The relationship between church attendance, stress, and life satisfaction in college students living in the Southeast United States

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between frequency of church attendance, stress levels, and life satisfaction in college students living in the Southeast United States. This study was designed to indicate whether or not a significant relationship exists between how frequently students attend church, how stressful they perceive their lives, and how satisfied they are overall with their lives. The ideas of both reference group theory and social cognitive theory were applied for this study. Previous research indicated significant relationships between stress and life satisfaction as well as between spirituality/religiosity and life satisfaction. There remained an important gap in the current literature regarding the overall relationship between frequency of church attendance, perceived stress, and life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine this relationship by administering the Satisfaction With Life Survey, the Perceived Stress Scale, and a descriptive questionnaire to a convenience sample of 369 undergraduate students attending college in the Southeast United States. Data were then analyzed by means of multiple regression analyses, factorial MANOVA, and ANOVA. Results of this study did indicate a significant relationship between all 3 main variables. Church attendance was found to be significantly related to both stress levels and life satisfaction; however, it was not found to be a mediating variable between them. The results of this study have positive social change implications. For those college students who are religious, church attendance may help reduce stress and increase life satisfaction and academic success, and may reduce risks for depression, anxiety, drug use, and/or eating disorders.