Religiosity, impulsivity, and compulsivity in university students
Religiosity, impulsivity, and compulsivity in university students
Objectives: Prior research suggests that religiosity may be associated with healthier levels of mental health in certain domains (eg, higher self-esteem and lower rates of substance use problems). However, very little is known about religiosity and impulsive plus compulsive tendencies. This study examined associations between religiosity and impulsive and compulsive behaviors and traits among university students.
Methods: Nine thousand, four hundred and forty-nine students received a 156-item anonymous online survey which assessed religiosity, alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, and impulsive and compulsive traits. Two groups of interest were defined: those with high religiosity, and those with low religiosity, based on z-scores. The two groups were compared on the measures of interest.
Results: Three thousand, five hundred and seventy-two university students (57.1% female) responded to the survey. Those with high levels of organizational religious activity, as well as those with high levels of intrinsic or subjective religiosity, differed from their fellow students in having better self-esteem, being less likely to have alcohol or drug problems, and generally being less impulsive in terms of attention and planning. Compulsivity did not differ between groups. Associations were of small effect size except for the link between religiosity and lower impulsivity, which was of medium effect size.
Conclusion: This study shows a link between higher religiosity and lower impulsivity, as well as higher levels of mental health across several domains. Whether these associations are causal-and if so, the direction of such causality-requires rigorous longitudinal research.
Religiosity, addiction, impulsivity, spirituality
1-7
Grant, Jon E.
68b74bfc-0910-4325-aa34-24d285abfc19
Blum, Austin W.
3e05da03-caff-4102-9df9-3466c14630ba
Chamberlain, Samuel R.
8a0e09e6-f51f-4039-9287-88debe8d8b6f
Lust, Katherine
4e14d300-d344-4a1f-a2e7-b0e89d31fdfe
20 May 2022
Grant, Jon E.
68b74bfc-0910-4325-aa34-24d285abfc19
Blum, Austin W.
3e05da03-caff-4102-9df9-3466c14630ba
Chamberlain, Samuel R.
8a0e09e6-f51f-4039-9287-88debe8d8b6f
Lust, Katherine
4e14d300-d344-4a1f-a2e7-b0e89d31fdfe
Grant, Jon E., Blum, Austin W., Chamberlain, Samuel R. and Lust, Katherine
(2022)
Religiosity, impulsivity, and compulsivity in university students.
CNS Spectrums, .
(doi:10.1017/S1092852922000815).
Abstract
Objectives: Prior research suggests that religiosity may be associated with healthier levels of mental health in certain domains (eg, higher self-esteem and lower rates of substance use problems). However, very little is known about religiosity and impulsive plus compulsive tendencies. This study examined associations between religiosity and impulsive and compulsive behaviors and traits among university students.
Methods: Nine thousand, four hundred and forty-nine students received a 156-item anonymous online survey which assessed religiosity, alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, and impulsive and compulsive traits. Two groups of interest were defined: those with high religiosity, and those with low religiosity, based on z-scores. The two groups were compared on the measures of interest.
Results: Three thousand, five hundred and seventy-two university students (57.1% female) responded to the survey. Those with high levels of organizational religious activity, as well as those with high levels of intrinsic or subjective religiosity, differed from their fellow students in having better self-esteem, being less likely to have alcohol or drug problems, and generally being less impulsive in terms of attention and planning. Compulsivity did not differ between groups. Associations were of small effect size except for the link between religiosity and lower impulsivity, which was of medium effect size.
Conclusion: This study shows a link between higher religiosity and lower impulsivity, as well as higher levels of mental health across several domains. Whether these associations are causal-and if so, the direction of such causality-requires rigorous longitudinal research.
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Religiosity Manuscript-edits-5-4-22
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Accepted/In Press date: 4 May 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 20 May 2022
Published date: 20 May 2022
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© 2022 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Religiosity, addiction, impulsivity, spirituality
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Local EPrints ID: 470054
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/470054
ISSN: 1092-8529
PURE UUID: f2247da0-e019-440b-80a7-ed0dd331d995
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Date deposited: 30 Sep 2022 17:02
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 07:28
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Author:
Jon E. Grant
Author:
Austin W. Blum
Author:
Samuel R. Chamberlain
Author:
Katherine Lust
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