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Financial hardship and psychological distress: Exploring the buffering effects of religion

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  • Bradshaw, Matt
  • Ellison, Christopher G.

Abstract

Despite ample precedent in theology and social theory, few studies have systematically examined the role of religion in mitigating the harmful effects of socioeconomic deprivation on mental health. The present study outlines several arguments linking objective and subjective measures of financial hardship, as well as multiple aspects of religious life, with psychological distress. Relevant hypotheses are then tested using data on adults aged 18-59 from the 1998 US NORC General Social Survey. Findings confirm that both types of financial hardship are positively associated with distress, and that several different aspects of religious life buffer against these deleterious influences. Specifically, religious attendance and the belief in an afterlife moderate the deleterious effects of financial hardship on both objective and subjective financial hardship, while meditation serves this function only for objective hardship. No interactive relationships were found between frequency of prayer and financial hardship. A number of implications, study limitations, and directions for future research are identified.

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  • Bradshaw, Matt & Ellison, Christopher G., 2010. "Financial hardship and psychological distress: Exploring the buffering effects of religion," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 196-204, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:71:y:2010:i:1:p:196-204
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    4. Hashmi, Rubayyat & Alam, Khorshed & Gow, Jeff, 2020. "Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health in Australia: Explaining life shock exposure," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(1), pages 97-105.
    5. Gladstone, Joe J. & Jachimowicz, Jon M. & Greenberg, Adam Eric & Galinsky, Adam D., 2021. "Financial shame spirals: How shame intensifies financial hardship," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 42-56.
    6. Liliya Leopold & Thomas Leopold & Clemens M. Lechner, 2017. "Do Immigrants Suffer More From Job Loss? Unemployment and Subjective Well-being in Germany," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(1), pages 231-257, February.
    7. Soomin Ryu & Lu Fan, 2023. "The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 16-33, March.
    8. Liliya Leopold & Thomas Leopold & Clemens M. Lechner, 2016. "Do Immigrants Suffer More from Job Loss? Unemployment and Subjective Well-Being in Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 842, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

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