The relationship between religious attitudes, coping strategies, and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence proving the protective effects of religion on mental health. In the present study our aim was to explore the relationship between religious attitudes and adaptive and non-adaptive coping, as well as the possible mediating role of coping in the relationship between religion and mental health in an adolescent and young adult sample. Data was gathered from 190 high-school students (mean age 16.9) and 213 university students (mean age 21.4) with the help of self-administered questionnaires. Our results show a strong relationship between the inclusion of transcendence and the factor of emotional-adaptive coping, including social support, in both age groups. Results of the regression analysis suggest that emotional-adaptive and problem-focused coping might play a mediating role in the relationship between religion and mental health. Due to the changes in religiosity, however, it is different aspects of religion (frequency of church attendance and inclusion of transcendence in high-school students, and symbolic interpretation in university students) that enhance mental health through the choice of coping strategies. © 2010 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.