Religion and mental health among older adults in Thailand: a national survey study

Klangrit, Suriya; Perrodin, David D.; Siripaprapakon, Yasotara; Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Intaranggkul, Thittayawadee; Pratoomkaew, Suthat; Khemsiri, Khunthong; Saengrung, Kan; Vachirayano, Watchara

doi:10.1108/mhrj-06-2020-0039

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…These practices have shown notable and meaningful connections with the mental well-being of the elderly demographic. Additionally, seniors sought traditional sources of comfort, including recourse to traditional herbalists, Buddhist shamans, spiritual healers, blessed shamans, fortune tellers, and mystical shamans (Gonçalves et al 2015;Lynn and Basso 2023;Iwano et al 2022;Wongkwanklom 2018;Sudbhado et al 2022;Klangrit et al 2021;Wongsala et al 2021). Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of self-awareness to develop concentration and wisdom, leading to a profound understanding of the mind and self-nature, transformative changes in habits, and the realization of Life's Truth through experiential engagement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Senior Mental Health Scenarios in Thai Buddhist Contexts: A Qualitative Study

Langgapin,

Boonchieng,

Chautrakarn

et al. 2024

Religions

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This study delves into the global mental health challenges confronting the elderly within Thailand’s Buddhist context. It explores seniors’ perspectives on mental health distress, factors, and interventions, alongside monks’ viewpoints on traditional Buddhist approaches and their role in addressing these challenges. Our thematic analysis of qualitative research engaged 36 participants, comprising health volunteer monks and seniors from Northern Thailand, to identify primary themes and sub-themes. The perspectives on senior mental health scenarios highlight seniors’ experiences of stress, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness, influenced by factors like age, health, family, finances, and social isolation. Interventions encompass health care, religious practices, and community support. Monks advocate for integrating Buddhism into daily life, encouraging active participation, and addressing senior mental health issues, emphasizing their pivotal role, the embodiment of monastic ideals, and the challenges hindering their involvement. The research highlights the significance of empowering monastic involvement, acknowledging monks as representatives of monastic principles, even in the face of obstacles limiting their participation. This study uncovers a trend in Thai Buddhist communities where physical health and religious aspects take precedence over the mental well-being of seniors. It advocates for a comprehensive approach that integrates religious and mental health strategies, highlighting Buddhism’s impact on seniors’ mental wellness. The implications span spirituality, religious studies, mental health, and elderly care policy, emphasizing the crucial role of Buddhist practices and monks in enhancing the mental well-being of the elderly.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Senior Mental Health Scenarios in Thai Buddhist Contexts: A Qualitative Study

Langgapin,

Boonchieng,

Chautrakarn

et al. 2024

Religions

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“…One common activity popular among older Thai people is meditation practice [34]. Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind and cultivating a state of awareness, attention, and inner peace [35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meditation Moderates the Relationship between Insecure Attachment and Loneliness: A Study of Long-Term Care Residents in Thailand

Khin Moe Myint,

DeMaranville,

Wongpakaran

et al. 2024

Medicina

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Background and Objectives: Loneliness is prevalent among residents of long-term care settings, posing significant challenges to their mental wellbeing. Insecure attachment has been identified as a contributing factor to loneliness in this population. Previous research has suggested that meditation may have beneficial effects on mental health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between meditation, insecure attachment, and loneliness among residents of long-term care facilities in Thailand. Specifically, the study sought to investigate the moderating effect of meditation on the association between insecure attachment (both avoidance and anxiety) and loneliness. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 236 residents living in long-term care homes in Thailand. Participants completed self-report measures including the 18-item Revised Experience of Close Relationship questionnaire (to assess attachment anxiety and avoidance), the Inner Strength-Based Inventory (to measure meditation practice), and the 6-item Revised Version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. Moderation analyses were performed to explore the role of meditation in the relationship between insecure attachment and loneliness. Results: The mean age of participants was 73.52 years, with females accounting for 57.6% of the sample. Among the participants, 58.4% reported engaging in meditation, with practice frequency ranging from often to daily. The mean meditation score was 2.92 out of 5, indicating regular but not daily practice. Meditation was found to moderate the relationship between insecure attachment (both avoidance and anxiety) and loneliness. Specifically, the moderation effect between attachment anxiety and loneliness was significant (B = 0.44, SE = 0.21, 95% CI [0.30, 0.86]), as was the interaction effect between attachment anxiety and loneliness (B = −0.34, SE = 0.17, 95% CI [−0.67, −0.02]). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the impact of meditation practice on loneliness is influenced by an individual’s attachment dimension. Meditation demonstrates a moderating effect on attachment avoidance, anxiety, and loneliness, with variations observed in the direction of these effects. The clinical implications of these findings and recommendations for further research are discussed.

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Exploring the salience of religious identity on the mental health of the Mauritian adult

Veerasamy,

Putteeraj,

Somanah

2023

Discov Psychol

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Religion is undeniably one of the core components of the Mauritian identity, with religious values and principles woven into the Mauritian fabric. Due to the existing gaps in the research of religion and mental health in the Mauritian community, this study sought to examine the impact of religious identity on the psychological well-being of the typical Mauritian. 276 quantitative responses were retrieved, and 12 participants from the 3 main religious groups in the country were interviewed for an in-depth analysis of their religious identities. Results strongly demonstrated positive links between the 3 dimensions of religious identity and total well-being; religious identity achievement [χ2 (1680) = 2228 p < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.537]; religious affirmation and belongingness [χ2 (1620) = 2041, p < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.523], and religious faith and practices [χ2 (1620) = 1757, p < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.487]. Religious practice strongly associated with emotional stability [χ2 (246) = 296.15, p < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.432] and happiness [χ2 (48) = 73.86, p < 0.05, Cramer’s V = 0.211]. Demographically, educational attainment did not affect religious identification in the Mauritian community. The findings clearly demonstrate the need for an integrative system with ingroup beliefs and traditions embedded into models of recovery for psychological disorders. Mental health professionals should consider alternative approaches, reeling in religion and spiritual dimensions of healing into conventional therapies. The role of religious settings in improving psychological treatment adherence and fostering mental well-being should not be downplayed.

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Religion and mental health among older adults in Thailand: a national survey study

Cited by 5 publications

References 21 publications

Senior Mental Health Scenarios in Thai Buddhist Contexts: A Qualitative Study

Senior Mental Health Scenarios in Thai Buddhist Contexts: A Qualitative Study

Meditation Moderates the Relationship between Insecure Attachment and Loneliness: A Study of Long-Term Care Residents in Thailand

Exploring the salience of religious identity on the mental health of the Mauritian adult

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