Glad Tidings? Personal Witnessing, Religiosity, and Mental Health among U.S. Adults

Abstract

A growing body of research has documented connections between religious involvement and mental health. However, religion is complex and multidimensional. Religious witnessing, the interpersonal sharing of religious faith, is an important religious practice that has received little attention. Religious witnessing is a relatively unconventional behavior in contemporary American society, yet it can promote social interaction and belonging and has implications for personal identity and sense of self-worth. Using data from a 2010 national random sample (N = 1,342) of U.S. adults, we examine associations between religious witnessing and mental health and the moderating role of public and private religiosity. Mental health is measured using three classes of psychiatric symptoms (general anxiety, social anxiety, and paranoia). Results show that witnessing is related to positive mental health among more highly religious individuals and negative mental health among less religious individuals. Drawing from identity theory and authenticity research, we argue that the contingent impact of religious witnessing on mental health can be explained by (1) participation in social contexts and groups conducive to religious self-expression and (2) the interplay between witnessing, private religiosity, and feelings of authenticity.