RT Article
T1 Existential and Virtuous Effects of Religiosity on Mental Health and Aggressiveness among Offenders
JF Religions
VO 9
IS 6
SP 1
OP 19
A1 Jang, Sung Joon
A1 Duwe, Grant 1971-
A1 Hallett, Michael A. 1965-
A1 Hays, Joshua
A1 Johnson, Byron R. 1955-
LA English
PB MDPI
YR 2018
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1586784544
AB Although prior research tends to show that religion has a salutary effect on mental health and a preventive effect on crime, studies explaining the religious effect, particularly those on offenders, have been limited. To address the issue, we examine whether religiosity is inversely related to negative emotions and aggressiveness among prison inmates. Additionally, we assess whether the relationships are attributable to an inmate's sense of meaning and purpose in life and/or their virtues. Specifically, we hypothesize that religiosity is inversely related to feelings of depression and anxiety and the intention of engaging in interpersonal aggression. We also hypothesize these relationships to be mediated by existential belief in life's meaning and purpose and virtues (compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, purpose of God, and gratitude to God). We tested our hypotheses using survey data collected from a random sample of male inmates from three prisons in Texas, applying latent-variable structural equation modeling. We found that the existential belief explained the effect of religiosity on negative emotional states and intended aggression. In addition, forgiveness and gratitude mediated the effect on state anxiety, whereas purpose in God and gratitude to God mediated the effect on state depression. Substantive and practical implications of our findings are discussed.
K1 Aggression
K1 Anxiety
K1 Compassion
K1 Depression
K1 Forgiveness
K1 Gratitude
K1 meaning and purpose in life
K1 Offender
K1 Prison
K1 Religiosity
DO 10.3390/rel9060182