Religiosity and mental health: Changes in religious beliefs, complicated grief, posttraumatic stress disorder, and major depression following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Abstract
This cross-sectional retrospective study examined self-perceived changes in importance of religious beliefs (RBs) following the attacks of September 11, 2001, and assessed their associations with complicated grief (CG), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). Data were collected from 608 participants 2.5 to 3.5 years after the attacks. Whereas the majority of the participants reported no change in importance of RBs, 11% reported increased importance and 10% reported decreased importance of RBs after 9/11. Decreased, but no increased, importance of RBs was found to be associated with severity of loss and trauma (i.e., loss of a child, direct exposure to the attacks, watching the attacks unfold live on TV). In addition, decreased RBs after 9/11, as compared with no change, was significantly associated with all mental health outcomes, namely CG, PTSD, and MDD. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
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Stated declines in the importance of religion were associated with the reported severity of personal loss during the September 11 attacks.
“However the authors point out that stated declines in the importance of religion were associated with the reported severity of personal loss during the attacks.”
From Faith after an Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study of Religion and Perceived Health before and after the 2011 Christchurch New Zealand Earthquake (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
After the September 11 attacks, those who recollected increased importance of religious belief showed improved mental health compared with those who reported no change.
“On the other hand, those who recollected increased importance of religious belief (eleven percent of the sample) did show improved mental health when compared with those who reported no change in their religion.”
From Faith after an Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study of Religion and Perceived Health before and after the 2011 Christchurch New Zealand Earthquake (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
After the September 11 attacks, decreases in the recollected importance of religious belief were strongly correlated with poorer mental health outcomes.
“The investigators found that decreases in the recollected importance of religious belief after the attacks (ten percent of the sample) were strongly correlated with poorer mental health outcomes.”
From Faith after an Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study of Religion and Perceived Health before and after the 2011 Christchurch New Zealand Earthquake (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
Recollected declines in the importance of religious belief are associated with poorer psychological well-being.
“and that recollected declines in the importance of religious belief are associated with poorer psychological well-being [69].”
From Faith after an Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study of Religion and Perceived Health before and after the 2011 Christchurch New Zealand Earthquake (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
Seirmarco and colleagues observed declines in the reported importance of religious beliefs several years after September 11 attacks were associated with reported severity of personal loss from the tragedy.
“Recall that Seirmarco and colleauges observed declines in the reported importance of religious beliefs several years after September 11 attacks were associated with reported severity of personal loss from the tragedy [69].”
From Faith after an Earthquake: A Longitudinal Study of Religion and Perceived Health before and after the 2011 Christchurch New Zealand Earthquake (2012) · cites this paper as [69]
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Djelantik, A. A. A. M. J., Smid, G. E., Mroz, A., Kleber, R. J., & Boelen, P. A. (2020) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.034 · Cited by 395 · see citing works
Sibley, C. G., & Bulbulia, J. (2012) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049648 · Cited by 194 · see citing works
- Authors
- Seirmarco, G., Neria, Y., Insel, B., Kiper, D., Doruk, A., Gross, R., & Litz, B.
- Affiliations
- New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
- Columbia University (US)
- VA Boston Healthcare System (US)
- Venue
- Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
- Published
- 2012-02
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 10-18
- ISSN
- 1941-1022 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-1562
- OpenAlex
- W1965243419
- Cited by
- 89
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- SPUNK Fund Inc.
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- September 11 attacks, religious beliefs, religiosity, complicated grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, trauma exposure, loss of a child, mental health, bereavement
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