Religiosity and social support: A mediational model of adjustment in emerging adults

ABSTRACT

The goal of the current study was to examine the association between intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and psychological well-being and determine the mediating effects of social support on the relationship between the religious predictor and well-being outcomes. Participants included 432 first-year college students (166 men and 266 women) from a mid-size state university in Pennsylvania, USA. Religious activity, religious importance, and social support were found to correlate with the well-being indices. Religious importance was found to be a significant predictor of self-esteem and life-satisfaction. Additionally, social support was found to be a significant predictor of self-esteem and life-satisfaction. Finally, social support was found to mediate the relationship between religious importance and life-satisfaction. Results are discussed in developmental and clinical context.

KEYWORDS:

• Intrinsic religiosity
• extrinsic religiosity
• social support
• adjustment
• emerging adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, State of Israel.