The mental and physical well-being of college students is directly correlated to spiritual and religious engagement, according to a report released by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA last month.
The study, The Spiritual Life of College Students: A National Study of College Students' Search for Meaning and Purpose
found that highly spiritual students are slightly less likely to exhibit positive psychological health than their non-spiritual peers.
These same students, however, are more likely to demonstrate equanimity, a trait defined by being able to cope with hardship.
Fifty-five percent of first-year students with strong spiritual orientation reported they are 'frequently' able to find meaning in difficult times though 58 percent said they feel at peace and centered.
Aaron Provenzano, an Ohio University medical student who will serve as president for the Christian Medical and Dental Society next year, said equanimity comes from a certain sense of security and comfort.
I think it just seems that students who do have spiritual backgrounds realize that when the going gets really tough they're not trying to do everything on their own. I think that sense of comfort is unparalleled
he said.
Scott Rutan, an OU sophomore and member of Campus Crusade for Christ, said this characteristic also comes with the ability to see the big picture.
Our happiness depends on our circumstances
so it's OK to not be happy all the time
but we should be joyful always because of the hope that we have for eternity. It's all about the eternal perspective
being able to see the big picture
he said.
Although highly spiritual students tend to score lower in areas of mental well-being, students who exhibit high religious engagement and commitment, on the other hand, are just as likely to show positive psychological well-being as their less engaged peers, according to the report.
Regarding physical well-being, both highly religious and highly spiritual students score well. Students in these groups are less likely to smoke and drink, are more likely to have a healthy diet and had a high tendency to report above-average physical health relative to peers.
A close link often exists between such healthy lifestyle choices and religious beliefs, Provenzano said.
I believe that our bodies are beautifully made by a divine creator. With this in mind
I think many of us are encouraged to take care of our physical bodies and not to abuse them
he said, concerning his own Christian beliefs.
Provenzano recently saw an example of the connection between physical well-being and spirituality in action. As part of his medical training, he was able to sit in on a local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Many of the techniques used to overcome the addiction were based on spiritual principles, he said.
I was able to talk with people who said that through prayer and meditation on God
they have been successful at overcoming the stronghold that alcoholism once held on their lives
