How Does Religious Belief Affect Happiness of Older Adults: The Participation Effect and Support Effect

Religion can influence the realization of happiness in older adults. However, the relationship between religious belief and happiness of older adults and its mechanisms are not very clear. Using 5177 individuals aged ≥ 60 years in China for empirical analysis, the results show that there is a signif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Switzerland ), 2023-02, Vol.14 (2), p.243
Main Authors: Hou, Bin, Wu, Yuxin, Huang, Yuqi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aging
Analysis
Chinese culture
Christianity
Culture
Elderly
Happiness
Hypotheses
Influence
Mental health
Older people
Participation
participation effect
Population
Psychological aspects
Regression analysis
Religion
Religious aspects
religious belief
Religious beliefs
Religious organizations
Researchers
Society
Spirituality
support effect
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Summary:Religion can influence the realization of happiness in older adults. However, the relationship between religious belief and happiness of older adults and its mechanisms are not very clear. Using 5177 individuals aged ≥ 60 years in China for empirical analysis, the results show that there is a significant positive relationship between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. The frequency of religious participation has a significantly moderating effect on the relationship between institutional religious affiliation and happiness; participation has an effect on happiness for those involved in institutional religion, but not an affect for those with diffused beliefs, which reflects the participation effect. Social support plays a mediating role between religious belief and older adults’ happiness. People with religious beliefs are more likely to form social relationships and gain social support from religious members and groups to improve their happiness, which reflects the support effect. In addition, the influence of religious belief on happiness with low socioeconomic status is more significant, and the influence in rural areas is also more significant, showing the heterogeneity of individual socioeconomic status and registered residence. The freedom of older adult-religious believers to participate in the legal activities of religious organizations should be fully guaranteed. The religious faith of older adults in the process of active aging should be given attention.
ISSN:2077-1444
2077-1444
DOI:10.3390/rel14020243