A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, finds that African Americans who attend religious services are significantly less likely to suffer from mental health issues than other African Americans. In short, religion is a major beneficial factor for African Americans in helping them deal with the pressures of American life.
Researchers surveyed 3,000 African Americans and found that those who attended church were less likely to suffer from depression, psychological distress, and post-traumatic stress syndrome and were less likely to consider suicide.
The full study, “Church and Family Support Networks and Depressive Symptoms Among African Americans: Findings from The National Survey of American Life,” was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Community Psychology. It may be accessed here.
