Introduction
The mental health and well-being of people depend on their religious/ spiritual beliefs. According to Bosco-Ruggiero (2018), attending services, praying, and other religious practices affect people positively or negatively. Some find solace, relief, and joy in prayer, while others are filled with anxiety and terror when they think of a punishing God. Therefore, some religious beliefs and practices help believers lead healthy and happy lives while others drive them into depression.
The Lab Project
The lab project aims to determine whether religious service attendance contributes to people’s happiness and mental health. Researchers administer surveys to obtain crucial data about the respondent’s well-being.
Before conducting the surveys, they come up with research questions, identify methods of collecting data, and formulate hypotheses. After data collection, they analyze the results and conclude the topic of research.
Research Question
Is there a relationship between attending religious services and people’s levels of happiness?
Null Hypothesis
There is a relationship between attending religious services and people’s levels of happiness.
Alternative Hypothesis
There is no relationship between attending religious services and people’s levels of happiness.
Method for Collecting Surveys
I intend to collect surveys using the online method because it increases the response rate. The respondents are free to answer the questions at their own pace and have flexible completion times. Online surveys are also cost-effective because the researcher does not have to incur travel costs. However, some respondents do not cooperate, especially when the questions are long. Long questions introduce boredom, thus forcing people to give fake answers or ignore the surveys. Despite the challenges, many researchers have obtained crucial data about religious service attendees’ levels of happiness.
Findings of Effects of Religious Service Attendance on Happiness
Religious service attendance has demonstrated positive effects on mental health. Bosco-Ruggiero (2018) indicated that those who go to church every week are less likely to experience more anxiety and depression than those who do not attend religious services. The sermons bring tranquility and happiness to the attendees because they get spiritual guidance to deal with challenges.
Thoughts and Prediction
Many religious people believe that God comes to their rescue in times of sorrow and difficulties. They attend religious services to learn more from one another and find solace in scriptures and prayers. The presence of God in worship centers gives worshippers inner peace and strength to resist temptations (Bosco-Ruggiero, 2018). Therefore, many believers do not engage in risky behaviors such as drug abuse and sexual immorality. Avoiding such acts improves one’s self-esteem, thus eliminating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The mental health of the depressed may worsen if they become religious and spend a lot of time praying. According to Bosco-Ruggiero (2018), those who go through stressful situations get more stress if prayers go unanswered. Therefore, they become more desperate and unhappy after attending religious services where they engage in long prayers. The sorrow may force such individuals to go back to their old ways.
Those who lead religious services should be watchful to ensure that their members do not backslide into sinful acts. Most ministers provide lessons about the afterlife during religious services (Bosco-Ruggiero, 2018). Thus, many religious service attendees are happy when they toe the line because they believe that a better life awaits them when they die.
Attending religious services brings happiness and inner peace to many believers. Worshipping with others enables one to learn more lessons about God and his promises. The teachings encourage them to avoid sinful acts that bring anxiety and depression. Therefore, many religious service attendees will report more happiness than those who do not attend sermons.
References
Bosco-Ruggiero, S. A. (2018). The relationship between Americans’ spiritual/religious beliefs and behaviors and mental health: New evidence from the 2016 General Social Survey. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 22(1), 30–48.