Volume 28, Issue 4 (7-2021)                   RJMS 2021, 28(4): 105-114 | Back to browse issues page

Research code: ندارد
Ethics code: مقاله مروری است
Clinical trials code: مقاله مروری است

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Mousavi Fakhr S M H, Keavanloo F. The relationship between religiosity and students' mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. RJMS 2021; 28 (4) :105-114
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-6656-en.html
University of Velayat, Iranshahr, Iran , suojan1359@gmail.com
Abstract:   (2241 Views)
Background & Aims: In spite of benefiting from technology, the modern mankind is suffering from miscellaneous problems and anxieties which not only threaten their mental health and peace, but also affect their physical health to drop the level of physical immunity and delay in healing. The World Health Organization defines mental health as patterns, methods and strategies which provide a stress-free, relaxed life with no mental preoccupations. In other words, mental health guaranties a desirable physical, mental and social state in harmony with other people.  Thus far, a great deal of research has been carried out on the relation between mental health and physical activity, job satisfaction, fasting etc.  Much research has already been carried out on the relation between devotion to religion and mental health. The bulk of such research indicate positive effects of religiousness on mental health (8-23). Mousavi and Hasani studied the relation between religiousness and mental health in university students, and concluded that there was a direct positive relation between them. They concluded that devotion of students to religion tends to decrease the probability of mental disorders and contributes to their social support, mental health and a rise in the physical immunity system through developing healthy behavioral patterns, increasing positive affections and optimism. Strengthening students’ religious beliefs and attitudes will add to their health. As previously mentioned, plenty of research has been carried out on the relation between religion and mental health; however, because of the contradiction prevalent in their conclusions, the present study seeks to investigate the effects of religiousness on university students’ mental health in a systematic and meta-analytical manner to come up with a sound understanding of the effects of religion on mental health as in previous pieces of research.
Methods: The present research is of a systematic review and meta_analysis. Articles in Persian language were retrieved from the websites of the Irandoc, SID, noormags, civilica, elmnet. Papers were searched without time limitations until December 2020 through Persian equivalents for “religiousness”, “religion” and “mental health” as key terms. Entry criteria included researches based on relation evaluation and subjects of study were university students. Upon searching the above-mentioned websites, all the selected papers were applied to Endnote Software to detect and eliminate identical ones.  After eliminating identical papers, all titles and abstracts were reviewed to detect those relevant with the research. Through a number of stages, the present study determined the exact research question, collected, analyzed and interpreted the data based on PRISMA (36). The findings concerned with the role of religiousness on university student's mental health were extracted. The correlation coefficient and sample size were used for statistical calculations.
Results: Searching the keywords in different sites led to 203 relevant papers. Then identical papers (60 cases) were eliminated leaving 143 papers for reviewing titles and abstracts. Sieving led to seeing into 43 papers in more detail. The whole criteria of import and export observed, 27 papers were thoroughly investigated. 11 papers were eliminated because of failing in providing the required information, leaving 16 papers for final investigation. Availability of 16 studies with fine quantitative data on the relation between university students’ religiousness and mental health made a meta-analysis test possible (8-23). The meta-analysis test reveals a meaningful relation between students’ religiousness and mental health with a confidence interval of 95% by the random effects model. Because the confidence interval EF= 0.035, CI: 95%(0.003 to 0.67) does not include zero (I2 =% 90.50, P=0.000). Begg’s Funnel plot was used to measure the bias of publishing articles. Funnel plot studies the bias of meta-analysis publication of the relation between university students’ religiousness and mental health. Regarding funnel plot and Z grade and the level of meaningfulness resulting from Begg’s Test (P= 0.669, Z=-0.427), no directionality was found concerning publication of articles on the relation between student's religiousness and mental health. Moreover, the points on the chart look symmetric, and no visual directionally was detected.
Conclusion: Religiousness is an important psychological structure related to the mental health of human beings and can be of assistance to those in charge of health planning. Strengthening the various dimensions of religiousness in university students contributes to the promotion of their mental health. However, the planning which would apply the findings of the present study with a view to the relation between different elements of religiousness and mental health could yield more favorable results.
 
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Type of Study: review article | Subject: Clinical Psychiatry

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