Religiosity and well-being of older adults in Chennai, India

Objectives: Using the theory of religious effects (Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 42, 17-30 (2003)), the current study examined the relationship among religiosity, psychosocial resources (social support and mastery) and psychological distress. Method: Through face-to-face interviewing, data were collected from 321 randomly selected older adults in Chennai, India. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to test the direct-effect and the mediation models. The direct-effect model posited a direct inverse relation between religiosity and psychological distress. The mediation model posited that psychosocial resources mediate the influence of religiosity on psychological distress. Results: The fit indices supported a partial mediation model. Psychosocial resources partially mediated the influence of religiosity on psychological distress. Conclusion: These findings suggest the crucial role of religiosity in influencing the well-being of older adults. The need to integrate religiosity in interventions for older Indian adults is discussed.