Atheistic, agnostic, and religious older adults on well-being and coping behaviors

• Published in: Journal of aging studies Vol. 25; no. 2; pp. 177 - 188
• Main Authors: Horning, Sheena M, Davis, Hasker P, Stirrat, Michael, Cornwell, R. Elisabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Inc 01.04.2011; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Agnosticism; Atheism; Behavior; Coping; Elderly; Geriatric psychology; Humor; Internal Medicine; Older Adults; Older people; Religion; Religiosity; Religious Beliefs; Social Support; Well Being; Older Adults; Atheism; Coping; Agnosticism; Religiosity
• ISSN: 0890-4065; 1879-193X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2010.08.022

Abstract Previous research reports relationships between religion and both well-being and positive coping, especially among the older adult age group. However, researchers have failed to consider the non-religious when comparing groups categorized by religious belief, ignoring possible differences between those with a belief and the non-religious, atheists, and agnostics. To explore possible differences, we gathered data from a sample of 134 religious and non-religious older adults (55 years old plus) who completed an online questionnaire assessing relationships between religiosity and well-being, social support, locus of control, and meaning in life. Belief groups, including atheists, agnostics, and those high and low on religious beliefs, were compared on coping behaviors. The religious groups did not significantly differ from atheists and agnostics on well-being, satisfaction with social support, or locus of control; however, the high religiosity group did endorse higher levels of presence of meaning in life than the atheists and a greater number of social supports compared to the non-religious groups. The groups significantly differed on their use of religious coping ( p < .05), and differences approached significance on the groups utilization of humor and substances as coping mechanisms ( p = .07). The religious groups endorsed religious-oriented coping at significantly greater rates, whereas the atheists endorsed a greater use of substances to cope than the other three groups. Additionally, atheists endorsed humor for coping more so than their low religiosity counterparts.