Objective: The present study was designed to examine the college student’s mental health prediction model based on religious faith mediated by happiness, ambivalent attachment style, and locus of control.
Methods: The study method was correlational. The statistical population included all college students of Shiraz University in the academic year of 2013-2014. The sample included 240 college students selected by convenience sampling method. Measures included the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28, 1979), the religious faith scale (RFS, 2014), the Oxford happiness inventory (OHI, 1989), the Collins and Read revised adult attachment scale (RAAS, 1990), and the Rotter’s locus of control scale (RLCS, 1966). The data were analyzed by multiple regression, path analysis, and structural equation modeling methods.
Results: The data were analyzed by multiple regression, path analysis, and structural equation modeling methods. The study results showed that the variables of religious faith (P=0.0001, β=0.29), happiness variable (P=0.0001, β=0.37), and ambivalent attachment (P=0.0001, β=0.29) can positively and significantly predict mental health. Likewise, religious faith positively and significantly predicted happiness (P=0.0001, β=0.54) and negatively and significantly predicted ambivalent attachment (P=0.0001, β=-0.21). The religious faith could not predict the locus of control. The mediating role of happiness was confirmed. However, the mediating role of ambivalent attachment style and locus of control was not confirmed.
Conclusion: The modified model confirmed the mediating role of happiness between religious faith and mental health. Therefore, those components of faith that lead to happiness may be a protective marker for mental health.
Coresponding author: Sara Kamjou, E-mail: sarakamjou@gmail.com
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• Religious faith, happiness, and ambivalent attachment style predict mental health.
• Religious faith and ambivalent attachment style are related to mental health.
• The happiness variable is related to mental health and religious faith.
• Religious faith has a greater effect on mental health through the happiness variable.
Plain Language Summary
This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between religious faith, happiness, attachment style, locus of control, and mental health. The results showed that religious faith affects a person’s mental health due to its effect on happiness. Faith and spirituality increase mental health by creating a sense that life is purposeful and meaningful. Also, the feeling of happiness strengthens mental health and a sense of well-being by reducing unpleasant feelings, such as stress. In addition, the ambivalent attachment style, which means having a feeling of confusion in the type of communication with others (tendency to be close to and distant from others at the same time), has a negative effect on mental health, and the person uses ineffective and unrealistic strategies to process their thoughts and feelings and evaluations. These results help people move toward improving their level of mental health by distinguishing the factors affecting mental health.
Type of Study:
Original Research Article |
Subject:
Cognitive behavioral Received: 2023/01/25 | Accepted: 2023/05/29 | Published: 2023/10/28