September 29, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Refugees who wish to settle in Western countries are less likely to have extreme political and religious views.
A study published in Psychological Science surveyed 1000 Syrian refugees living in Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
The researchers found that the majority of refugees were more motivated to return home to Syria than to migrate to Western countries, but those who did want to move to the West were less likely to hold extremist views.
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February 26, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
A recent Gallup study reveals a positive connection between regular church attendance and a positive self-evaluation of one’s mental health. I invited experts to give their opinions on these findings and what it is about church attendance that contributes to positive mental health.
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January 31, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Those who are religious use the same coping strategies when facing a crisis as those recommended by psychologists.
A study in The Journal of Religion and Health found that religious people use emotion-regulation strategies (like looking at hardships in a positive way). Psychologists refer to this as cognitive reappraisal.
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July 10, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
Some Americans have a stronger faith as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Experts offer several reasons for this resurgence, including a need for stability, having more time to think about deeper matters, and as a response to an unknown crisis. Once the pandemic is behind us, there are mixed opinions about whether this increase in faith will last.
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June 12, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
Some Americans say their religious faith has strengthened as a result of the outbreak, even though churchgoers report that their congregations have stopped in-person worship services, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. What is it about a crisis that causes people to think more about their spiritual life?
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March 13, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
Some faiths are more advanced in their approach to mental illness than others. In a previous article, I highlighted the work of the Presbyterian church and invited experts to comment on the role of churches in addressing mental illness. Adventists are another faith community that set an example for how congregations care for their mentally ill members.
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March 6, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
The top two mental health barriers for members, church leaders, and mid-council leaders were “not knowing how to respond to an individual showing signs of a mental health condition” and “lack of knowledge about mental health issues.” These responses are not uncommon in faith communities as many do not know how to respond to mental illness, both from a lack of knowledge and misperceptions.
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December 6, 2019
by Tina Arnoldi
A recent study by Barna, an evangelical Christian polling firm, asked 15,000 people aged 18 to 35 across 25 countries about their mental health and how it relates to churchgoing habits. The findings suggest that there are connections between practicing faith and overall well-being.
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June 28, 2018
by Tina Arnoldi
Researchers have found that church attendance may have beneficial effects for people who suffer from short term or chronic insomnia. And no, this does not mean sermons are so boring that they cause people to fall asleep. Psychological science suggests a real correlation between religious activities and better sleep.
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Easter may have come and gone but its spirit only seems to be rising and expanding. The fervor is especially evident in the string of faith-based films released in recent years, steadily appealing to and supported by Christian movie-goers nationwide.
The latest of these is “Miracles From Heaven” – a new release from Sony which is already making headlines...
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