Unequal Returns: Exploring Racial Differences in the Mental Health Benefits of Religious Service Attendance among Low-Income Mothers

Abstract

While ample research highlights how regular religious service attendance can promote a variety of positive mental health outcomes, some evidence suggests that the benefits of congregational involvement might vary by race. We examine whether race/ethnicity moderates the relationship between frequency of religious service attendance and depression for low-income mothers, a group with high rates of chronic depression and comparatively little access to care. To do so, we draw on a sample of 2636 White, Black, and Hispanic mothers from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). We find that more frequent service attendance helps reduce odds of depression among White mothers in ways that it does not among Black mothers. We argue that these findings highlight how religious organizations in the US are both unequal and racially segregated, such that White mothers are better able to cultivate supportive social networks in ways that help mitigate depression through their attendance at religious services.