The Effect of Spirituality on Depression and Psychological Well-Being in Undergraduate Students

Lee, Jung Sik; Kim, Han sung; Han, Seung rie; Han, Seung Min; Choi, Sun; Kim, Seo hyeon

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study are to investigate the correlation between spiritual well-being and the pattern of stress coping strategies, as well as understand how they impact depression and psychological well-being.
METHODS
We analyzed 320 undergraduate students in a capital area (135 males, 170 females; 15 students who answered irrelevantly were excluded). Spiritual well-being (religious and existential), stress coping strategies (active and passive), psychological well-being and, depression were rated using the Spiritual Well-Being scale, Ways of Coping checklist, Psychological Well-Being measurement, and Depression Scale (CES-D), respectively. For the analysis, we utilized Pearson correlation analysis and simple regression analysis.
RESULTS
The analysis revealed a positive correlation between Spiritual well-being and active coping strategies, a negative correlation between existential well-being and depression, and a positive correlation between religious well-being and psychological well-being. By regression analysis, it showed spiritual-well being affected depression negatively. Existential well-being, but not religious well-being, affected depression negatively. Furthermore, the impact of existential well-being on depression remained a strong predictor in males better than females. Existential well-being affected psychological well-being positively through active coping strategies.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we verified a correlation between existential well-Being and active coping strategies which affected depression and psychological well-being in undergraduate students.