Do Beliefs in Christian Nationalism Predict Mental Health Problems? The Role of Religious (Non)Involvement

Abstract

An area that has received little attention in the stress process model of mental health is belief systems and values. A belief system that has been the focus of considerable recent research attention is Christian nationalism, an ideology that advocates a fusion of American civic life with a particular type of Christian identity and culture. Using nationally representative data from the United States (2017 Baylor Religion Survey), the author examines the extent to which Christian nationalist ideology represented a unique and independent influence on two mental health outcomes, depression and anxiety. The results suggest that stronger beliefs in Christian nationalism were associated with higher depression and anxiety, but the link between Christian nationalism and depression was significantly stronger for those with lower individual religiosity. The author discusses the implications of our findings and offer directions for future research.