Religious Doubt and Mental Health Across the Lifespan

Abstract

The current study examined the connections among religious doubt, mental health, and aging in a nationwide sample of individuals 18 years and older (N = 1629). Findings indicate that that religious doubt emerging from the recognition of suffering and evil in the world has a deleterious impact on mental health. Results also show that as people grow older, religious doubts continue to be associated with psychopathology, but the magnitude of this association becomes weaker across age categories. In other words, the impact of doubt on mental distress declines as one ages. These effects were found across various measures of mental distress, including depression, general anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoia, hostility, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Findings are explored within the context of psychosocial development and the experiential trajectory of religious maturity.

Religious Resources, Spiritual Struggles, and Mental Health in a Nationwide Sample of PCUSA Clergy

“…Since open questioning and skepticism are discouraged within many religious groups, individuals who experience such doubts may be reluctant to express them, heightening their sense of isolation and struggle. The findings of several studies are consistent with this line of argument, showing that religious doubts are associated with elevated levels of psychological distress and psychiatry symptoms, and inversely associated with life satisfaction and other indicators of well-being (Ellison 1991;Galek et al 2007;Krause et al 1999;Krause 2006;Krause and Wulff 2004).…”

Spiritual Struggles and Psychological Distress: Is There a Dark Side of Religion?

“…To be sure, some prominent theologians (e.g., Paul Tillich) and developmental scholars (e.g., James Fowler) have argued that doubts can play a constructive role, leading to spiritual growth and maturation of faith (Krause et al 1999). However, a growing body of evidence links unresolved doubts with a range of negative mental and physical health outcomes (Ellison 1991;Galek et al 2007;Krause 2006;Krause and Ellison 2009;Krause et al 1999;Krause and Wulff 2004).…”

Spiritual Struggles among Atheists: Links to Psychological Distress and Well-Being

“…Indeed, previous research suggests that general nonbeliever samples and Christians experience similar levels of doubt-related struggles (Exline et al 2014;Stauner et al 2016). Among believers, religious doubt is not an uncommon phenomenon, and it is linked to poorer mental health (Galek et al 2007;Krause 2003) and physical health (Krause and Wulff 2004) outcomes. However, analyses of a subset of the samples analyzed in the present study indicated that doubt struggles predict higher life satisfaction and lower levels of depression after controlling for other types of R/S struggles (with theists and atheists pooled as one sample; Exline et al 2014).…”