An examination of spirituality, religious commitment, personality and mental health

Previous research has shown that individuals who are more spiritual/religious tend to display better mental health and personality characteristics than those who report lower spirituality/religiosity. The current study will address definitions of spirituality and religiosity, and clarify and expand upon previous research on personality and mental health. The participants included 143 University of South Alabama students (76 women and 67 men, mean age = 21.6 years). The majority of participants were Caucasian (60%) and African American (17%). Participants completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the NEO-PI-R, Assessment of Spirituality and Religious Sentiments Scale (ASPIRES), and the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI-10). Results indicate individuals who scored high in spirituality and religious commitment were more extroverted, agreeable, and conscientious than individuals who scored low in spirituality and religious commitment. There was no significant difference for openness or neuroticism. No difference was found between spirituality and religious commitment groups for overall mental health.