Researchers from the University of Missouri (MU) suggest that targeted interventions to counteract negative spiritual beliefs could help some individuals decrease pain and improve their overall health.
"In general, the more religious or spiritual you are, the healthier you are, which makes sense," said Brick Johnstone, a neuropsychologist and professor of health psychology in the MU School of Health Professions.
"But for some individuals, even if they have even the smallest degree of negative spirituality - basically, when individuals believe they're ill because they've done something wrong and God is punishing them - their health is worse," Johnstone said.
Individuals in the study had a range of health conditions, such as cancer, traumatic brain injury or chronic pain, and others were healthy.
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The researchers divided the individuals into two groups: a negative spirituality group that consisted of those who reported feeling abandoned or punished by a higher power, and a no negative spirituality group that consisted of people who didn't feel abandoned or punished by a higher power.
Participants answered questions about their emotional and physical health, including physical pain.
However, even if individuals reported positive spiritual beliefs, having any degree of negative spiritual belief contributed to poorer health outcomes, the researchers found.
"Previous research has shown that about 10 per cent of people have negative spiritual beliefs; for example, believing that if they don't do something right, God won't love them," Johnstone said.
"That's a negative aspect of religion when people believe, 'God is not supportive of me. What kind of hope do I have?' However, when people firmly believe God loves and forgives them despite their shortcomings, they had significantly better mental health," he said.
The study was published in the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health.