Religious Commitment and Mental Health: a Review of the Empirical Literature

The authors reviewed 10 clinical areas in which a positive health benefit was associated with religious commitment: depression, suicide, delinquency, mortality, alcohol use, drug use, well-being, divorce & marital satisfaction, physical health status, & mental health. They indicate that 70% of the time, religious commitment is associated with imporved coping & protection from problems in terms of suicide, substance abuse, delinquency, marital stability, & personal well-being. (181 refs)