Predicting Distress and Psychological Health Based on Religious Health-Oriented Behaviors with the Mediation of Forgiveness
Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va Salāmat (i.e., Research on Religion & Health),
Vol. 10 No. 4 (1403),
18 April 2025
,
Page 83-99
https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v10i4.43908
Abstract
Background and Objective: Psychological health is related to increasing well-being, preventing mental problems, and rehabilitating individuals with mental disorders. Therefore, investigating factors affecting psychological health and preventing psychological distress are important. The present study was conducted with the aim of predicting distress and psychological health based on religious health-oriented behaviors with the mediation of forgiveness.
Methods: The method used in the present study was cross-sectional (descriptive-correlational). The statistical population included all adults in Tehran in the first six months of 1401. The final sample consisted of 296 individuals (246 women and 50 men), who were selected by available sampling method. The instruments used for data collecton included demographic information questionnaire, religious health promoting behavior questionnaire (Bashart et al, 2014), psychological health questionnaire (Bashart, 2018), anxiety, depression, stress questionnaire (Loviband et al, 1995) and Heartland’s forgiveness questionnaire (Thompson et al, 2005). Descriptive data was anlayzed on SPSS version 21 software and structural equation modeling was conducted on AMOS software version 21.
Results: The results of structural equation modeling indicated a good fit for the proposed structural model based on the research hypotheses. Religious health behaviors have a direct and significant effect on psychological health and forgiveness and an inverse and significant effect on psychological distress. Also, the effect of forgiveness on psychological health was positive and significant. Finally, the mediating role of forgiveness in the relationship between religious health-oriented behaviors and psychological health was confirmed.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that health and psychological distress can be predicted by religious health-oriented behaviors through the mediation of forgiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the important role of religious health-oriented behaviors and forgiveness in the implementation of interventions and methods to reduce psychological distress and promote psychological health.
- Forgiveness
- Psychological distress
- Psychological health
- Religious health behaviors
How to Cite
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