Impact of Belief in Supernatural Forces on Mental Health
Believing in traditional supernatural forces like the devil and witchcraft is linked to higher stress levels and worse coping skills. On the other hand, beliefs in paranormal abilities like psychic powers and predicting the future do not affect stress levels. The study suggests that traditional supernatural beliefs contribute to a feeling of lack of control in life, leading to increased distress.
Key Points
- Belief in traditional supernatural forces is linked to higher distress and worse coping skills
- Belief in individual-level paranormal abilities does not affect stress levels
- Traditional paranormal beliefs reflect fear about forces beyond one's control
Pros
- Provides insight into how different types of supernatural beliefs affect mental health
- Suggests potential strategies for therapists to help clients with strong traditional supernatural beliefs
Cons
- Study only looked at one point in time, so causation cannot be determined
- Mainly focused on Western, Christian-influenced views of the supernatural