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Journal of Religion and Health
Published in: Journal of Religion and Health 2/2017

01-04-2017 | Original Paper

Further Exploring the Link Between Religion and Existential Health: The Effects of Religiosity and Trait Differences in Mentalizing on Indicators of Meaning in Life

Authors: Clay Routledge, Christina Roylance, Andrew A. Abeyta

Published in: Journal of Religion and Health | Issue 2/2017

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Abstract

Religiosity contributes to perceptions of meaning. One of the cognitive foundations for religious belief is the capacity to mentalize the thoughts, emotions, and intentions of others (Theory of Mind). We examined how religiosity and trait differences in mentalizing interact to influence meaning. We hypothesized that people who are most cognitively inclined toward religion (high mentalizers) receive the greatest existential benefits (i.e., high and secure meaning) from religiosity. We assessed individual differences in mentalizing and religiosity, and measured indicators of meaning. Results confirmed that the combination of high mentalizing and high religiosity corresponded to the highest levels of existential health.
Footnotes
1
Based on the zero-order correlations, we also tested for mediation. To test the hypothesis that individual differences in mentalizing predict meaning in life indirectly through religiosity, we calculated 95 % bootstrapped confidence intervals and bootstrapped standard errors for direct and indirect effects (10,000 bootstrap samples) using the PROCESS macro for SPSS (Hayes, 2013; model 4). EQ predicted presence of meaning indirectly, through religiosity, M indirect = 0.37, SE = .12, 95 % CI [0.18, 0.66]. Higher levels of EQ were associated with greater religiosity, b = 1.10, SE = .27, t = 4.08, p < .001, 95 % CI [0.57, 1.64]. Greater religiosity, in turn, was associated with greater presence of meaning, b = 0.34, SE = .06, t = 5.85, p < .001, 95 % CI [0.22, 0.45], when controlling for the significant direct relation between EQ and presence of meaning, b = 0.98, SE = .21, t = 4.59, p < .001, 95 % CI [0.56, 1.40]. We repeated this analysis for search for meaning and crisis of meaning, respectively. EQ predicted search for meaning indirectly, through religiosity, M indirect = −0.19, SE = .09, 95 % CI [−0.41, −.03]. Specifically, higher levels of EQ were associated with greater religiosity, and greater religiosity, in turn, was associated with less search for meaning, b = −0.17, SE = .07, t = −2.28, p = .02, 95 % CI [−0.32, −0.02], when controlling for the nonsignificant direct relation between EQ and search for meaning, b = −0.06, SE = .27, t = −0.21, p = .83, 95 % CI [−0.60, 0.48]. EQ also predicted crisis of meaning indirectly, through religiosity, M indirect = −0.20, SE = .09, 95 % CI [−0.44, −.06]. Specifically, higher levels of EQ were associated with greater religiosity, and greater religiosity, in turn, was associated with less crisis of meaning, b = −0.18, SE = .06, t = −2.80, p = .006, 95 % CI [−0.31, −0.05], when controlling for the significant direct relation between EQ and crisis of meaning, b = −1.05, SE = .24, t = −4.42, p < .001, 95 % CI [−1.51, −0.58].
 
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Metadata
Title
Further Exploring the Link Between Religion and Existential Health: The Effects of Religiosity and Trait Differences in Mentalizing on Indicators of Meaning in Life
Authors
Clay Routledge
Christina Roylance
Andrew A. Abeyta
Publication date
01-04-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Religion and Health / Issue 2/2017
Print ISSN: 0022-4197
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6571
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0274-z

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