COVID-19's effects upon the religious group resources, psychosocial resources, and mental health of Orthodox Jews

Abstract

In this article, we examine how COVID-19 has affected the mental health of Orthodox Jews and how religious resources cushion the effects of isolation and deprivation of religious gatherings over time. Using longitudinal data from the COVID-19 Community Portrait Study, fixed-effects regression models are employed to predict how religious resources are affected by COVID-19 and how mental health is affected by both COVID-19 and religious resources. We find two competing effects upon participants’ religious resources. While group resources decreased as a result of the pandemic, psychosocial resources were strengthened. A Closeness-to-God Index predicted lower levels of depression and anxiety, less perceived stress, and less loneliness. Congregational prayer also predicted lower stress and less loneliness, but the magnitude of the effect was smaller. The findings provide empirical support for theoretical frameworks emphasizing the positive effects of religion on mental health and suggest psychosocial resources enable religious coping during particularly challenging times.