Helping the soul: The relationship between connectivity and well-being within a church community

Abstract

Although previous research attests to the importance of psychological sense of community (PSOC) to individuals' well-being, little research has examined this relationship for the four proposed dimensions of PSOC: membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection (McMillan and Chavis, 1986). Further, little research has explored multiple aspects of community connectivity in the one study. The current research investigated the relationship between participants' (N=127) religiosity, PSOC, social support, and identification within a church community context and their well-being. Results indicated that the PSOC dimensions of shared emotional connection and influence were particularly important in the prediction of well-being in this context. Further, individuals' perception of social support mediated the relationship between PSOC and well-being and the strength of individuals' identification as a church member enhanced the relationships of both PSOC and religiosity with well-being. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.