Abstract
The purpose of this study is to see if social support that is exchanged in religious institutions moderates the relationship between stressful life events and cholesterol. The data come from a nationwide survey of adults of all ages (N = 816). Based on data from blood samples, cholesterol was measured by subtracting high-density lipoprotein from total cholesterol. Questions were administered to assess how often study participants provide and receive spiritual support from fellow church members. Spiritual support is assistance that is exchanged with the explicit purpose of increasing the religious beliefs and behaviors of the recipient. Controls were established in the analyses for a number of health behaviors (e.g., exercise), other types of religious involvement (e.g., church attendance), and demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, education). The study variables were assessed with ordinary least squares regression procedures. The data suggest that providing spiritual support tends to reduce the magnitude of the relationship between stress and cholesterol. In contrast, similar stress-buffering effects were not observed with the measure of receiving spiritual support at church. The findings contribute to mounting evidence on the relationship between religion and health because they are based on biological measures.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research |
| DOIs | |
| State | Accepted/In press - 2017 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Stress, Religious Involvement, and Cholesterol : Is It Better to Give than to Receive? / Krause, Neal; Ironson, Gail.
In: Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress, Religious Involvement, and Cholesterol
T2 - Is It Better to Give than to Receive?
AU - Krause, Neal
AU - Ironson, Gail
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The purpose of this study is to see if social support that is exchanged in religious institutions moderates the relationship between stressful life events and cholesterol. The data come from a nationwide survey of adults of all ages (N = 816). Based on data from blood samples, cholesterol was measured by subtracting high-density lipoprotein from total cholesterol. Questions were administered to assess how often study participants provide and receive spiritual support from fellow church members. Spiritual support is assistance that is exchanged with the explicit purpose of increasing the religious beliefs and behaviors of the recipient. Controls were established in the analyses for a number of health behaviors (e.g., exercise), other types of religious involvement (e.g., church attendance), and demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, education). The study variables were assessed with ordinary least squares regression procedures. The data suggest that providing spiritual support tends to reduce the magnitude of the relationship between stress and cholesterol. In contrast, similar stress-buffering effects were not observed with the measure of receiving spiritual support at church. The findings contribute to mounting evidence on the relationship between religion and health because they are based on biological measures.
AB - The purpose of this study is to see if social support that is exchanged in religious institutions moderates the relationship between stressful life events and cholesterol. The data come from a nationwide survey of adults of all ages (N = 816). Based on data from blood samples, cholesterol was measured by subtracting high-density lipoprotein from total cholesterol. Questions were administered to assess how often study participants provide and receive spiritual support from fellow church members. Spiritual support is assistance that is exchanged with the explicit purpose of increasing the religious beliefs and behaviors of the recipient. Controls were established in the analyses for a number of health behaviors (e.g., exercise), other types of religious involvement (e.g., church attendance), and demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, education). The study variables were assessed with ordinary least squares regression procedures. The data suggest that providing spiritual support tends to reduce the magnitude of the relationship between stress and cholesterol. In contrast, similar stress-buffering effects were not observed with the measure of receiving spiritual support at church. The findings contribute to mounting evidence on the relationship between religion and health because they are based on biological measures.
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U2 - 10.1111/jabr.12064
DO - 10.1111/jabr.12064
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85018581409
JO - Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research
JF - Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research
SN - 1071-2089
ER -