Sense of coherence and religion/spirituality: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on a methodical classification of instruments measuring religion/spirituality

Abstract

The coherence hypothesis assumes that sense of coherence (SOC) explains the positive link between religion/spirituality (R/S) and mental health. The aim of our meta-analysis is to evaluate the evidence for the association between SOC (sensu Antonovsky) and different aspects of R/S and thus to contribute to the verification of the coherence hypothesis. Eighty-nine English- and German-language primarily cross-sectional studies with 67,913 participants met the inclusion criteria. The R/S scales of all included studies were subjected to item-by-item qualitative content analysis in order to determine whether scales do actually measure religion or spirituality and which R/S aspects dominated the instrument. Based on this classification, overall and subgroup meta-analyses were conducted using a random effects model. The adjusted effect size between SOC and all positive R/S measures was r+ = .120, 95% CI [.092, .149]. Particularly significant (r+ < -.180 or > .180) were correlations with negative R/S scales (r+ = -.405, 95% CI [-.476, -.333]), R/S instruments measuring primarily positive emotions (r+ = .212, 95% CI [.170, .253]) or meaning-making (r+ = .196, 95% CI [.126, .265]). Both sample characteristics (age, culture, gender, health status, religious affiliation) and study characteristics (e.g., publication year) had a moderating effect on the R/S-SOC connection. The correlation was particularly high in studies from Southern Asia (r+ = .226, 95% CI [.156, .297]), the African Islamic cultural value zone (r+ = .196, 95% CI [.106, .285]), and in a small subgroup of Iranian studies (r+ = .194, 95% CI [.117, .271]). The results confirm that R/S and SOC are clearly associated and suggest that there are different religious/spiritual pathways to a strong SOC. The strength of the associations presumably depends not only on individual differences, but also on cultural embeddedness and social plausibility of R/S.