identified, recommendations regarding the provision of spiritual health care in the community are made, and areas of future research suggested.

Are Religiosity and Spirituality Related to Self-Reported Health Expectancy? An Analysis of the European Values Survey

Research on religiosity and health has generally focussed on the United States, and outcomes of health or mortality but not both. Using the European Values Survey 2008, we examined cross-sectional associations between four dimensions of religiosity/spirituality: attendance, private prayer, importance of religion, belief in God; and healthy life expectancy (HLE) based on self-reported health across 47 European countries (n = 65,303 individuals). Greater levels of private prayer, importance of religion and belief in God, at a country level, were associated with lower HLE at age 20, after adjustment for confounders, but only in women. The findings may explain HLE inequalities between European countries.

The role of perceived discrimination in linking religious practices and well-being: A study among Muslim Afghan refugees in the Netherlands

Minorities facing adverse intergroup contact can experience both increased identification with their ethnic group and decreased identification with a host majority group. First, we argue it is important to understand what is associated with adversity, particularly in previously overlooked samples. Muslim refugee samples are often treated differently and experience more adversity than other immigrants. Second, we combine insights on the role of religiosity in acculturation with the observation that religiosity may not have positive effects in societies that do not value (a specific) religion (religiosity‐as‐social‐value hypothesis) as well as insights from rejection (dis)identification models, to understand which domains of being a Muslim are associated with discrimination, (dis‐)identification and well‐being. We hypothesized that Muslim religious practices, but not beliefs, coping or values, are associated with increased perceived discrimination, and suggest that this is because practices are highly visible. Data from Muslim Afghan refugees in the Netherlands (N = 183) revealed that indeed only religious practices were related positively to perceived discrimination. Perceived discrimination in turn mediated the relationship between religious practices and dis‐identification with the majority group, as well as the relationship between religious practices and well‐being. We suggest that the visibility of one's religious behaviour is relevant for acculturation outcomes.

Using Facebook language to predict and describe excessive alcohol use

BACKGROUND

Assessing risk for excessive alcohol use is important for applications ranging from recruitment into research studies to targeted public health messaging. Social media language provides an ecologically embedded source of information for assessing individuals who may be at risk for harmful drinking.

METHODS

Using data collected on 3664 respondents from the general population, we examine how accurately language used on social media classifies individuals as at-risk for alcohol problems based on Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption score benchmarks.

RESULTS

We find that social media language is moderately accurate (area under the curve = 0.75) at identifying individuals at risk for alcohol problems (i.e., hazardous drinking/alcohol use disorders) when used with models based on contextual word embeddings. High-risk alcohol use was predicted by individuals' usage of words related to alcohol, partying, informal expressions, swearing, and anger. Low-risk alcohol use was predicted by individuals' usage of social, affiliative, and faith-based words.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of social media data to study drinking behavior in the general public is promising and could eventually support primary and secondary prevention efforts among Americans whose at-risk drinking may have otherwise gone "under the radar."

Sociocultural insights on dementia care-giving in Arab and Muslim communities: the perspectives of family care-givers

Little is known about the experiences of informal family care-giving for persons with ADRD in the context of Arab and Muslim communities. This paper offers fresh insight into the less-studied private sphere of the home, showing how families respond to the onset and long-term care of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). It considers the extent to which sociocultural and religious influences are appropriated by family care-givers as coping mechanisms and motivators for care. Drawing upon interviews with 32 family care-givers for older persons living with ADRD in Qatar, findings reveal the intersectionality of the care-giving experience with various sociocultural, religious and emotional influences through seven emergent themes: (a) reasons and motivations for care-giving; (b) role of the extended family; (c) socio-demographic attributes of care-givers, their allocated responsibilities and how these intersect; (d) socio-religious attitudes towards care-giving of older persons; (e) social stigma; (f) personal knowledge of ADRD; and (g) coping mechanisms. The paper is concluded with key implications of these sociocultural insights for theory, policy and practice, which could inform Qatar's health and social care provision sector as well as other Arab and Muslim communities that share similar cultural and religious belief systems.

The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on Health in Canada: A Systematic Literature Review

The association between religion and health has been the subject of growing interest in academia. However, limited reviews of such studies in Canada exist. The paper systematically reviews and synthesizes existing literature on the relationship between spirituality and health in Canada. Available general databases such as: Medline; Web of Science, PubMed, Sociological abstract, Social Service Abstracts, Google scholar, Humanities International Index, JSTOR, CPI.Q Canadian Periodicals, and American Theological Library Association were searched for the period between 2000 and April 2019 inclusive. Collected data were then systematically analysed for common themes about spirituality and health in Canada. In total, 151 articles were found, but only 128 had relevance with the study objectives. Overall, the analysis showed that religion and spirituality do influence health behaviours, and well-being. However, more gender-based studies need to be conducted to tease out the differences in religion/spirituality and health across different genders, and ethnic groups in Canada.

Pathways Between Religiosity and Tooth Loss in Older Adults in Brazil

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the direct and indirect pathways between religiosity and tooth loss in older adults from Brazil. We analyzed the data of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging, a nationally representative study of individuals aged 50 years or older. The pathways were analyzed through structural equation modeling. A total of 9073 individuals were evaluated. It was observed that oral hygiene and smoking were mediators of the relationship between religiosity and tooth loss, through spirituality and social support, respectively. Spirituality also directly influenced the tooth loss.

The Relationship Among Spirituality, Fear, and Mental Health on COVID-19 Among Adults: An Exploratory Research

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is impactful on all aspects of individuals' lives, particularly mental health due to the fear and spirituality associated with the pandemic. Thus, purpose of this study was to identify the relationship among fear, spirituality, and mental health on COVID-19 among adults in Malaysia. This study also examines spirituality as a mediator in relationship between fear and mental health. The study involved around 280 adults in Malaysia. This research is a quantitative study. Data analysis method (SEM-PLS) has been used for data analysis. Based on descriptive analysis, mental health questionnaire indicated that 60.0% of them are at a poor level of mental health whereas 57.5% of respondents showed a moderate level of COVID-19 fear, and 60.4% of respondents owned moderate level of spiritual well-being. The results also demonstrated that respondents that have a high level of fear would have a high level of mental health; interestingly, those with a high level of spirituality will have a lower level of mental health. Findings indicated that spirituality significantly mediated the relationship between fear and mental health. This research will help to demonstrate how important spirituality values to control mental health to be more positive among adults in Malaysia. The main contributions of this study are to help come out with new intervention method for those who are mentally ill and need help.

Religiously Conditioned Health Behaviors within Selected Religious Traditions

Background: Health is a value of paramount importance for human existence. It has a special place in every religious system, both on the doctrinal and practical levels. Most religions view health as a priority value to be cared for, and require followers of individual religious groups to take care of their physical and mental health, and to maintain a balance between body and spirit. The aim of the study was to verify whether the level of religious commitment significantly influences health behaviors and whether in selected religions the faithful have a different approach to health behaviors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of 296 people—118 Seventh-day Adventists (SDA), 134 Catholics, and 14 Jews living in southern Poland, and 31 Muslims living in southern and north-eastern Poland. The following research tools were used as part of the diagnostic survey method: a questionnaire survey designed by us; the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); the Inventory of Health Behaviours (IHB); the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 10) and anthropometric measurements, physical examination, laboratory tests. Results: Only 75% of Catholics who participated in the study declared a high level of religious commitment. On the other hand, all (100%) of SDA, Jews, and Muslim respondents declared their religious commitment at a high level. SDA were characterized by the most desirable health behaviors on the IHB (high and average levels), especially eating habits. They did not consume alcohol, did not smoke cigarettes. The physical activity of most ADS was high and moderate. Most of the SDA subjects were characterized by an average and low level of stress intensity. The most common correct scores for homocysteine, triglycerides, and CRP were SDA, cholesterol by Jews, glucose by Muslims, and HDL by Catholics. The most common negative results were: homocysteine, glucose and triglycerides among Jews, cholesterol and CRP among Catholics, HDL among Muslims. Optimal blood pressure was most common among Catholics, and hypertension was most often diagnosed among Jews. Most often, Muslims had the correct body weight, and at the same time it was the group of respondents most often diagnosed with obesity. In contrast, underweight was observed only among Catholics. The SDA subjects were most often overweight. Conclusions: The results suggest that public health professionals and nurses should develop culturally specific educational interventions, especially among Catholics.

Does religion predict coronavirus conspiracy beliefs? Centrality of religiosity, religious fundamentalism, and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs

There has been an increasing interest in the relationship between religion and psychosocial functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, emerging recent findings suggest that religiousness may have a Janus-face impact on how people cope with the pandemic, leading to both positive and negative social outcomes. In this project, we examine whether two types of religiousness (i.e., centrality of religiosity and religious fundamentalism) are associated with COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and socially undesirable behavior during the pandemic. We suggest that only the most dogmatic and fundamentalistic type of religiousness could lead to conspiracy beliefs, while centrality of religiosity could be unrelated or even negatively related to this type of thinking. In a series of two studies (N = 361 and N = 394) conducted among Polish Roman Catholics, we demonstrate that religious fundamentalism, unlike centrality of religiosity, is positively related to coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, which, in turn, promote socially maladaptive behavior such as freeriding or non-adherence to safety guidelines.

Spiritual Jewish Criminology: The Basic Premises and the Pyramid

Religion and spiritual traditions entail vast wisdom and knowledge which have proved their productivity in achieving criminal rehabilitation, crime desistance, and crime prevention. Unfortunately, the literature on their role is relatively scarce and was not, until recently, regarded as part of mainstream criminology. This study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach in which 39 participants were interviewed and many of the religious scriptures selected at their recommendation were analyzed. The findings reveal three central and unique themes that deal with the purpose of creation, human nature, and the question of free will. Through these premises, this study suggests that Spiritual Jewish criminology, a faith-based theory stemming from Jewish scriptures, offers a universal paradigm that explains a person's life as a spiritual journey, completed according to the Pyramid Model. The pyramid is built on two axes that describe a person's desirable movement: the first ranges from egocentrism to altrocentrism, while the second ranges from materialism to the spiritual. The study's discussion deals with the Pyramid Model's ability to explain the causes of delinquency, the onset of a criminal career, and the way out of this criminal world through treatment and rehabilitation.

Psychometric Properties of the Five-Item Francis Attitude Towards Christianity Scale in Colombian Psychiatric Outpatients

This study aimed to know the psychometric properties of the five-item Francis scale of the attitude towards Christianity (Francis-5) by assessing psychiatric outpatients in Santa Marta, Colombia. A sample of 260 adult patients participated. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed an excellent one-dimensional structure with high internal consistency. It was concluded that the Francis-5 exhibited good indicators of validity and reliability in Colombian psychiatric outpatients.

Religion, Social Connectedness, and Xenophobic Responses to Ebola

This study examined the role of religion in xenophobic responses to the threat of Ebola. Religious communities often offer members strong social ties and social support, which may help members cope with psychological and physical threat, including global threats like Ebola. Our analysis of a nationally representative sample in the U.S. (N = 1,000) found that overall, the more vulnerable to Ebola people felt, the more they exhibited xenophobic responses, but this relationship was moderated by importance of religion. Those who perceived religion as more important in their lives exhibited weaker xenophobic reactions than those who perceived religion as less important. Furthermore, social connectedness measured by collectivism explained the moderating role of religion, suggesting that higher collectivism associated with religion served as a psychological buffer. Religious people showed attenuated threat responses because they had a stronger social system that may offer resources for its members to cope with psychological and physical threats. The current research highlights that different cultural groups react to increased threats in divergent ways.

Implications of Tamarkoz on stress, emotion, spirituality and heart rate

Perceived stress among university students is a prevalent health issue directly correlated with poor academic performance, poor sleep quality, hopelessness, compromised physical and mental health, high risk of substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. Tamarkoz, a Sufi meditation, may reduce the impact of stressors to prevent illness among students. Tamarkoz is the art of self-knowledge through concentration and meditation. It is a method of concentration that can be applied to any task. The method is said to discipline the mind, body, and emotions to avoid unintended distractions. Therefore, it can be used in daily life activities, such as studying, eating, driving, de-stressing or in Sufism, seeking self-knowledge. This study was an 18-week quasi-experimental design with pre-intervention, post-intervention and follow-up assessments in the experimental group, a wait-list control, and a third group that utilized the campus health center’s stress management resources. Participants, university students, had no prior exposure to Tamarkoz, and there were no statistically significant differences among groups on baseline measurements. Using a generalized linear mixed model, significant increases in positive emotions and daily spiritual experiences, and reductions in perceived stress and heart rate were found in the experimental group compared to the other two groups. Tamarkoz seems to show some advantages over the usual stress management resources offered by a student health center.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration Date: (03/04/2018); ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03489148.

Attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of religiosity, spirituality, and cultural competence in the medical profession: A cross-sectional survey study

INTRODUCTION

Religion and spirituality play important roles in the lives of many, including healthcare providers and their patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between religion, spirituality, and cultural competence of healthcare providers.

METHODS

Physicians, residents, and medical students were recruited through social platforms to complete an electronically delivered survey, gathering data regarding demographics, cultural competency, religiosity, and spirituality. Four composite variables were created to categorize cultural competency: Patient Care Knowledge, Patient Care Skills/Abilities, Professional Interactions, and Systems Level Interactions. Study participants (n = 144) were grouped as Christian (n = 95)/non-Christian (n = 49) and highly religious (n = 62)/not highly religious (n = 82); each group received a score in the four categories. Wilcoxon rank sum and Chi-square tests were used for analysis of continuous and discrete variables.

RESULTS

A total of 144 individuals completed the survey with the majority having completed medical school (n = 87), identifying as women (n = 108), white (n = 85), Christian (n = 95), and not highly religious (n = 82). There were no significant differences amongst Christian versus non-Christian groups or highly religious versus not highly religious groups when comparing their patient care knowledge (p = .563, p = .457), skills/abilities (p = .423, p = .51), professional interactions (p = .191, p = .439), or systems level interaction scores (p = .809, p = .078). Nevertheless, participants reported decreased knowledge of different healing traditions (90%) and decreased skills inquiring about religious/spiritual and cultural beliefs that may affect patient care (91% and 88%). Providers also reported rarely referring patients to religious services (86%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although this study demonstrated no significant impact of healthcare providers' religious/spiritual beliefs on the ability to deliver culturally competent care, it did reveal gaps around how religion and spirituality interact with health and healthcare. This suggests a need for improved cultural competence education.

Religiosity as a predictor of mental health in Egyptian teenagers in preparatory and secondary school

BACKGROUND

There have been few studies of religiosity in adolescents and even fewer in Muslim cultures.

AIMS

The present study investigated the associations of religiosity with subjective well-being (WB, and mental and physical health) using samples of Egyptian children and adolescents.

METHOD

Samples of Egyptian preparatory school children and secondary school children were administered questions concerning religiosity, mental and physical health and satisfaction with life.

RESULTS

In study 1, boys obtained significantly higher mean scores than girls did on the self-rating scales of religiosity, mental health, physical health and satisfaction with life. In study 2, boys obtained significantly higher mean scores on the Arabic Scale of Mental Health and the self-rating scales of physical health and happiness. All the Pearson correlation coefficients between religiosity, WB and health were significant and positive in both studies. Predictors of mental health differed for boys and girls, but religiosity played a significant role in the prediction of mental health for the younger boys and for the older girls.

CONCLUSION

Religion plays an important role in the lives of the present two samples of Egyptian adolescents.

Cross-sectional study of the relationship between the spiritual wellbeing and psychological health among university Students

University students' spiritual wellbeing has been shown to be associated with quality, satisfaction, and joy of life. This study tested the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and symptoms of psychological disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress) among Chinese university students in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data were collected from N = 500 students (aged 17-24; 279 women). The participants were asked to complete the Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM) to evaluate the status of their spiritual wellbeing in the personal and communal, environmental, and transcendental domains, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to assess their emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. All domains of spiritual wellbeing were negatively associated with psychological distress. Hierarchical Multiple Regression showed that together the three domains of spirituality explained 79.9%, 71.3% and 85.5% of the variance in students' depression, anxiety and stress respectively. The personal and communal domain of spiritual wellbeing was the strongest predictor of psychological distress.

Belief Salience, Religious Activities, Frequency of Prayer Offering, Religious Offering Preference and Mental Health: A Study of Religiosity Among Muslim Students

To investigate role of belief salience, participation in religious activities, religious offering preference and prayer offering positively predicts mental health among university students. It is a cross-sectional research design carried out in International Islamic University Islamabad, February 2018 to August 2018. Demographic variables were assessed by collecting information about age, education, marital status, family income and socioeconomic status. Mental Health Inventory-38 was used to measure mental health of the students, and in order to measure religiosity, Religiosity Measure Scale tapping belief salience, religious activities, frequency of prayer offering and religious offering preference was used. The results of the present study were analyzed through SPSS 21v. For computation of the findings, regression analysis and t test were applied. Study found that involvement in religious activities, prayer offering and belief salience positively predicts mental health among university students. Along with that, female students were also found to be highly involved in prayer offerings, religious offering preference and belief salience. However, there were no significant gender differences on participation in religious activities and mental health. It is recommended that development and enhancement of belief salience and religiosity in treatment of Muslim clients with psychological issues may boost their mental health. Therefore, these may be incorporated in treatment models.

Thriving during COVID-19: Predictors of psychological well-being and ways of coping

COVID-19 has led to global dramatic shifts in daily life. Following the biopsychosocial model of health, the goal of the current study was to predict people's psychological well-being (PWB) during the initial lockdown phase of the pandemic and to investigate which coping strategies were most common among people with low and high PWB. Participants were 938 volunteers in the United States who responded to an online survey during the lockdown in April 2020. The main findings were that all three groups of variables, biological, psychological, and socio-economic, significantly contributed to PWB explaining 53% variance. Social loneliness and sense of agency were the strongest predictors. PWB was significantly predicted by physical health (not gender nor age); by spirituality, emotional loneliness, social loneliness, and sense of agency; by job security (not income, nor neighborhood safety, nor hours spent on social media). Comparing the coping strategies of participants, results show more intentional coping in the high-PWB group and more passive coping in the low-PWB group. During this unprecedented pandemic, the findings highlight that ability to sustainably cope with the global shifts in daily life depends on actively and intentionally attending to PWB by being one's own agent for physical health, spiritual health, and social connection.

The Value of 'Traditionality': The Epistemological and Ethical Significance of Non-western Alternatives in Science

After a brief review of the relationship between science and value, this paper introduces the value of 'traditionality' as a value in the pure and applied sciences. Along with other recognized values, this value can also contribute to formulating hypotheses and determining theories. There are three reasons for legitimizing the internal role of this value in science: first, this value can contribute to scientific progress by presenting more diverse hypotheses; second, the value of external consistency in science entails this value; and third, this value helps to eliminate some of the adverse social and cultural effects of Western science in non-Western societies. 'Traditionality' is an extrinsic epistemic value, according to the first two reasons, and at the same time, is an ethical value, according to the last reason. Also, the ethics of belief is adopted to further confirm the ethical role of this value. Finally, this paper discusses three potential criticisms that can be levelled against this idea and responds to each of them.

A pilot study on ecological momentary assessment in asylum-seeking children and adolescents resettled to Germany: Investigating compliance, post-migration factors, and the relation between daily mood, sleep patterns, and mental health

Background

Asylum-seeking children and adolescents (ASCs) resettled to western countries show elevated levels of psychological distress. While research on the mental health of ASCs is increasing, less is known about their day-to-day living experiences such as their daily mood, sleep patterns, and post-migration factors. Moreover, no examination in situ, using smartphone-assisted ecological momentary assessment (EMA), has been conducted up to now among ASCs. Furthermore, we do not know if screening measures succeed in reflecting the daily mood of ASCs experienced in everyday life.

Methods

We undertook a smartphone-assisted EMA study over a two-week period with 3 measurements a day. Participants were N = 40 ASCs from 10 different countries who had resettled to Germany. They completed standardized questionnaires screening for history of trauma and clinical symptoms (post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression, and anxiety) that were carried out in interview-like settings, and they participated in the subsequent EMA where they rated mood, sleep parameters, and post-migration factors on a daily basis. Multilevel models of clinical symptoms, daily mood, and sleep parameters were computed based on a total of 680 measurements.

Results

The multiply traumatized and highly distressed participants reported different levels of discrimination, and various social activities and contacts in the EMA. The overall compliance rate was shown to be 40.5%. Higher PTSS and anxiety scores were associated with lower levels of daily mood and poorer outcomes of some sleep parameters. Depression scores were not associated with any of the variables assessed in the EMA.

Conclusions

Smartphone-assisted EMA among ASCs resettled to Germany proved to be implementable despite a rather low compliance rate. Not only do ASCs show high symptom levels, they are also affected by these symptoms in their daily lives. The results emphasize the need for concise screenings and psychological treatment for this high-risk population. Limitations include the convenient nature of the sample and the lack of a comparison group.

Quality of life among infertile women living in a paradox of concerns and dealing strategies: A qualitative study

Aim

The current work investigated the issues that cause apprehension in infertile women, the effects of this disquiet on their quality of life and the strategies that they adopt in dealing with their concerns.

Design

The qualitative research.

Method

This qualitative research sampled participants from a training centre in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and a privately owned infertility centre in Mazandaran Province, north of Iran. Purposive sampling continued until data saturation was reached. We conducted a conventional content analysis of the responses of 30 individuals (15 women with female infertility and 15 key informants) to in-depth and semi-structured in-person interviews on May to November 2019 .

Results

The results uncovered two themes subsuming four categories of issues: The first theme revolves around "infertility concerns," under which "concerns" and "the difficulty and vagueness of treatment" belonged. The second theme was "dealing with infertility," which covered "adaptive strategies" and "inhibitors of reconciliation with perceived infertility."

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

This study focused on examining the effects of personality traits in moderating relationship between religiosity and mental health of university students. It was conducted on a sample of (N = 372) university students aged between 20 and 26 years equated to gender: 186 male and 186 female students at Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan. The religiosity, mental health and personality traits were measured by using the scale of Religiosity of Islam, Inventory of Mental Health and Big Five Inventory, respectively. The correlation analyses showed the significant relationship of religiosity with behavioral control but negatively associated with anxiety and depression as two dimensions of mental health. The results further demonstrated that openness to experience and agreeableness as traits of students' personality considerably moderated the relationship of religiosity and mental health.

Could Wealth Make Religiosity Less Needed for Subjective Well-Being? A Dual-Path Effect Hypothesis of Religious Faith Versus Practice

Religiosity is important for religious people to maintain their subjective well-being (SWB). We propose a dual-path effect hypothesis to explore different working mechanisms of religious faith and practice on benefiting people’s SWB. Religious faith can promote SWB mainly via an intrinsic meaning-making path although religious practice can promote SWB via both an intrinsic meaning-making path and an extrinsic capital-accumulating path. If the dual-path effect hypothesis stands, then the role of religious practice in influencing SWB should be partly substituted by good economic status, but the role of religious faith should not. Then, only the effect of religious practice would be moderated by wealth. Results show that people’s individual income and national GDP have significant moderating effects on the relationship between religious practice and SWB, but they had no moderating effect on the association between religious faith and SWB, indicating wealth could be an alternative source of accumulating capital and social resources between religious practice and SWB. Results provide important evidence for the dual-path effect hypothesis. The findings uniquely contribute to the literature of religiosity, SWB, and their connections with wealth. Implications for future research are also discussed.

Religiosity and health among Chinese older adults: a meta-analytic review

The ageing population has been rapidly growing over recent years. Theoretically, religion seemingly plays an important role in improving older people's health. This study examines whether believing in religion is related to better health conditions among Chinese older adults through a meta-analysis. Two researchers independently extracted the studies from a comprehensive database and grey literature search and evaluated their scientific quality. From the 3,777 potentially eligible papers, just 76 were selected. The pooled effect size detected no significant difference between Chinese religious and non-religious older adults’ overall health and wellbeing. Dividing the outcomes into different categories, religious older adults reported both a higher level of anxiety (Hedge's g = −0.392, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.494, −0.290; p = 0.004) and yet a higher level of happiness (Hedge's g = 0.342, 95% CI = 0.074, 0.610; p = 0.018). Having a higher proportion of females in the sample is related to a smaller effect size in overall health outcomes (β = −2.205, 95% CI = −3.800, −0.613; p = 0.007) and social support specifically (β = −4.660, 95% CI = −6.261, −3.058; p < 0.0001). This study is among the first to synthesise the quantitative evidence regarding health differences between older religion believers and non-believers in China. It calls for future studies investigating the pathways underlying the religion–health relationship.

Religion, Life Expectancy, and Disability-Free Life Expectancy Among Older Women and Men in the United States

OBJECTIVES

Existing literature shows religion is associated with health and survival separately. We extend this literature by considering health and survival together using a multistate life table approach to estimate total, disability-free, and disabled life expectancy (LE), separately for women and men, for 2 disability measures, and by 2 indicators of religion.

METHOD

Data come from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014 waves). Predictors include importance of religion and attendance at religious services. The disability measures are defined by ADLs and IADLs. Models control for sociodemographic and health covariates.

RESULTS

Attendance at religious services shows a strong and consistent association with life and health expectancy. Men and women who attend services at least once a week (compared with those who attend less frequently or never) have between 1.1 and 5.1 years longer total LE and between 1.0 and 4.3 years longer ADL disability-free LE. Findings for IADL disability are similar. Importance of religion is related to total and disabled LE (both ADL and IADL), but the differentials are smaller and less consistent. Controlling for sociodemographic and health factors does not explain these associations.

DISCUSSION

By estimating total, disability-free, and disabled LE, we are able to quantify the advantage of religion for health. Results are consistent with previous studies that have focused on health and mortality separately.

Spirituality among family caregivers of cancer patients: The Spiritual Perspective Scale

Spirituality is a critical resource for family caregivers of patients with cancer. However, studies on spirituality are hampered because measures of spirituality lack consistency and have not been validated in cancer caregivers. This study examined the validity of the Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS) among cancer caregivers and explored whether measurement bias may influence differences in spirituality across caregiver and patient characteristics. In this secondary analysis, 124 caregivers of cancer patients were used to evaluate the validity of the 10-item SPS. A multiple indicators multiple causes model was applied to explore differences in the association between a latent spirituality factor and characteristics of caregivers and patients. Overall reliability of the SPS was adequate (Cronbach's α = .95). The SPS scores were predictive of higher meaning and purpose (r = .32, p = .004) and lower depression (r = -.22, p = .046) at 3-month follow-up. Construct validity of the SPS with a single-factor structure was supported in cancer caregivers. Adjusting for a direct effect of race did not alter the pattern of results, and caregivers who were older, female, ethnic minorities, less-educated, affiliated with a religion, and who provided care to another individual in addition to the patient had greater levels of spirituality. This study provides evidence for psychometric validation of the SPS in cancer caregivers. Understanding differences in caregivers' spirituality by using the SPS with psychometrically acceptable properties and minimal measurement bias deserves more attention to optimize spirituality assessment and support in cancer caregiving.

The spiritual beliefs of cancer survivors: A thematic analysis

Aim

This study explored the nature of spiritual beliefs and their role in regulating various life outcomes of cancer survivors.

Method

A heterogeneous sample of thirty diagnosed cancer patients with age ranging from 18 to 75 years participated in the study. The study employed a qualitative research design which involved semi-structured interviews and the thematic analysis of the audiotaped contents of these interviews.

Results

The analyses led to five themes regarding the spiritual beliefs of the participants. The identified themes were: “optimistic change towards life”, “fighting spirit towards life”, “enhanced trust in family and friends”, “improved realistic self-perception”, and “positive thinking with future orientations”.

Conclusions

The findings of the study showed that spiritual beliefs represented a complex phenomenon comprising cognitive, affective and behavioural components. Spiritual beliefs also carried many positive outcomes to regain and maintain psychological balance, well-being, quality of life and health. It also facilitated the patients to have strong desires to compensate their losses due to ill health by setting and achieving higher spiritual, social and interpersonal goals by carrying out social services, sacrifice and altruistic deeds.

Self-Control and Affect Regulation Styles Predict Anxiety Longitudinally in University Students

The performance and well-being of university students is influenced by many factors, including self-control and affect regulation, but little is known about how these factors relate. We therefore analyzed data from a multi-site research project that assessed trait self-control, affect regulation, and anxiety in a longitudinal cohort design (N = 1314) using structural equation modeling. We specifically tested hypotheses that trait self-control, assessed upon entering school, would predict anxiety outcomes during students’ third year, and this relationship would be mediated by affect regulation styles (adaptive or maladaptive). We found that greater self-control did predict lower third-year anxiety, even after accounting for anxiety levels upon entering school. Furthermore, this relationship was partially mediated by maladaptive affect regulation, where students with greater self-control endorsed less use of maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., denial, self-blame), which in turn predicted less subsequent anxiety. In contrast, adaptive coping strategies did not mediate the relationship between trait self-control and anxiety. These findings highlight trait self-control as an important predictor of anxiety, and they identify maladaptive affect regulation as a target for interventions to promote student well-being and success.

Does Religious Activity Distinguish the Mortality Experiences of Older Taiwanese? An Analysis Using Eighteen Years of Follow-Up Data

This paper extends investigation of religiosity and longevity to Taiwan using a 1989 survey: N = 3849, aged 60+, with 18 years of follow-up. Religious activity is measured as worship and performance of rituals. A Gompertz regression, adjusted and non-adjusted for covariates and mediating factors, shows the hazard of dying is lower for the religiously active versus the non-active. Transformed into life table functions, a 60-year-old religiously active Taiwanese female lives more than 1 year longer than her non-religious counterpart, ceteris paribus. Mainland Chinese migrants are examined carefully because of unique religious and health characteristics. They live longer, but the religiosity gap is similar.

Factors Associated With Perceived Worsened Physical Health Among Older Adults Who Are Newly Enrolled Long-term Services and Supports Recipients

Limited information exists on the perceived health of older adults new to receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS) compared with the year prior, posing challenges to the anticipation of health care need and optimization of wellness efforts for this growing population. In response, we sought to identify differences in perceived worsened physical health across three LTSS types (nursing home, assisted living, and home and community-based services) along with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) characteristics associated with older adults' ratings of perceived worsened physical health at the start of receiving LTSS. Enrolled LTSS recipients completed a single interview assessing their HRQoL. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations in LTSS types and HRQoL characteristics with perceived worsened physical health among older adults (≥60 years old) since 1 year prior to study enrollment. Among the 467 LTSS recipients, perceived physical health was rated as worse than the previous year by 36%. Bivariate analyses revealed no differences in perceived worsened physical health across LTSS types. In adjusted analyses, religiousness/spirituality and better mental and general health perception had a decreased odds of being associated with perceived worsened physical health (P < .05). Participants with major changes in their health in the past 6 months were more likely to report perceived worsened physical health (P < .001). Findings provide information that may be used to target efforts to enhance perceived physical health and improve quality of life among LTSS enrollees.

Spirituality, Symbolism and Storytelling in Twentyfirst-Century Organizations: Understanding and addressing the crisis of imagination

This article introduces the Special Issue concerned with organizational spirituality, symbolism and storytelling. Stressing the growing scholarly interest in these topics, the article makes a two-fold contribution. First, it critically assesses their development over time while identifying the emerging trends and new ways in which spirituality, symbolism and storytelling are taken up in management and organization studies. We make a case for utilizing their promise to transcend the epistemic boundaries and extend the scope of our academic practice beyond self-referential approaches or ‘fashionable’ topics. Second, it links them to what we term the current crises of imagination, calling into question extant institutional and organizational paradigms, as well as the theoretical frames we rely on in our teaching and research. The multiple crises we face – economic, financial, food, water, energy, climate, migration and security – we suggest, are partly due to the fragmentation of meaning that bedevils our scholarship and, implicitly, the failure of our collective imagination. Reaching across foundational disciplines and core methodologies, we bring into the conversation the interlocking fields of spirituality, symbolism and storytelling, highlighting their potential for addressing the cardinal challenges we face as citizens of this world as much as organizational scholars.

The Relationship Between Religiosity and Anxiety: A Meta-analysis

Several research studies from the USA and Western industrialized countries have reported a negative association between religiosity and anxiety. However, Arabic studies using mainly Muslim samples are limited. The objective of the present study was to apply meta-analysis statistical techniques to 10 Arabic studies of this association. All of the respondents were Arab citizens, ranging in age between 14 and 43 years, and the vast majority of them were Muslims. Religiosity and anxiety were assessed with seven different scales. In all of the studies, the administration of the scales was in small group sessions and in the Arabic language. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between the religiosity and anxiety scale scores. All the correlations were negative. All but one were statistically significant, ranging from - 0.16 to - 0.43. The mean effect size was - 0.22, and the impact of age and gender on the correlation was not significant. This result suggests that religiosity may affect anxiety by providing buffering and coping mechanisms.

Spirituality and wellbeing in later life: a multidimensional approach

Objectives: Previous studies pointed at positive associations between spirituality and Subjective Wellbeing (SWB) in later life, but were typically limited to one dimension of spirituality and/or one measure of SWB. Applying Fisher's (2010) multidimensional approach to spirituality and measuring both positive and negative aspects of SWB, this study aims at providing deeper understanding of this association. Method: The study was based on an online survey with 306 individuals aged 50 years and over. The questionnaire included the SHALOM spirituality scale as well as measures of depression, satisfaction with life, and personal background. Results: Personal and communal spirituality were the most dominant domains reported by study participants, followed by environmental spirituality. Transcendental spirituality was the least reported domain. Personal spirituality was the only domain positively associated with SWB (lower depression and higher life satisfaction), whereas communal and transcendental spirituality were associated with more depression. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that not all spirituality domains are equally dominant in people's lives or positively associate with SWB. They also suggest that encouraging elderly people to develop their personal spirituality and self-growth may contribute to their wellbeing.