Religious Beliefs and Mental Health among Handicapped Community Member

Background and Objective: The handicapped are grappling with many problems, which could jeopardize their mental as well as physical health. Several studies have demonstrated the correlation between religion and mental health. In the recent decades, religion and psychological studies have increasingly attracted the attention of researchers. This study aimed to examine the relationship between religious beliefs and mental health. Materials and Methods: Eighty eight members from Zanjan Handicapped Community (year ۲۰۱۱) constituted the sample for this study. The participants took two tests of Allportchr('۳۹')s Religious Orientation and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). These tests have already been translated and standardized for the Iranian society. Using SPSS, the test data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Pearsonchr('۳۹')s correlation coefficient. Results: The results showed a statistically reversed correlation between global religious score and third subscale of GHQ (how to cope with common life situations) at significance level of ۰.۰۱ (r= -۰.۲۹ and P= ۰.۰۰۶) and also between internal religious score and the same subscale at significance level of ۰.۰۵ (r= -۰.۲۲۴ and P= ۰.۰۳۶). Conclusion: It seems that the handicapped are not aware of the role of faith in their health thus, some measures should be taken in this regard to promote their health.

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Keywords: Religious , Mental health , Handicapped