Date of Award
8-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Psychology
Committee Chair
Austen Anderson
Committee Chair School
Psychology
Committee Member 2
Craig Warlick
Committee Member 3
Emily Yowell
Committee Member 3 School
Psychology
Committee Member 4
Kevin Wells
Committee Member 4 School
Psychology
Committee Member 5
Donald Sacco
Committee Member 5 School
Psychology
Abstract
Older religious adults have a unique lived experience at the intersection of two underprivileged identities. Previous studies have researched the impact of religion on mental health within a general aged population. The current study assessed what aspects of religion predict mental health outcomes in an older adult Christian sample. Data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study was used to assess religiosity/spirituality within this older adult sample utilizing single-item measures of religiosity/spirituality. Findings of this study indicated statistical significance while it failed to reveal practical significance between religious variables assessed and mental health. Implications for clinical practice, future research, and advocacy are discussed.
ORCID ID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1911-4134
Copyright
Rachel L. Lawrence, 2025
Recommended Citation
Lawrence, Rachel L., "Religion as a Predictor of Mental Health in a Christian Older Adult Population: Linear and Curvilinear Approaches" (2025). Dissertations. 2399.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/2399