Locus of control as a mediator of the relationship between religiosity and life satisfaction: Age, race, and gender differences

Abstract

Research indicates that religiosity is associated with better psychological health. However, some studies have shown negative effects of religiosity on psychological health. It was hypothesized that these contradictory findings may be due to the fact that different loci of control beliefs affect psychological health differently. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to verify a model in which locus of control mediates the relationship between religiosity and life satisfaction, and (2) to examine whether this model varies by age, gender, and race. Using Structural Equation Modelling to analyze Wave 1 of the Americans’ Changing Lives dataset, this study confirms the mediation model and suggests that the relationship between religiosity and locus of control varies by gender and age.