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Research on Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health: A Review
Open accessAbstract
Religious and spiritual factors are increasingly being examined in psychiatric research. Religious beliefs and practices have long been linked to hysteria, neurosis, and psychotic delusions. However, recent studies have identified another side of religion that may serve as a psychological and social resource for coping with stress. After defining the terms religion and spirituality, this paper reviews research on the relation between religion and (or) spirituality, and mental health, focusing on depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse. The results of an earlier systematic review are discussed, and more recent studies in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries are described. While religious beliefs and practices can represent powerful sources of comfort, hope, and meaning, they are often intricately entangled with neurotic and psychotic disorders, sometimes making it difficult to determine whether they are a resource or a liability.
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“Spirituality serves to comfort people, assuage anxiety, and increase feelings of security, also boosting confidence in oneself and/or in what Harold G. Koenig (2009) calls “Divine beings”.”
From Trauma, Spirituality, and Healing: A Journey through the Lens of an Incarcerated Person (2022) · cites this paper as Koenig (2009)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“In extant literature, spirituality is shown to predict psychological well-being for adults who have experienced childhood trauma (Balgobin 2021), leading to less depression, suicide, anxiety, and substance abuse (Koenig 2009).”
From Trauma, Spirituality, and Healing: A Journey through the Lens of an Incarcerated Person (2022) · cites this paper as Koenig 2009
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“The research literature on religiosity and mental health offers two entangled empirical narratives: some studies suggest that religious beliefs can present a psychological buffer against stress and hopelessness; other studies, however, indicate an intricate link between religious beliefs and psychotic and neurotic disorders [54–56].”
From Unpleasant meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors, and conceptual considerations (2019) · cites this paper as [55]
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“As we see through Joseph's experience, Koenig (2009) shows that the struggles that arise from negative spiritual coping can significantly increase anxiety, wherein people feel that God is punishing them, has abandoned them, or is not able to intercede on their behalf.”
From Trauma, Spirituality, and Healing: A Journey through the Lens of an Incarcerated Person (2022) · cites this paper as Koenig (2009)
In the citing paper
“Also, religion and spirituality seem to confer resilience 112, 113.”
From Resilience in mental health: linking psychological and neurobiological perspectives. (2013) · cites this paper as [112]
In the citing paper
“Thus, religious beliefs may provide a sense of meaning and purpose during difficult life circumstances 112.”
From Resilience in mental health: linking psychological and neurobiological perspectives. (2013) · cites this paper as [112]
In the citing paper
“One of them is that religion and spirituality may stimulate a sense of life purpose 112, 115”
From Resilience in mental health: linking psychological and neurobiological perspectives. (2013) · cites this paper as [112]
In the citing paper
“Some authors33,34 attribute this finding to the influence of psychological theories, such as Sigmund Freud's35 psychoanalysis, which is known to have pathologized religious behavior.”
From How psychiatrists think about religious and spiritual beliefs in clinical practice: findings from a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil (2019) · cites this paper as [34]
In the citing paper
“Religion/spirituality has been associated, for example, with lower rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, and substance misuse, better recovery in cases of depression and greater overall well-being.1–4”
From A preliminary survey on the religious profile of Brazilian psychiatrists and their approach to patients' religiosity in clinical practice (2016) · cites this paper as [3]
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 501–600 of 1,000
Holm, C. C., Karlsson, B., & Holmberg, Å. (2023) · Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/19349637.2023.2213455 · Cited by 22
“Spirituality is usually defined as a meaningful system which helps a person to find values, aims and connections in life (Cook, 2004, 2020; Koenig, 2009; Swinton, 2020a).”
InfluentialJurek, K., Niewiadomska, I., & Szot, L. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0291196 · Cited by 11
Religion and anxiety treatments in primary care patients
Lawrence, R. E., Rasinski, K. A., Yoon, J. D., & Curlin, F. A. (2012) · Anxiety Stress & Coping · doi:10.1080/10615806.2012.752461 · Cited by 11
“empirical data support that many patients suffering from mental health concerns benefit from religion (Koenig, 2009; Koenig, Larson, & Weaver, 1998).”
BackgroundInfluentialReligion in inpatient mental health: a narrative review
Heffernan, S., Neil, S. T., & Weatherhead, S. (2014) · Mental Health Review Journal · doi:10.1108/mhrj-09-2014-0035 · Cited by 11
Psychological distress among trainee teachers in Nigeria: Association with religious practice
Ani, C. C., Kinanee, J. B., & Ola, B. A. (2010) · DergiPark (Istanbul University) · Cited by 11
The Spiritism as therapy in the health care in the epilepsy
Vancini, R. L., de Lira, C. A. B., Campanharo, C. R. V., Barbosa, D. A., & Arida, R. M. (2016) · Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem · doi:10.1590/0034-7167.2016690425i · Cited by 11
Suicide Acceptability and Sexual Orientation: Results from the General Social Survey 2008–2014
Blosnich, J. R., Lytle, M. C., Coulter, R. W. S., & Whitfield, D. L. (2017) · Archives of Suicide Research · doi:10.1080/13811118.2017.1377132 · Cited by 11
“Finally, religiosity was included because of its strong protective association against suicide (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundParent, M. C., Bradstreet, T. C., Harmon, K. A., McAndrew, J., Comiskey, A., & Cook, A. C. R. (2017) · Psychology of Men & Masculinity · doi:10.1037/men0000139 · Cited by 11
“However, religious coping is an important topic in health (Harrison, Koenig, Hays, EmeAkwari, & Pargament, 2001; Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundPsychological Resources, Personality Traits and Buddhism: A Study of Italian Young Adults
Giannini, M., Loscalzo, Y., Beraldi, D., & Gori, A. (2018) · Journal of religion and health · doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0618-y · Cited by 7
Community-Based Participatory Research and Community Empowerment for Suicide Prevention
Kral, M. J., & Kidd, S. A. (2018) · Advances in mental health and addiction · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-03225-8_12 · Cited by 11
Dwelling forever in the house of the lord: on the terror management function of religion
Greenberg, J., Helm, P. J., Landau, M. J., & Solomon, S. (2020) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-817204-9.00002-0 · Cited by 11
Williams, B. R., Williams, R. M., Clark, E. M., Park, C. L., Schulz, E., Ghosh, D., & Knott, C. L. (2020) · Journal of Family Issues · doi:10.1177/0192513x20942819 · Cited by 13
“, 2001, 2012), with evidence of a strong positive association between religion and mental health (Chatters, 2000; Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundHarsch, S., Jawid, A., Jawid, M. E., Nunes, L. S., Sahrai, D., & Bittlingmayer, U. H. (2020) · Health Promotion Journal of Australia · doi:10.1002/hpja.419 · Cited by 11
The Handbook of Wellness Medicine
Snellings, J. (2020) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108650182 · Cited by 11
Rest as a Virtue: Theological Foundations and Application to Personal and Professional Life
White, J. L., Blackburn, A. M., & Plisco, M. K. (2015) · Journal of Psychology and Theology · doi:10.1177/009164711504300203 · Cited by 11
Religiosity/spirituality: Relationships with non-suicidal self-harm behaviors and attempted suicide
Sansone, R. A., & Wiederman, M. W. (2015) · International Journal of Social Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/0020764015579738 · Cited by 13
“The observed differences in this study between RS and their relationships to NS-SHB and suicide attempts also reinforce the concept that the religion and spirituality are likely different – a difference emphasized by King and Koenig (2009).”
BackgroundMandizadza, E., & Chidarikire, S. (2016) · Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/19349637.2015.1100972 · Cited by 7
“In recent years, the incorporation of spirituality in mental health care has been given much consideration (Chidarikire, 2012; Chiu, Morrow, Ganesan, & Clark, 2005; Koenig, 2009; Moberg, 2008).”
BackgroundCultural coping as a risk for depression and hypertension: the SABPA prospective study
le Roux, S., Lotter, G. A., Steyn, H. S., & Malan, L. (2018) · Cardiovascular journal of South Africa/Cardiovascular journal of Southern Africa · doi:10.5830/cvja-2018-045 · Cited by 12
Buju, S. (2019) · Pastoral Psychology · doi:10.1007/s11089-019-00874-5 · Cited by 11
Fellinger, M., Holzinger, D., Fogler, J., & Fellinger, J. (2023) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-023-02451-x · Cited by 11
CCNP Innovations in Neuropsychopharmacology Award
Gobbi, G. (2024) · Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience · doi:10.1503/jpn.240037 · Cited by 10
“177,178 The extent to which psychedelics contribute to enhanced well-being in the treatment of major depression, anxiety, or PTSD — whether through inducing altered cognitive states, activating monoaminergic receptors, or modulating brain circuits — remains a topic of ongoing debate in neuroscience…”
BackgroundLomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie‐Dunham, J. L., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025) · Applied Research in Quality of Life · doi:10.1007/s11482-024-10407-9 · Cited by 17
“This aligns with an extensive literature on the positive impact of religious attendance on flourishing (Koenig, 2009), to which we can now also add LB.”
Lomas, T., Padgett, R. N., Ritchie‐Dunham, J. L., Lee, M. T., Pawelski, J. O., Shiba, K., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-024-00822-y · Cited by 10
“This aligns with an extensive literature on the benefits of reli - gious attendance to flourishing (Koenig, 2009 ), and with scholarship showing the centrality of peace to many religious traditions (Xi & Lee, 2021 ).”
Psychiatry, a Secular Discipline in a Postsecular World? A Review
Nissen, R. D., Gildberg, F. A., & Hvidt, N. C. (2018) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel9010032 · Cited by 10
Tomkins, M. M., Neighbors, C., & Steers, M. N. (2018) · Alcohol · doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.09.007 · Cited by 11
“Religiousness and Mental Health Outcomes In general, religion has been associated with lower levels of depression, suicide, anxiety, and substance use (for a review, see Koenig, 2009; Koenig & Larson, 2001).”
BackgroundEagle, D. E., Kinghorn, W. A., Parnell, H. E., Amanya, C., Vann, V., Tzudir, S., Kaza, V. G. K., Safu, C. T., Whetten, K., & Proeschold‐Bell, R. J. (2019) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-019-00955-y · Cited by 10
“The focus of this study is on religion, which we mean to encompass both individual and institutional “beliefs, practices and rituals that relate to the sacred” (Koenig 2009, p. 284).”
BackgroundLin, S., & Huang, M. (2020) · International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being · doi:10.1080/17482631.2020.1756686 · Cited by 10
“…religion and spirituality provide to parents when they are making difficult medical care decisions for their critically ill child (Allen, 2014; Ahmed et al., 2006; Chaplin et al., 2005; Koenig, 2002, 2009; Meyer et al., 2002; Michelson et al., 2009; Robinson et al., 2006; Superdock et al., 2018).”
BackgroundTemperament and Character of Young Male Conscripts With Adjustment Disorder
Na, K., Oh, S.-J., Jung, H., Lee, S. I., Kim, Y., Han, C., Ko, Y., Paik, J., & Kim, S. G. (2012) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/nmd.0b013e3182718a86 · Cited by 10
“In addition, spiritual and religious involvement are associated with better coping with stress and less risk of suicide and psychiatric diseases (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundQuality of life after percutaneous coronary intervention: part 2
Cassar, S., & Baldacchino, D. (2012) · British Journal of Nursing · doi:10.12968/bjon.2012.21.19.1125 · Cited by 10
Jegannathan, B., Kullgren, G., & Dahlblom, K. (2015) · International Journal of Social Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/0020764015597952 · Cited by 10
“Others have found religious beliefs to be suicide-protective (Rasic et al., 2009; Widger, 2012), which has been disputed by others, for example, Koenig (2009) and Miller and Thoresen (2003).”
BackgroundDumais, A., Benedictis, L. D., Joyal, C. C., Allaire, J.-F., LESAGE, A. D., & Côté, G. (2013) · The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/070674371305800606 · Cited by 10
Pennybaker, S. J., Hemming, P., Roy, D., Anton, B., & Chisolm, M. S. (2016) · Journal of Psychiatric Practice · doi:10.1097/pra.0000000000000178 · Cited by 10
Freire, J., & Moleiro, C. (2015) · Psicologia · doi:10.17575/rpsicol.v29i2.1006 · Cited by 11
Spirituality in bedlam: Exploring patient conversations on acute psychiatric units
Smith, S. M. R., & Suto, M. (2014) · Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy · doi:10.1177/0008417413516932 · Cited by 10
“MHPs need to be open to the idea that in addition to pathology, spirituality can be a resource for positive coping with illness, thereby acknowledging the complexity of this area (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundCommunity organizations and mental health after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings
Jose, R., Holman, E. A., & Silver, R. C. (2018) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.08.019 · Cited by 12
“Participation in or affiliation with religious organizations among non-psychiatric populations has been deemed an effective way to cope with stress and curb mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, fear, suicidality, and substance use (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundHenderson, A. K., & Brantley, M. (2019) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel10030162 · Cited by 10
Amoah, P. A. (2019) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023376 · Cited by 12
Wani, I. A., & Singh, B. (2019) · Mental Health Religion & Culture · doi:10.1080/13674676.2019.1581755 · Cited by 10
“…of financial, social, physical, or mental © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group CONTACT Irfan Ahmad Wani wanizarar@gmail.com, wanipsy@gmail.com Supplemental data for this article can be accessed https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2019.1581755. circumstances (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundInfluentialChallenges faced by International students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Shah, A. A., Lopes, A., & Kareem, L. (2019) · International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education · doi:10.32674/jimphe.v4i1.1408 · Cited by 10
“Religiosity may also act as a buffer against a number of physical and psychological problems, such as physical health (Rippentrop, Altmaier, Chen, Found and Keffala, 2005), anxiety (Koenig, 2009, 2012) and depression (Koenig, 2009; Shah, 2017; Siddiqui & Shah, 1997).”
BackgroundRole of Spirituality in the Management of Major Depression and Stress-Related Disorders
Varghese, S. P., Florentin, O. D., & Koola, M. M. (2021) · Chronic Stress · doi:10.1177/2470547020971232 · Cited by 10
Wilkinson, D., & Johnson, A. (2021) · Mental Health Religion & Culture · doi:10.1080/13674676.2021.1975668 · Cited by 13
“reduce their sense of isolation and loneliness (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundInfluential‘I can’t pray’ – The spiritual needs of Malaysian Muslim patients suffering from depression
Nabil, M. A., Saini, S. M., Nasrin, N., Bahari, R., & Sharip, S. (2016) · IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia · doi:10.31436/imjm.v15i1.415 · Cited by 10
“Spirituality has helped man greatly in coping with illness and life-stressors.(1) In a systematic review conducted in 2012, out of 444 studies examining the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and depression, about 60% of the studies reported less depression and faster recovery as compared to only 6% reporti…”
BackgroundSurżykiewicz, J., Skalski‐Bednarz, S. B., Niesiobędzka, M., Toussaint, L. L., & Konaszewski, K. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192013274 · Cited by 12
Kent, B. V., Cowden, R. G., Counted, V., Davis, E. B., Rueger, S. Y., & Worthington, E. L. (2022) · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion · doi:10.1111/jssr.12808 · Cited by 14
Contemporary Mindfulness and Transreligious Learning Paths of Mental Health Professionals
Husgafvel, V., & Utriainen, T. (2023) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel14060807 · Cited by 14
“Health research and nursing science increasingly approach the spiritual resources of each individual as coping tools (e.g., Kelly 2004; Koenig 2009; Krause and Pargament 2018; Williams 2006).”
Dein, S. L., Lewis, C. A., & Loewenthal, K. M. (2011) · Mental Health Religion & Culture · doi:10.1080/13674676.2010.499209 · Cited by 10
“…number of publication on religion and mental health in mainstream psychiatric and psychological journals (Baetz & Toews, 2009; Boehnlein, 2006; Koenig, 2009; Moreira-Almeida, Neto, & Koenig, 2006), and book publishers (e.g., Bhugra, 1996; Boehnlein, 2000; Cook, Powell, & Sims, 2009; Huguelet,…”
BackgroundTraining and Sustaining: A Model for Volunteer Spiritual Care Visitors in Long-Term Care
Landau, L., Brazil, K., Kaasalainen, S., & Crawshaw, D. (2013) · Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging · doi:10.1080/15528030.2012.741562 · Cited by 12
“…on the effect of religion on health and coping with life changes acknowledge that religious practice is an important factor that must be taken into account for assessment and treatment and may enhance response to psychotherapy (Koenig, 2009; Wink & Scott, 2005; Pargament, Koenig, & Perez, 2002).”
BackgroundAddressing spirituality in CBT
Waller, R., Trepka, C., Collerton, D., & Hawkins, J. (2010) · The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist · doi:10.1017/s1754470x10000073 · Cited by 10
“The majority of studies show that having a faith or belief is, in general, good for your mental health (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundCarmassi, C., Stratta, P., Calderani, E., Bertelloni, C. A., Menichini, M., Massimetti, E., Rossi, A., & Dell’Osso, L. (2015) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-015-0072-z · Cited by 11
“multidimensional concept of the religious faith, spirituality and religiousness have been considered discrete dimensions that differently influence and promote resources for copying with stress (McCullough et al. 2000; Powell et al. 2001; Chen and Koenig 2006; Koenig 2009).”
BackgroundUnderstanding Sociobehavioral Mitigators of Depressive Symptoms among U.S. Young Adults
Deng, Y., Lee, K., Lam, M. H. S., & Lee, P. H. (2015) · Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1080/08964289.2014.987718 · Cited by 9
“This instrument of religious attachment has been frequently used in behavioral and mental health studies.(17,34)”
BackgroundMethodGuilt and Shame in Religious Education
Khosravi, Z. (2018) · TALIM JOURNAL OF EDUCATION IN MUSLIM SOCIETIES AND COMMUNITIES · doi:10.12738/talim.2018.1.0100 · Cited by 9
“Moreover, religious beliefs and practices are likely to soothe individuals with phobias or anxiety and increase feelings of control, security, and self-confidence or trust in the existence of the divine (Koenig, 2000, 2001, 2009).”
BackgroundSense-Making and Spirituality: Single Filipinas’ Lived Experiences of Meaning in Life
Mendez, S. E. (2022) · Psychological Studies · doi:10.1007/s12646-022-00665-8 · Cited by 9
“While there are nuances in the conceptualization of the two constructs, some scholars see the research benefit of not separating the two (Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundParnell, R. N., Lacey, K. K., & Wood, M. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192215343 · Cited by 11
Knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviour for mental illness in a Christian community
Hlongwane, N., & Juby, V. M. (2023) · South African Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v29i0.2139 · Cited by 9
“6,13,14 There are varying approaches to addressing mental health issues among Christians.”
BackgroundSuicide Prevention Strategies in Nigeria: Exploring Religious Roles, Insights, and Challenges
Nwafor, C. I. (2024) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel15010064 · Cited by 13
Maternal religiosity and adolescent mental health: A UK prospective cohort study
Halstead, I. N., Heron, J., Svob, C., & Joinson, C. J. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.198 · Cited by 13
Bhagwandas, K., Kumar, G., Satish, L., Behera, N., Mohanty, S., & Mahadevan, J. (2024) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-024-02220-3 · Cited by 11
“Regular spiritual practice helps in managing anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse (Koenig, 2009).”
Atas do X Simpósio Nacional de Investigação em Psicologia, Universidade da Madeira, 2019
Rodrigues, D. L., Pocinho, M. M. F. D. D., & Lopes, D. (2020) · Psicologia · doi:10.17575/psicologia.v34i1.1681 · Cited by 28
Spirituality and Suicidality Among Patients with Schizophrenia: A Cross-sectional Study from Nigeria
Esan, O., & Lawal, K. (2021) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-021-01244-3 · Cited by 9
“For example, while some studies indicated that religion/spirituality is protective against suicide (Koenig, 2009; Perlman et al., 2011), a systematic review by Lawrence et al.”
ResultMigration and Mental Health of Arabic-Speaking Communities
Hammad, J., & Hamid, A. (2021) · Mental health and illness worldwide · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-2366-8_37 · Cited by 10
Religion, spirituality, and mental illness among working professionals: an in-depth interview study
Elliott, M., & Reuter, J. C. (2021) · Mental Health Religion & Culture · doi:10.1080/13674676.2021.1966401 · Cited by 9
Gender justice, law and religion in Zimbabwe: An evaluation of the role of sacred texts
Mhuru, L. (2023) · HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies · doi:10.4102/hts.v79i3.8160 · Cited by 9
Lo, H. H. M. (2014) · Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought · doi:10.1080/15426432.2014.873331 · Cited by 9
“Recent reviews remind us of the significant role of religion and spirituality in physical and mental health (Koenig, 2009; Koenig, King, & Carson, Received April 10, 2013; accepted October 1, 2013.”
BackgroundIntegrative Medicine and Mood, Emotions and Mental Health
Shah, A. K., Becicka, R., Talen, M. R., Edberg, D., & Namboodiri, S. (2017) · Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice · doi:10.1016/j.pop.2017.02.003 · Cited by 9
Quality of Life and Spirituality in Indian University Students
Deb, S., & Strodl, E. S. (2018) · Applied Research in Quality of Life · doi:10.1007/s11482-018-9602-7 · Cited by 10
“While Koenig (2009) included this as part of his battery in the Spiritual Attitudes Inventory as a measure of sense of hope/control, and health locus of control has been associated with religiosity (Ai, Peterson, Rodgers, & Tice 2005), the constructs of hope and locus of control are not…”
MethodStanko, K. E., Cherry, K. E., Marks, L. D., Sampson, L., Ryker, K. S., Barrios, B., Anderson, R., Sanchez, S., & Allen, K. (2018) · Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging · doi:10.1080/15528030.2018.1434853 · Cited by 11
Spirituality, Religiousness and Mental Health: Scientific Evidence
de Rezende-Pinto, A., Curcio, C. S. S., & Moreira‐Almeida, A. (2019) · Religion, spirituality and health: a social scientific approach · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-21221-6_5 · Cited by 11
Spiritual coping of older people in Malta and Australia (part 1)
Baldacchino, D., Bonello, L., & Debattista, C. J. (2014) · British Journal of Nursing · doi:10.12968/bjon.2014.23.14.792 · Cited by 10
Factors affecting the social and emotional health of adolescents: A cross-sectional study in Vietnam
Giang, T.-V., Huynh, V.-S., Do, T.-T., & Mai, M.-H. (2023) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14717 · Cited by 9
Layson, M. D., Carey, L. B., & Best, M. C. (2023) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-023-01791-x · Cited by 11
“Indeed, a large body of evidence reports that ignoring the spiritual and religious elements of life can have a significantly detrimental effect on the identity of and meaning of life for personnel that can lead to existential distress, and eventually to negative impacts on both physical and mental well-being if not ad…”
BackgroundAjuste psicológico y vida religiosa en Adultos Mayores
Rivera-Ledesma, A., & Lena, M. M.-L. (2014) · Universitas Psychologica · doi:10.11144/javeriana.upsy13-3.apvr · Cited by 9
“Correo electrónico: armandoriveral@ hotmail.com *** Correo electrónico: monterol@unam.mx 896 Un i v e r s i ta s Ps yc h o l o g i c a V. 13 No. 3 j U l io-s e P t i e m B r e 2014”
BackgroundInfluentialAgbiji, O. M. (2015) · HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies · doi:10.4102/hts.v71i2.2663 · Cited by 9
“Religion is not just a typical function or variable amongst others, but is rather the root from which the different branches of life sprout and grow and by which they are continually nurtured (Koenig 2009:284).”
BackgroundSpirituality and End of Life Issues: A Review
Reid, G. A. (2012) · Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging · doi:10.1080/15528030.2012.633054 · Cited by 9
“(Koenig, 2009) The focus for this article is the place and effect of spirituality at end of life, especially from the perspective of the person facing death.”
BackgroundCoping religioso-espiritual e consumo de alcoólicos em hepatopatas do sexo masculino
Martins, M. E., Ribeiro, L. C., Feital, T. J., Baracho, R. A., & Ribeiro, M. S. (2012) · Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP · doi:10.1590/s0080-62342012000600009 · Cited by 9
Spirituality and Stress of Clinical Practice among Nursing Students
Hong, S., Hong, J., & Jun, W. H. (2013) · The Journal of the Korea Contents Association · doi:10.5392/jkca.2013.13.06.361 · Cited by 9
[Religion and brain functioning (part 2): does religion have a positive impact on mental health?].
Kornreich, C., & Aubin, H. (2012) · PubMed · Cited by 8
The Effects of Prayer as a Coping Strategy for Nurses
Cain, C. D. (2019) · Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.jopan.2019.03.013 · Cited by 9
‘I CAN’T PRAY’ – THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF MALAYSIAN MUSLIM PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION
Nabil, M. A., Saini, S. M., Nasrin, N., Bahari, R., & Sharip, S. (2020) · IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia · doi:10.31436/imjm.v14i1.1422 · Cited by 9
Spiritual Well-Being as a Predictor of Emotional Impairment Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Sekely, A. W., Xie, Y., Makani, A., Brown, T., & Zakzanis, K. K. (2019) · Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings · doi:10.1007/s10880-019-09687-3 · Cited by 10
“1 3 addition, there is a relationship between spiritual well-being and overall health among healthy populations, indicating that increased spiritual well-being is associated with positive health outcomes (Koenig, 2009; Koenig, McCullough, Larson, 2001).”
BackgroundKang, K. K., & Moran, N. E. (2020) · Mental Health Review Journal · doi:10.1108/mhrj-11-2019-0041 · Cited by 9
Söylev, Ö. F., Kaya, Ç., & Okan, N. (2025) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-025-02729-6 · Cited by 8
“Pressures related to societal expectations, spiritual responsibilities, and personal beliefs can lead to anxiety [42].”
The Dynamic Universal Profiles of Spiritual Awareness: A Latent Profile Analysis
Choi, S. H., McClintock, C. H., Lau, E., & Miller, L. (2020) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel11060288 · Cited by 9
“…functions by and large as a protective factor against various forms of psychopathology—specifically, depressive disorders (Barton et al. 2013; Koenig 2009; Koenig et al. 1998; Miller et al. 2012; Miller et al. 2014; Nelson et al. 2002; Rasic et al. 2011), anxiety disorders (Azhar et al.…”
BackgroundInvestigation of the Role of Complementary Medicine on Anxiety of Patients Before and After Surgery
Ebrahimi, A., Eslami, J., Darvishi, I., Momeni, K., & Akbarzadeh, M. (2020) · Holistic Nursing Practice · doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000414 · Cited by 8
Ramesh, S., Beshārat, M. A., & Nough, H. (2020) · Health Education Journal · doi:10.1177/0017896920976697 · Cited by 8
“Spiritual well-being has been associated with a broad range of positive outcomes, including recognising one’s strengths, an expanded view of possibilities, greater compassion for others, a better appreciation of life and a greater sense of purpose and meaning in life, which in turn facilitate personal and post-traumat…”
BackgroundResultReligion, Spirituality, Belief Systems and Suicide
Teo, D. C. L., Duchoňová, K., Kariman, S., & Ng, J. W. L. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-62613-6_14 · Cited by 9
Spatial geographies, socio-demographic factors and social trust in women's organisations in Africa
Oboro-Offerie, R. A., & Busia, K. A. (2022) · Women s Studies International Forum · doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2022.102593 · Cited by 8
Amerongen-Meeuse, J. C. V. N., Schaap‐Jonker, H., Westerbroek, G., & Braam, A. W. (2022) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel13100965 · Cited by 9
Steen, A., Braam, A. W., Berghuis, H., & Glas, G. G. (2023) · Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/19349637.2023.2199172 · Cited by 8
“They might serve as a powerful source of hope and meaning but can also be intricately entangled with neurotic disorders (Koenig, 2009).”
EMBARK Psychedelic Therapy for Depression
Brennan, B., & Belser, A. (2024) · doi:10.1093/9780197762622.001.0001 · Cited by 8
Arslan, G. (2025) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-025-07280-6 · Cited by 8
“…the findings of this study, previous research has shown that spiritual wellbeing is associated with better psychological health (Hood-Morris, 1996; Koenig, 2009), higher subjective wellbeing (Arslan & Yıldırım, 2021; Shirkavand et al., 2018), greater social support resources (Alorani &…”
Spiritual coping of older persons in Malta and Australia (part 2)
Baldacchino, D., Bonello, L., & Debattista, C. J. (2014) · British Journal of Nursing · doi:10.12968/bjon.2014.23.15.843 · Cited by 8
Barber, J. M., Parsons, H. M., Wilson, C. A., & Cook, C. C. H. (2017) · Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.1080/09638237.2017.1340624 · Cited by 8
Mercadillo, R. E., Fernández-Ruíz, J., Cadena, O., Domı́nguez-Salazar, E., Pasaye, E. H., & Velázquez‐Moctezuma, J. (2017) · Frontiers in Sociology · doi:10.3389/fsoc.2017.00022 · Cited by 8
“These elements are shared with other non-religious practices related to a notion of social justice and existential components to appreciate human beings (Slaby and Stephan, 2008; Koenig, 2009).”
BackgroundInfluentialCharacterizing Pastoral Care Utilization by Cancer Patients
Hyer, J. M., Paredes, A. Z., Kelley, E. P., Tsilimigras, D. I., Meyer, B., Newberry, H., & Pawlik, T. M. (2020) · American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® · doi:10.1177/1049909120951082 · Cited by 8
Culturally informed psychotherapy in Asian consultation‐liaison psychiatry
Della, C. D., Teo, D. C. L., Agiananda, F., & Nimnuan, C. (2020) · Asia-Pacific Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/appy.12431 · Cited by 10
Hammad, J., Guenuni, A. E., Bouzir, I., & Elguenuni, F. (2020) · Journal of Muslim Mental Health · doi:10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0014.202 · Cited by 17
Spiritual, Religious, and Faith-Based Practices in Chronicity
Hatala, A. R., & Roger, K. S. (2021) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781003043508 · Cited by 9
Hwang, W., Cheng, K. J. G., Brown, M. T., & Silverstein, M. D. (2022) · Advances in Life Course Research · doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2022.100477 · Cited by 10
Desai, S., & Wane, N. N. (2022) · International Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2022.102017 · Cited by 8
Nuzum, D., Meaney, S., & O’Donoghue, K. (2015) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-015-0077-7 · Cited by 8
Metadata
- Authors
- Koenig, H. G.
- Affiliations
- Duke Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Koenig, Harold G
- ORCID
- Koenig, Harold G
- Venue
- The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-05
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 283-291
- ISSN
- 0706-7437 (ISSN-L)
- 1497-0015
- OpenAlex
- W181914314
- Cited by
- 1,442
- References
- 77
- Citations by year
- 2026: 53 · 2025: 88 · 2024: 100 · 2023: 90 · 2022: 100 · 2021: 122 · 2020: 153 · 2019: 85 · 2018: 101 · 2017: 75 · 2016: 83 · 2015: 70 · 2014: 73 · 2013: 81 · 2012: 76
- FWCI
- 8.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Duke University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Study and Philosophy of Religion
- Keywords
- religion, spirituality, mental health, depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, substance abuse, stress coping, religious beliefs and practices, neurosis, psychotic delusions
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders, Culture, Depressive Disorder, Humans, Mental Health, Prognosis, Psychotic Disorders, Religion and Psychology, Suicide, Substance-Related Disorders, Spirituality
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