Date of Award
Summer 5-1-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Virgil Sheets
Second Advisor
Jennifer Schriver
Third Advisor
Thomas Johnson
Abstract
Perceived meaning in life is considered to be an outcome of one’s efforts to create and sustain a sense of subjective understanding and purpose in the world. Meaning-making researchers have historically emphasized the role of religious worldviews as fundamental structures through which meaning-making attempts can be guided. Often, researchers have suggested that religious beliefs offer unique benefits for physical and psychological well-being for religious believers compared to non-believers. Archival data was analyzed across two separate waves, and significant correlates of aspects of meaning in life, belief certainty, and psychological well-being were identified. Perceived meaning and peace and mitigation of lapses of meaning in life consistently mediated the relationship between belief certainty and psychological well-being. Evidence was also found in support of some unique benefits for religious belief content, compared to non-religious beliefs, for psychological well-being within this sample. Findings highlight that the psychological benefits of belief certainty are at least partially dependent on one’s level of perceived meaning in life, regardless of religious or atheistic belief. Strengths, limitations, implications of our findings, and directions for future research are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Percifield, Christopher S., "Examination of the Relationships Between Religious or Atheistic Belief Certainty and Mental Health Outcomes" (2025). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3168.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/3168
Included in
Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons