RELIGION AND ITS MEANING ON MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN KENYA
Öz
Mental illness is becoming an increasingly common concern in today's culture, particularly among young individuals. Young adults are at a point in their lives where existential questions are a major issue. Existential questions include the purpose of life, life after death, the existence of God, and other fundamental topics that do not have a single, definitive answer. Meaning-making and purpose in life are significant contributors to an individual's mental well-being. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the impact of religion on mental health among young adults in Kisii County, Kenya, with a sample of 300 participants chosen using stratified random selection. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, which was then analysed using statistical software. Qualitative insights were collected through focus group discussions and interviews with mental health practitioners and religious leaders, with major themes identified using thematic analysis. Regression analyses show that religious beliefs (β = .45), religious practices (β = .30), and community support (β = .40) positively impact mental health outcomes, while anxiety (β = -.25) and depression (β = -.35) negatively impact mental health ratings among young adults in Kisii County. Life satisfaction has a substantial positive correlation (β = .50) with religious involvement, emphasizing the significance of spirituality and community in improving general well‑being. It is suggested that mental health therapies for young adults in Kisii County include and promote religious involvement and community support as critical components for improving psychological well-being and resilience.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Culture, religious beliefs, anxiety, depression.
Destekleyen Kurum
Etik Beyan
Kaynakça
- Bartkowski, J. P., Xu, X., & Levin, M. L. (2021). Religion and child development: evidence from the early childhood longitudinal study. Social Science Research, 37(1), 18–36.
- Burris, J. L., Brechting, E. H., Salsman, J., & Carlson, C. R. (2019). Factors associated with the psychological well being and distress of university students. Journal of American College Health, 57(5), 536–544. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.57.5.536-544
- Galek, K., Flannelly, K. J., Ellison, C. G., Silton, N. R., & Jankowski, K. R. B. (2019). Religion, meaning and purpose, and mental health. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 7(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037887
- Goodman, M. A., & Dyer, W. J. (2020). From parent to child: Family factors that influence faith transmission. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 12(2), 178–190. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000283
- Haney, A. M., & Rollock, D. (2020). A matter of faith: The role of religion, doubt, and personality in emerging adult mental health. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 12(2), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000231
- Lee, M. Y., Zaharlick, A., & Akers, D. (2017). Impact of meditation on mental health outcomes of female trauma survivors of interpersonal violence with co-occurring disorders: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(14), 2139-2165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515591277
- Manning, P. R. (2017). Teaching for the recovery of meaning: An imagination centered pedagogical approach for today’s college students. Teaching Theology & Religion, 20(4), 327–339. https://doi.org/10.1111/teth.12403
- Nelson, S. (2020). Sin and the broken heart. Dialog, 39(2), 99–104. https://doi.org/10.1111/0012-2033.00017
- Pearce, M. J., et al. (2019). A novel training program for mental health providers in religious and spiritual competencies. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 6(2), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000195
- Schulenberg, S. E., et al. (2018). Logotherapy for clinical practice. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 45(4), 447–463. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014331
