Pacific Union Recorder

Some of the latest results of the Adventist Religion and Health Study are as follows:

• Adventists divorced in the last five years are more depressed than non-divorced Adventists. However, the difference is much smaller for Adventists who use positive religious coping (i.e., seek spiritual support from God, or try to see how God might use a stressful event to help one grow).
• Childhood poverty predicts both greater self-rated religiousness in adult life and the use of religion to help one cope. 
• Negative social interactions seemed to increase depressive feelings but less so where there is greater religiousness. In addition, negative emotionality (such as depressed feelings) predicts worse self-rated physical health. So religiousness does have a positive indirect effect on perceived physical health through its action in lowering negative emotionality.
• Childhood poverty is associated with growing up in a chaotic, abusive and/or neglectful family, but much more so in whites than blacks.
• Couples who are religiously alike report more marital satisfaction.
• Refraining from secular activities on Sabbath is associated with better mental and physical quality of life. These associations are partially explained by a better diet, more exercise, and religious social support among the more traditional Sabbath-keepers.