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Belief in Life-After-Death, Beliefs About the World, and Psychiatric Symptoms

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Abstract

Data from the 2010 Baylor Religion Survey were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM) to test five hypotheses: (1) that religious commitment is positively related to belief in life-after-death; that belief in life-after-death is (2) positively related to belief in an equitable world, and (3) negatively related to belief in a cynical world; (4) that belief in a cynical world has a pernicious association with psychiatric symptoms; and (5) that belief in an equitable world has a salubrious association with psychiatric symptoms. As hypothesized, religious commitment was positively related to belief in life-after-death (β = .74). In turn, belief in life-after-death was negatively associated with belief in a cynical world (β = −.16) and positively associated with belief in an equitable world (β = .36), as hypothesized. SEM further confirmed that belief in a cynical world had a significant pernicious association with all five classes of psychiatric symptoms (β’s = .11 to .30). Belief in an equitable world had a weaker and less consistent salubrious association with psychiatric symptoms. The results are discussed in the context of ETAS theory.

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Acknowledgments

The conduct of this research and the preparation of this manuscript for publication were made possible through the generous support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation to HealthCare Chaplaincy, NY, NY: ID# 21296, “Spiritual Beliefs as Predictors of Mental Health: A Test of ETAS Theory” (Kevin J. Flannelly, Ph.D., and Kathleen Galek, Ph.D., Co-PI’s). The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Spears Research Institute, HealthCare Chaplaincy, 307 East 60th Street, New York, NY, 10022, USA

    Kevin J. Flannelly & Kathleen Galek

  2. Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Christopher G. Ellison

  3. Department of Psychology, Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY, USA

    Nava R. Silton

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  1. Kevin J. Flannelly
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Correspondence to Kevin J. Flannelly.

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Flannelly, K.J., Ellison, C.G., Galek, K. et al. Belief in Life-After-Death, Beliefs About the World, and Psychiatric Symptoms. J Relig Health 51, 651–662 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9608-7

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