Next we analyzed relationships between VOSS subscales and stressful life events as
measured by the LSC-R. When an individual’s total number of life stressors was summed and
correlated with each of the VOSS subscales, there were no significant correlations. When the
sum of only interpersonal stressors (i.e., those perpetrated by another person) was considered, a
significant negative correlation appeared between the number of interpersonal stressors people
had experienced and Random beliefs (r=-.12, p<.05), indicating that people who had experienced
more interpersonal stressors were less likely to believe that suffering occurred randomly.
Next we examined whether the cumulative number of individual life stressors might
serve as a moderator in religious beliefs’ relationships with well-being. As before, we used
structural equation models in which optimism and negative attitudes toward God served as
possible mediators, with either total number of life stressors or total number of interpersonal
stressors as the moderator variable (Figure 6).
Consistent with all previous analyses, the non-traditional monotheistic beliefs all had
negative effects, if any at all. Unorthodox beliefs were associated with poorer well-being across
multiple analyses both with indirect and total effects (Table 17). Stronger Unorthodox beliefs
mediated by optimism predicted greater depression, anxiety, and stress. They were also
associated with reduced mental health, but mediated by negative attitudes towards God. In this
model Unorthodox beliefs also had a direct negative effect on positive states of mind. Random
beliefs had no effects, but for people with the fewest number of stressors Retribution beliefs
to higher anxiety, stress and decreased positive states of mind for all but people who had
experienced the most number of stressors.
Among the traditional monotheistic beliefs a variety of effects emerged when total
number of life stressors was a moderator, including several clear predictors of poorer well-being
(Table 18). Limited Knowledge beliefs were a predictor of higher depression (mediated by
optimism for everyone except for those with the most number of life stressors) and stress
(mediated by negative attitudes towards God for those with the highest number of life stressors).
Providence beliefs were related to negative outcomes for those with the least number of life
stressors: their total effects were predictive of greater depression and stress, in addition to a
negative relationship with mental health that was mediated by negative attitudes toward God.
Encounter beliefs were also a direct predictor of poorer physical health in this model (b=-1.98,
p<.05).
Not all beliefs predicted poorer health with life stressors as a moderator. Divine
Responsibility had positive relationships with well-being for people who had experienced the
most number of stressors, predicting lower depression and anxiety in relationships that were
mediated by optimism. Suffering God beliefs were also associated with better well-being via
optimism: for people who had experienced a moderate number of stressors they predicted lower
stress and more positive states of mind. There were no effects for Overcoming beliefs.
For Soul-Building beliefs, the relationships were complex with both a direct negative
effect on positive states of mind (b=-0.14, p<.01), and an interaction effect. We found that
although for individuals with a low number of life stressors having low Soul-Building beliefs was
associated with more positive states of mind, as the number of stressors increased Soul-Building
For our last set of analyses related to life stressors, we examined the effects of belief on
well-being, with the total number of interpersonal stressors (e.g. abuse perpetrated by another
person, interpersonal stressors such as divorce), a subset of the total stressors that we thought
might be more potent and have a slightly different profile of results. Results of these analyses
are presented in Tables 19 and 20 and are generally consistent with the first set of life stressor
analyses, but with a few exceptions.
Unorthodox beliefs mirrored the earlier results of the analyses where total life stressors
was the moderator – they were related to higher rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and fewer
positive states of mind (via optimism), and lower mental health scores (via negative attitudes
toward God) for everyone except those with the fewest number of interpersonal stressors (Table
19). As before, there were no effects for Random beliefs.
Unlike with the previous analyses, Retribution beliefs were only related to increased
anxiety and stress for those with moderate numbers of interpersonal stressors (Table 20). In
addition, there was an interaction effect: at low levels of interpersonal stressors Retribution
beliefs were associated with better mental health, but for those with the highest number of
interpersonal life stressors there was a dramatic difference such that having strong Retribution
beliefs was strongly associated with much lower mental health scores (Figure 8).
As before, Divine Responsibility and Suffering God had positive effects (Table 20).
Divine Responsibility was associated with lower rates of depression (mediated by optimism for
those who had experienced the most interpersonal stressors). Suffering God beliefs were also
associated with lower stress levels, mediated by optimism (b=-.27, p<.05).
Finally, as before, Limited Knowledge, Providence, and Encounter beliefs all had
One exception to this was an interaction between Encounter beliefs and interpersonal stressors
that predicted mental health. At low levels of interpersonal stressors it was better for people to
have fewer Encounter beliefs, but at high levels of interpersonal stressors Encounter beliefs were
a strength (Figure 9). Soul-Building beliefs had a negative relationship with positive states of
mind (b= -.07, p<.05), but no interaction effects as there were with the total number of life
stressors. Overcoming did not have any significant relationships with well-being.