Work

Exploring religiosity, perceived mental health, and coping behaviors of undergraduate African American college students in the South

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: The current study explored the relationships of religiosity and coping behaviors on the perceived mental health of undergraduate African American (AA) college students enrolled at a large public university in the Southern United States. Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey design. AA and/or African descent adult college participants (n = 131) were recruited from an online chat group (ie, GroupMe) and completed the Brief-COPE, a demographic questionnaire, and a single-item mental health tool. Data analyses employing descriptive statistics and correlational analyses examined relationships between variables. Results: There was a positive correlation between increased religious activity and overall mental health. Those who specified their religion as “other” had a lower total mental health score than those with an identified religion. Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of supportive interventions that account for religious beliefs and activities on overall mental health outcomes for undergraduate AA college students in the South.

Source: Journal of American College Health

DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2024.2427066

Authors: Kennedy Golden, Phyllis Raynor, Karen Worthy, Lori Vick, Abbas S. Tavakoli

Institution: University of South Carolina

Language: English

Topic: Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Subfield: Health

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse