2013 Theses Bachelor's

Deification of Suffering in Religiously Observant College Students: Assessing the Differences in Symptomology for Orthodox versus Non-Orthodox Jews

Klein, Talia Faye

In the past decade, much research has been done in an effort to understand the relationship between religion and spirituality and mental health. The vast majority of research shows a positive correlation between mental health and religion and spirituality. Furthermore, religiosity and spirituality have been linked to decreased levels of anxiety and depression, as well as increased levels of happiness and life satisfaction. The present study aims to assess the deification of suffering, as understood through positive and negative religious coping among religiously highly observant and less observant college students (Orthodox versus non-Orthodox Jews). The results show differential associations between religious coping and symptomology of depression, anxiety, and stress by level of observance, with Orthodox Jews being more likely to intertwine religious coping (positive and negative) into symptomology. The current study offers preliminary evidence suggesting merit to future research on deification of suffering among observant Orthodox Jews as well as potentially observant members of other faith traditions.