The Research Desk
Scientists at UNC Charlotte found that feeling religious or spiritual boosts well-being for many, regardless of religious affiliation, though effects vary by country.
Religious/Spiritual Connection and Subjective Well-Being Across Religious and Nonreligious Individuals in 121 Countries.
- Meaning
- Positive emotion
Job Chen, Z., Davoodi, T., Diego-Rosell, P., Lomas, T., Yuanhong Lai, A., Cowden, R.
In plain language
This study investigates how feeling connected to a religion or spirituality impacts subjective well-being across a wide array of countries and cultures. By analyzing data from the 2021 Gallup World Poll, the researchers explored these connections in 121 countries, including both religious and nonreligious individuals. They found that a significant number of people, regardless of their religious affiliation, reported frequently experiencing a religious or spiritual connection. This sense of connection was generally associated with higher subjective well-being, although the strength of this association varied across different countries.
Key findings
- A majority of individuals worldwide, including nonreligious ones, reported feeling a religious/spiritual connection often or always.
- Religious/spiritual connection was positively associated with subjective well-being among religious individuals globally.
- In some countries, nonreligious individuals also showed a positive association between spiritual connection and well-being.
- The effect sizes of these associations were mostly small, indicating a subtle but consistent link.
- There was notable cross-national variation in how religious/spiritual connection related to well-being.
Why it matters
This research highlights the potential importance of feeling a connection to something larger than oneself, whether through religion or spirituality, in enhancing personal well-being.
Try this today
Readers can consider exploring or nurturing their own spiritual or religious connections as a potential way to boost their subjective well-being, regardless of their religious affiliation.