Wellness and Religion

I’m what’s called bi-vocational.  In addition to my ministry work, I also teach in the School Counseling, School Psychology, and Special Education Department at public university in Wisconsin.  Sometimes I disclose to my students I’m a professor by day and a pastor by night (and weekend).  It makes for interesting pre and post-lecture fodder.

Sometimes students are interested in the effects of religiosity on social-emotional development, asking about the topic in class or bringing up the topic during student presentations.  I love the intersection of mental health and spirituality, so if it fits the course content, I let the class discussion linger around the topic for a bit.  Beyond an opportunity to examine research, the topic also provides the perfect opportunity for students practice what we call ‘checking their values.’    

The course textbook for my class Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Children and Adolescents has a sentence that is like a blinking light, catching students' attention and often setting off a discussion:

“Researchers have explored the relationship between religiosity and depression for more than 100 years, and there is more evidence that greater religiosity is associated with fewer depressive symptoms but the effects seen have been quite modest, and questions remain about the direction of the relationship.”  (Kauffman and Landrum, 2013, pg. 298)

Religious students almost cheer with glee.  Less religious students want to know what’s underlying this phenomenon so that thing can be replicated secularly.  After reminding them to keep their values in check, we pick it apart...

First, this research does not show a cause-and-effect relationship.  It’s correlation:  Religiosity and fewer depressive symptoms happen together, but correlational research can’t tell us what causes what.  Does religion help depression or does having depression make someone less religious?  Or is a third variable the culprit (e.g. family structure of religious kids)?  Overall, I tell them it’s pretty established that religiosity is positively correlated with well-being, but it is really hard for research to tell us why in a normative way.

But sometimes my students become little worms in my brain; their questions and comments get me wondering about new stuff.  And because I’m so stinkin’ empirically-minded, I dig in the research sandbox.  Here’s my current brain worm:

Do certain brands (i.e. subcultures) of religion have different effects?  Like… do flexible, progressive versions have different effects on well-being than firm/conservative versions?

As with any research, the answer is never cut and dry because it all depends on what you are measuring and the definitions you are using for your concepts (variables).  But I found lots of really interesting stuff nevertheless.  Here’s a few nuggets:

1. The confidence that one's belief is absolute and right—a view often exposed in conservative circles—creates a sense of divine favor, having a positive correlation with overall happiness and self-esteem.  Certainty rocks.

2. The threat that you might become outcast if you question fundamentalist beliefs—also present in conservative circles—is associated with reduced feelings of well-being.  No duh.

3. Seeing religion as a process of questioning and entertaining doubts—kind of a progressive thing—is correlated with reduced life satisfaction and increased hopelessness.  Ouch! 

4. Spirituality that focuses on God's desire for right thinking and right behavior increases anxiety, particularly when pure thoughts are desired. 

5. There is a lot to be said about individualistic religion versus collective religion and what that creates in people.

One last thing… I was watching our Children’s Ministry coordinator do an activity about the phrase "do not fear" from the Bible.  She is also bi-vocational and a brilliant clinical social worker.  She asked the kids to make a superhero pose, telling them that making your body large like a super hero increases confidence and reduces fear.  I was like, “Aha!  That why people raise their hands in worship!”  And yes, the research does show that participating in worship and other rituals creates emotional release.

Gosh, I could go on and on.  Thanks, students.  Just how I want to be spending my Christmas break—time in the research sandbox.