The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Physical Health

Abstract

Possible relations between religion, spirituality, positive psychology, and physical health have interested humans throughout history. Only recently have these relations become the object of scientific study. In this chapter, we conducted a nonsystematic, narrative review of the modest but growing empirical literature, which suggests that positive psychological constructs such as life satisfaction, positive affect, purpose/meaning, and optimism are generally predictive of better physical health and functioning. Similarly, religion and spirituality (R/S) variables including religious service attendance, religious/spiritual coping, religious orientation, and prayer have demonstrated relations with better health outcomes. These relations are sometimes complex and possibly influenced by methodological considerations. Several possible pathways to account for these relationships have been proposed, including behavioral processes, social support, and direct physiological pathways. Whether these relations are causal remains a perplexing question to resolve, due to methodological challenges inherent in the nature of the variables themselves and to the practical difficulties of examining these variables via experimental investigation and longitudinal analysis. The possibility that positive psychology constructs may account for associations between R/S and health deserves further exploration, ideally using experimental and prospective longitudinal methods.