Research by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) psychologist debunks previous claims that spirituality aids well-being by enhancing social support.

 

In a coming issue of the Journal of Religion and Health, Dr James Schuurmans-Stekhoven, from the CSU School of Psychology in Bathurst, says the typical correlation between spirituality and perceived social support doesn't stand up to closer inspection.

 

"Although the faithful were found to report more support than their more secular peers, a closer inspection of the links between personality, belief, and social connections, tells a different story," Dr Schuurmans-Stekhoven said.

 

Past research suggests spirituality raises well-being, in part by raising social support. However, after measuring two personality traits – agreeableness, and conscientiousness - together with spirituality and perceived support in more than 200 people, Dr Schuurmans-Stekhoven found personality predicts support, and spirituality is no longer important.

 

"Although agreeable and conscientious people are slightly more spiritual than others, it is their personality, not their spirituality, that appears to enhance interpersonal connections," he said.

 

"Among the agreeable and conscientious, spirituality does not predict support; these people, many of whom are nonbelievers, report more support than their disagreeable and less reliable colleagues.

 

"It seems that previous research may have mistakenly claimed faith raises social support, when in fact it is personality traits that are responsible.

 

"This research challenges recent calls for mental health professionals to assess the faith-status of patients because of the supposed health benefits of belief. Conducting such personally invasive assessments would appear in general to add little to our understanding of patients' interpersonal bonds or well-being.

 

"It should be recognized that most spirituality research originates from the US where nearly everyone believes in an interventionist God, and such research is often funded by openly pro-faith organisations such as the John Templeton Foundation," he said.

 

This latest finding is in-line with Dr Schuurmans-Stekhoven's previous research that questions the supposedly positive effects of faith on psychological well-being, which he says is better explained by virtues and civility.

 

"In Australia, believers and non-believers do not seem to differ substantially on measures of virtue," he said.

 

Other research Dr Schuurmans-Stekhoven has conducted suggests that those who espouse the psychological benefits of belief may have 'put the cart before the horse'.

 

"A growing body of evidence suggests faith may be caused by, but does not create, a chronic tendency to experience positive mood states," he said.