Divine Control Beliefs, Health Locus of Control, and Subjective Life Expectancy in the United States

Little evidence has considered the extent to which feelings of health-related control may arise from religious beliefs to influence survival expectations. Moreover, research on the linkages between religion and sense of control has yielded mixed results. Using CHAPS (2021) data, this study examines...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of religion and health
Main Authors Garcia-Alexander, Ginny, Swisher, Raymond R, Cossman, Jeralynn S, Schaefer, Drew
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 12.09.2024
Subjects
Mediation
Divine control
Subjective life expectancy
Health locus of control
Survival expectations
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Summary:Little evidence has considered the extent to which feelings of health-related control may arise from religious beliefs to influence survival expectations. Moreover, research on the linkages between religion and sense of control has yielded mixed results. Using CHAPS (2021) data, this study examines whether divine control beliefs predict subjective life expectancy (SLE), and whether this link is mediated by an individual's health locus of control (HLC). Findings support a mediational model and show that individuals who place more dependence on God report a greater sense of control over their health, which in turn results in greater longevity expectations. Our findings offer insight into the mechanisms that underlie the association between divine control beliefs and SLE and add to the body of literature documenting religion's salutary role in promoting both a sense of empowerment and greater survival expectations.
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ISSN:0022-4197
1573-6571
1573-6571
DOI:10.1007/s10943-024-02125-1