A comprehensive analysis of thousands of medical and social science studies has found that religious involvement is associated with better mental health outcomes far more often than not — with positive findings outnumbering negative ones by nearly 10 to one, according to a new report released by the Wheatley Institute.
The report, "The Religion and Mental Health Connection," published earlier this month, draws on studies catalogued in the Oxford University Press Handbook of Religion and Health (2024) and covers a broad range of mental health domains, including depression, anxiety, suicide, substance abuse, stress and emotional well-being. It is the first in a three-part series on religion and health; upcoming installments will examine physical and social health.
Of more than 1,000 high-quality studies reporting significant findings, 961 found positive associations between religious involvement and mental health, compared to 101 that found negative associations, the report states.
"Across the mental health domains we examined, the best available science indicates that religious beliefs, practices, and participation in faith communities are most often linked to improved mental health outcomes," said Loren D. Marks, the report's lead author.
Suicide, depression and anxiety
The findings carry particular weight given rising rates of mental illness and suicide in many parts of the world. Christian Daily International previously reported on calls by Christian counselors for churches to take a more active role in confronting the mental health crisis, with panelists at a National Religious Broadcasters forum earlier this year describing current suicide rates in the United States as a national emergency.
The Wheatley Institute report adds a substantial body of empirical data to that conversation. Of 76 high-quality studies on suicide, 89% found lower rates among more religious individuals, the report states. Researchers cited in the analysis have estimated that declining weekly religious attendance may account for roughly 40% of the rise in the U.S. suicide rate. One study tracking nearly 110,000 health professionals found that women who attended religious services weekly were 75% less likely to die by suicide over a 16-year period, with men 48% less likely over 26 years.
Depression and anxiety showed similar patterns. Of 247 high-quality studies on depression, 74% reported better outcomes among more religious individuals. A longitudinal study of nearly 49,000 nurses found that weekly attenders had a 25% lower probability of depression over 16 years. Of 85 studies on anxiety, 69% found lower levels among more religious participants.
Hope, meaning and coping
The evidence was strongest in the area of positive emotional well-being. Of 251 high-quality studies, 93% reported that religious involvement correlated with greater life satisfaction, happiness, hope, self-esteem and optimism. On coping with stress, 86% of 103 high-quality studies found links between religious practice and constructive responses to adversity.
The report identifies what it describes as a "threshold effect": the mental health benefits of religion appear most pronounced among those with sustained, high levels of engagement — typically weekly or more frequent religious participation — and hold across age groups, racial and ethnic backgrounds and faith traditions.
"It is not nominal affiliation but committed religious involvement that appears to matter most," the report states.
Policy implications
The authors offer several recommendations based on the research, including building referral connections between healthcare providers and faith communities, equipping congregations to support suicide and substance abuse prevention in underserved areas, and recognizing religious participation as a voluntary complement — not a replacement — to professional mental health treatment.
The report also calls for protecting religious freedom and pluralism so that the documented benefits remain accessible across different faith traditions.
While acknowledging that harmful or coercive expressions of religion exist, the Wheatley Institute report concludes that the overall pattern across the available evidence is clear: religious belief and practice are strongly associated with better mental and emotional well-being.
