Skip to main content
Log in

Association Between Religiosity and Happiness Among a Group of Muslim Undergraduate Students

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The association between religiosity and happiness has been the focus of much recent research. The majority of them report a positive correlation between a religious attitude and behavior and the level of happiness. However, different findings have been reported. The aim of the current study was to test link between religiosity and happiness among a group of undergraduate Muslim students. Two hundred and seventy-one health-related students agreed to participate and completed Oxford Happiness Index and a religious belief questionnaire. It was found that higher score on religious belief was significantly linked to the level of happiness (r = .256, P = .01). The result confirms that individuals with a more religious attitude experience more happiness. The result of this study should be considered in programs designed to improve overall well-being of university students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-khalek, A. M. (2007). Religiosity, happiness, health, and psychopathology in a probability sample of Muslim students. Mental Health Religion and Culture, 10(6), 571–583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abedi, M., jafari, S. M., & liaghatda, M. (2006). Standardization of the oxford happiness inventory in students of Isfahan University. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 12(2), 95–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyle, M., & Hills, P. (2000). Religious experiences and their relations with happiness and personality. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 1(10), 157–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berkel, J., & deWaard, F. (1983). Mortality pattern and life expectancy of seventh-day adventists in the Netherlands. International Journal of Epidemiology, 12, 455–459.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Comstock, G. W., & Partridge, K. P. (1972). Church attendance and health. Journal of Chronic Disease, 25, 665–672.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., & Lester, D. (1997). Religion, personality and happiness. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 12, 81–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., & Robbins, M. (2000). Religion and happiness: A study in empirical theology. Transpersonal Psychology Review, 4(2), 17–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Jones, S. H., & Wilcox, C. (2000). Religiosity and happiness: During adolescence, young adulthood and later life. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 19, 245–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Ziebertz, H. G., & Lewis, C. A. (2003). The relationship between religion and happiness among german students. Pastoral Psychology, 51(4), 273–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Robbins, M., Lewis, C. A., Quigley, C. F., & Wheeler, C. (2004). Religiosity and general health among undergraduate students: A response to O’ Conner, Cobb and O’Conner (2003). Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 485–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khodayarifard, M., Yekta, M. S., & Bonnab, B. G. (2000). Preparing a scale to measure to religious attitude of college students. Journal of Psychology, 4(3), 265–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G., McCullough, M. E., & Larson, D. B. (2001). Handbook of religion and health. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Levin, J. S., & Markides, K. S. (1985). Religion and health in Mexican Americans. Journal of Religion and Health, 24, 60–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C. A., & Cruise, S. M. (2006). Religion and happiness: Consensus, contradictions, comments and concerns. Mental Health Religion and Culture, 9(3), 213–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C. A., Lanigan, C., Joseph, S., & Fokrt, J. D. (1997). Religiosity and happiness: No evidence for an association among undergraduates. Personality and Individual Differences, 22(1), 119–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L., & Argyle, M. (1991). Happiness and cooperation. Personality and Individual Differences, 12, 1019–1030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L., & Argyle, M. (1992). Receiving and giving support: Effects on relationships and well being. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 5, 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rim, Y. (1993). Happiness and coping styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 14, 617–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahin, A. (2002). Critical/dialogic Islamic education: attitudes towards Islam and modes of religious subjectivity among British Moslem youth. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Birmingham.

  • Sahin, A., & Francis, L. J. Assessing attitude toward Islam among Muslim adolescents: the psychometric properties of the Sahin-Francis scale. Unpublished in press.

Download references

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Javadpour.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sahraian, A., Gholami, A., Javadpour, A. et al. Association Between Religiosity and Happiness Among a Group of Muslim Undergraduate Students. J Relig Health 52, 450–453 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9484-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9484-6

Keywords

Navigation