Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Abstract

Subjective measures of psychological well-being (PWB) such as life satisfaction (LS) and positive affectivity (PA) have been related to religious orientation (RO), religious coping (RC), religious doubt (RD), and stressful life events (Stress). A recent construct, prosperity gospel beliefs (PGB), posits that God rewards the faithful with health and financial success. A PGB scale has been created and shown to have relationships with RO, prayer, attachment to God, materialism, and greed. This study explores how PGB predicts RD and PWB beyond RO, RC, and Stress. Participants (n = 79, Mage = 19.51; 74.7% female; 100% Christian) were recruited from psychology courses and completed questionnaires online, with procedures approved by the Lipscomb University IRB. Multiple linear regression analyses using forward selection were conducted with RD, LS, PA, and NA as dependent variables, and intrinsic RO, extrinsic RO, Quest RO, positive RC, negative RC, RD (for PWB variables only), PGB, and Stress as predictors. The regression for RD was significant, revealing that RD was best predicted by quest and extrinsic RO and negative RC (F(3, 75) = 13.06, R2 = 0.34). LS was best predicted by intrinsic RO and PGB (F(2, 76) = 13.07, R2 = 0.26). PA was predicted solely by intrinsic RO (F(1, 77) = 14.18, R2 = 0.16). NA was predicted by intrinsic RO and positive RC (F(2, 76) = 6.73, R2 = 0.15). These findings align with current literature, with the novel finding that PGB contributes to predicting LS.

Faculty Mentor

Jonathan Miller

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Predicting Religious Doubt and Psychological Well-being Using Religious Orientation, Religious Coping, Prosperity Gospel Orientation, and Life Stress

Subjective measures of psychological well-being (PWB) such as life satisfaction (LS) and positive affectivity (PA) have been related to religious orientation (RO), religious coping (RC), religious doubt (RD), and stressful life events (Stress). A recent construct, prosperity gospel beliefs (PGB), posits that God rewards the faithful with health and financial success. A PGB scale has been created and shown to have relationships with RO, prayer, attachment to God, materialism, and greed. This study explores how PGB predicts RD and PWB beyond RO, RC, and Stress. Participants (n = 79, Mage = 19.51; 74.7% female; 100% Christian) were recruited from psychology courses and completed questionnaires online, with procedures approved by the Lipscomb University IRB. Multiple linear regression analyses using forward selection were conducted with RD, LS, PA, and NA as dependent variables, and intrinsic RO, extrinsic RO, Quest RO, positive RC, negative RC, RD (for PWB variables only), PGB, and Stress as predictors. The regression for RD was significant, revealing that RD was best predicted by quest and extrinsic RO and negative RC (F(3, 75) = 13.06, R2 = 0.34). LS was best predicted by intrinsic RO and PGB (F(2, 76) = 13.07, R2 = 0.26). PA was predicted solely by intrinsic RO (F(1, 77) = 14.18, R2 = 0.16). NA was predicted by intrinsic RO and positive RC (F(2, 76) = 6.73, R2 = 0.15). These findings align with current literature, with the novel finding that PGB contributes to predicting LS.

 

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