IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i4p3620-d1072577.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Religiosity, Theism, Perceived Social Support, Resilience, and Well-Being of University Undergraduate Students in Singapore during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Samuel Ken-En Gan

    (Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab of Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325015, China
    Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Singapore 387380, Singapore
    Antibody & Product Development Lab, APD SKEG Pte Ltd., Singapore 439444, Singapore
    Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325015, China)

  • Sibyl Weang-Yi Wong

    (Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Singapore 387380, Singapore)

  • Peng-De Jiao

    (Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab of Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325015, China
    Antibody & Product Development Lab, APD SKEG Pte Ltd., Singapore 439444, Singapore
    Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325015, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic infection control measures severely impacted mental well-being, allowing insight into possible protective parameters. With religion playing a role during challenging times, this study investigated theism and religiosity on the mental well-being of university students during the COVID19 pandemic and how social support and resilience can mediate this effect. One hundred eighty-five university students between 17 and 42 years old responded to online surveys on their theism, religious affiliations, religiosity, well-being, perceived support, and resilience. Pearson’s correlations and single and sequential mediation analyses showed that theism did not significantly predict well-being (r = 0.049), but religiosity mediated the relationship (r = 0.432, effect size = 0.187). Sequential mediation analysis showed that resilience did not mediate the relationship between religiosity and well-being, but perceived social support significantly positively mediated religiosity and well-being with an effect size of 0.079. The findings reveal that factors, such as religiosity and social support could thus aid in the mental well-being of future challenging times such as the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Ken-En Gan & Sibyl Weang-Yi Wong & Peng-De Jiao, 2023. "Religiosity, Theism, Perceived Social Support, Resilience, and Well-Being of University Undergraduate Students in Singapore during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3620-:d:1072577
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3620/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3620/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Klara Malinakova & Peter Tavel & Zdenek Meier & Jitse P. van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2020. "Religiosity and Mental Health: A Contribution to Understanding the Heterogeneity of Research Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Feng Kong & Ke Ding & Jingjing Zhao, 2015. "The Relationships Among Gratitude, Self-esteem, Social Support and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduate Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 477-489, April.
    3. Sai-fu Fung, 2020. "Validity of the Brief Resilience Scale and Brief Resilient Coping Scale in a Chinese Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-9, February.
    4. Monia Vagni & Tiziana Maiorano & Valeria Giostra & Daniela Pajardi, 2020. "Hardiness, Stress and Secondary Trauma in Italian Healthcare and Emergency Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Lim, Chaeyoon & Putnam, Robert David, 2010. "Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction," Scholarly Articles 11105537, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    6. Shanshan Xu & Zongyu Liu & Siyu Tian & Zhiyao Ma & Cunxian Jia & Guoxiao Sun, 2021. "Physical Activity and Resilience among College Students: The Mediating Effects of Basic Psychological Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-11, April.
    7. Maryam Dilmaghani, 2018. "Religiosity and Subjective Wellbeing in Canada," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 629-647, March.
    8. Vivian F. da Cunha & Sandra C. Pillon & Shazia Zafar & Christopher Wagstaff & Fabio Scorsolini‐Comin, 2020. "Brazilian nurses' concept of religion, religiosity, and spirituality: A qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(4), pages 1161-1168, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jieun Yoo, 2020. "Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being among Koreans," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-10, November.
    2. Mariano Rojas & Karen Watkins-Fassler, 2022. "Religious Practice and Life Satisfaction: A Domains-of-Life Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 2349-2369, June.
    3. Zoua M. Vang & Feng Hou & Katharine Elder, 2019. "Perceived Religious Discrimination, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1913-1932, August.
    4. Speed, David & Barry, Caitlin & Cragun, Ryan, 2020. "With a little help from my (Canadian) friends: Health differences between minimal and maximal religiosity/spirituality are partially mediated by social support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    5. Haobin Fan & Xuanyi Nie, 2020. "Impacts of Layoffs and Government Assistance on Mental Health during COVID-19: An Evidence-Based Study of the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    6. Angus Deaton & Arthur A. Stone, 2013. "Two Happiness Puzzles," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 591-597, May.
      • Arthur A. Stone & Angus Deaton, 2013. "Two happiness puzzles," Working Papers 2013-3, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
    7. Nikolova, Milena & Roman, Monica & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2017. "Left behind but doing good? Civic engagement in two post-socialist countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 658-684.
    8. Forrest-Bank, Shandra S. & Dupper, David R., 2016. "A qualitative study of coping with religious minority status in public schools," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 261-270.
    9. Naved Iqbal & Kaiser Ahmad Dar, 2022. "Gratitude Intervention and Subjective Well-Being in Indian Adolescents: Examining the Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 263-278, February.
    10. Santini, Ziggi Ivan & Jose, Paul E. & Koyanagi, Ai & Meilstrup, Charlotte & Nielsen, Line & Madsen, Katrine R. & Koushede, Vibeke, 2020. "Formal social participation protects physical health through enhanced mental health: A longitudinal mediation analysis using three consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in E," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    11. Xiao Zhou & Rui Zhen & Xinchun Wu, 2019. "Understanding the Relation between Gratitude and Life Satisfaction among Adolescents in a Post-Disaster Context: Mediating Roles of Social Support, Self-Esteem, and Hope," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(5), pages 1781-1795, October.
    12. Sai-fu Fung & Esther Oi-wah Chow & Chau-kiu Cheung, 2020. "Development and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of a Brief Wisdom Development Scale," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    13. Getahun Fenta Kebede, 2018. "Social Capital and Entrepreneurial Outcomes: Evidence from Informal Sector Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 27(2), pages 209-242, September.
    14. Tsegay Gebrekidan Tekleselassie, 2017. "Subjective Wellbeing and Institutions: The Case of Rural Ethiopia," Working Papers 016, Policy Studies Institute.
    15. Byoung-Jin Jeon & Kang-Hyun Park, 2022. "The Impact of Social Network Characteristics on Health among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Korea: Application of Social Network Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-9, March.
    16. Marie Buchtova & Klara Malinakova & Jitse P. Dijk & Vit Husek & Peter Tavel, 2024. "Sensory processing sensitivity is associated with religiosity and spirituality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    17. Jun Zhang & Yuang He & Jing Zhang, 2022. "Energy Poverty and Depression in Rural China: Evidence from the Quantile Regression Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-21, January.
    18. Feng Zhang & Haina Zhang & Geoffrey G. Bell, 2021. "Corporate religiosity and individual decision on conducting entrepreneurial activity: The contingent effects of institutional environments in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 955-978, September.
    19. Barili, E. & Bertoli, P. & Grembi, V. & Rattini, V., 2021. "COVID Angels Fighting Daily Demons? Mental Health of Healthcare Workers and Religion," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 21/05, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    20. Nikolova, Milena, 2016. "Minding the happiness gap: Political institutions and perceived quality of life in transition," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 129-148.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3620-:d:1072577. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.