New Decades-Long Research Analysis Finds Religion Improves Mental Health By a 10-to-1 Margin

Comprehensive review of thousands of high-quality studies links religion to better mental health by a 10-to-1 ratio — the first in a three-part series on religion and health

PROVO, Utah, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As Americans continue to grapple with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and substance abuse, a new report by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University highlights a surprising resource millions already have access to, yet few think to use: religion.

"The Religion and Mental Health Connection," released today by the Wheatley Institute, examines the positive associations between religious involvement and major mental health domains, including coping with stress, depression, anxiety, personality traits and disorders, positive emotion, suicide, substance abuse and addiction, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

The report — the first in a three-part series on religion and health — synthesizes the most rigorous medical and social science studies catalogued in the landmark Oxford University Press Handbook of Religion and Health (2024). Among thousands of high-quality studies reporting significant findings, the report reveals that positive associations between religion and mental health outnumber negative ones by approximately 10 to 1.

"Religion has been debated and even derided for centuries, but the empirical record tells a remarkably consistent story," said Loren D. Marks, lead author of the report.  "Across the mental health domains we examined, the best available science indicates that religious beliefs, practices, and participation in faith communities are most often linked to improved mental health outcomes."

Key findings from the report include:

• Suicide — Of 76 high-quality studies, 89% found lower rates of suicide among the more religious. Researchers have estimated that declining weekly religious attendance may account for approximately 40% of the rise in the U.S. suicide rate.
• In one study of nearly 110,000 health professionals, women who attended services weekly were 75% less likely to die by suicide over 16 years, and men 48% less likely over 26 years.
• Anxiety — Of 85 high-quality studies on anxiety, 69% reported lower anxiety among the more religious.
• Depression — Of 247 high-quality studies on depression, 74% found better outcomes among the more religious. In one longitudinal study tracking nearly 49,000 nurses over 16 years, weekly attenders had a 25% lower probability of depression.
• Positive Emotion — Of 251 high-quality studies, 93% reported positive correlations between religious involvement and life satisfaction, happiness, hope, self-esteem, and optimism.
• Coping with Stress — Of 103 high-quality studies, 86% found connections between religion and positive coping — a finding of particular relevance given that the U.S. has been identified as one of the most stressed countries in the world.

The research suggests a "threshold effect" showing that the benefits of religion converge among those with sustained, high engagement. Committed, regular religious participation, often corresponding to weekly or more frequent service attendance, is associated with the most pronounced health benefits from adolescence through older adulthood and across racial and ethnic groups and faith traditions.

"It is not nominal affiliation but committed religious involvement that appears to matter most," the Wheatley report states. "Those who are deeply devoted to their religious faith are most likely to reap deep mental health benefits."

The authors offer several evidence-informed policy considerations including:

• Recognize religious participation as a voluntary, evidence-supported complement to professional mental health treatment.
• Build referral pathways between healthcare providers and faith communities so clinicians can connect patients with congregational support.
• Equip congregations to partner on suicide and substance abuse prevention, especially in rural and underserved areas.
• Protect religious freedom and pluralism so these benefits remain accessible across faith traditions.

The full report is now available at Wheatley.byu.edu/Religion-and-Mental-Health. Upcoming reports within this series will explore religion's connections to physical and social health.

About the Wheatley Institute

The Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University engages students, scholars, thought leaders, and the public in research supported work that fortifies the core institutions of the family, religion, and constitutional government. For more information, visit https://wheatley.byu.edu/.

About the Authors

This report was produced by a multidisciplinary team at Brigham Young University. Loren D. Marks, Professor of Family Life, has authored over 200 publications and co-directs the American Families of Faith project. Shima Baradaran Baughman, the Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law and Distinguished Fellow at the Wheatley Institute, is a nationally recognized criminal justice expert studying how religion transforms lives through substance abuse recovery and virtues like forgiveness. Harold G. Koenig, M.D., M.H.Sc., is professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate professor of medicine at Duke University, and is the founding director of the Duke University's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. W. Justin Dyer, Professor of Religious Education and editor-in-chief of BYU Studies, studies the interplay of religion, family, and mental health. Sam A. Hardy, Professor of Psychology, is a leading researcher in moral and religious development. Paul W. Lambert, Religion & Human Flourishing Initiative Director at the Wheatley Institute, leads scholarship on religion and human flourishing and is an expert on the role of religious pluralism in society. Nicole Schraedel is a Wheatley Scholar and research assistant studying religion and health.

SOURCE Wheatley Institute