College Students’ Self-Assessment of Mental Health and Religious Practices Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic Rebound

Abstract

Throughout crises, people have used various methods including religious practices to cope.  The crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic induced mandates of social distancing and quarantine, which consequently, promoted mental health concerns. Therefore, the intention of this research was to ascertain if college students who engaged in religious practices had optimistic attitude and low levels of anxious and depressive tendencies compared to nonpracticing individuals as suggested by the literature.  The participants were college undergraduate students enrolled at a southeastern university within the “bible belt” region of the US in which practicing religion was assumed to be a cultural norm.  Since the survey was administered during the first semester of immediate return to a quasi-college life and rebounding into post COVID-19 society, albeit with trepidation, the hypothesis was that students who engaged in weekly religious practices would report an optimistic outlook and low levels of anxiety and depression.  Out of the total number of participants, 161 college students reportedly engagement in weekly religious practices per the DUREL.  The findings suggested that college students who engaged in weekly religious practice do indeed have optimistic attitudes and low levels of anxiety and depression symptoms.