Scientists have discovered that religious people have weathered the pandemic better mentally. For example, recent research shows that believers were less prone to depression and generally felt less miserable during the pandemic.
“There are lots of different reasons why people are religious,” says researcher Shaun Larcom. “This makes it difficult to really do good research into the effects of religion. Because everyone was dealing with the same circumstances at around the same time during the Covid-19 pandemic, this was a very unique opportunity to investigate how people deal with crises.” The research has been published on the website University of Cambridge.
Religiosity
For the study, the scientists collected data by asking 3,884 residents of the United Kingdom to complete a questionnaire at different times. Larcom’s team then analyzed the data obtained, using the results of three questionnaires before the pandemic and the results of two questionnaires during the beginning of the pandemic. This analysis shows that there was a big difference between believers and secularists; Although the lockdowns made everyone more unhappy, the research also shows that believers felt on average 29% less miserable than participants without a religion.
Furthermore, a distinction can be made between people who believe a little or are very religious: participants who indicated that their faith played an important role in their lives generally experienced 50% less depression and anxiety during the pandemic than participants who were less religious. “The research shows that it is not just about being religious,” Larcom explains. “It is mainly about the degree and intensity with which someone believes.”
Different religions
Moreover, this research also shows that there were no major differences between the three largest religious groups in the United Kingdom; Christians, Muslims and Hindus. However, the research did show that some religious groups suffered more at times when gatherings were prohibited. “Banning weekly gatherings was especially difficult for Catholics and Muslims,” Larcom said.
Unique circumstances
The results of the study are particularly interesting for two reasons. First, because they support the results of a previous study. For example, a similar study was published in the journal in November 2023 European Economic Review, where the scientists at the time had specifically looked at the United States. However, this study specifically looked at the well-being of people who themselves contracted a corona infection, or had someone in their immediate environment with corona. This showed that about half of that group of people saw their mental health deteriorate. However, this decline was about 60% greater for secularists than for believers. The same research also showed at the time that the mandatory closure of places of worship can have a severe impact on faith. For example, the (statistical) benefits of faith disappeared completely for American believers when they were no longer allowed to gather.
Finally, the results are also important, because they are quite unique in their kind. Researching the effects of religion is, as Larcom explained at the beginning of this article, not easy. But the global pandemic gave scientists a very unique opportunity to research the consequences of religion, because they knew for sure that everyone was suffering from the same pandemic at the same time. Larcom concludes: “These studies show a link between religion and experiencing less fear during a global crisis. So it may well be that religion can empower people by offering them hope, comfort and meaning in times of need.”
2024-01-31 18:03:16
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