The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth
Studies suggest that religion is a protective factor for substance misuse and mental health concerns among Black/African American youth despite reported declines in their religious involvement. However, few studies have investigated the associations among religion, substance misuse, and mental healt...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/325 |
| _version_ | 1797609284654071808 |
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| author | Camille R. Quinn Bernadine Waller Ashura Hughley Donte Boyd Ryon Cobb Kimberly Hardy Angelise Radney Dexter R. Voisin |
| author_facet | Camille R. Quinn Bernadine Waller Ashura Hughley Donte Boyd Ryon Cobb Kimberly Hardy Angelise Radney Dexter R. Voisin |
| author_sort | Camille R. Quinn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies suggest that religion is a protective factor for substance misuse and mental health concerns among Black/African American youth despite reported declines in their religious involvement. However, few studies have investigated the associations among religion, substance misuse, and mental health among Black youth. Informed by Critical Race Theory, we evaluated the correlations between gender, depression, substance misuse, and unprotected sex on mental health. Using multiple linear regression, we assessed self-reported measures of drug use and sex, condom use, belief in God, and religiosity on mental health among a sample of Black youth (N = 638) living in a large midwestern city. Results indicated drug use, and sex while on drugs and alcohol, were significant and positively associated with mental health symptoms. Belief in God was negatively associated with having sex while on drugs and alcohol. The study’s findings suggest that despite the many structural inequalities that Black youth face, religion continues to be protective for Black youth against a myriad of prevalent problem behaviors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:58:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d196780267444ea9df8e8a71c51ff51 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:58:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d196780267444ea9df8e8a71c51ff512023-11-17T13:36:03ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-02-0114332510.3390/rel14030325The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black YouthCamille R. Quinn0Bernadine Waller1Ashura Hughley2Donte Boyd3Ryon Cobb4Kimberly Hardy5Angelise Radney6Dexter R. Voisin7Center for Equitable Family & Community Well-Being, School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USADepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USACollege of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USACollege of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USASchool of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NY 08901, USASchool of Social Work, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC 28301, USACollege of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USASchool of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USAStudies suggest that religion is a protective factor for substance misuse and mental health concerns among Black/African American youth despite reported declines in their religious involvement. However, few studies have investigated the associations among religion, substance misuse, and mental health among Black youth. Informed by Critical Race Theory, we evaluated the correlations between gender, depression, substance misuse, and unprotected sex on mental health. Using multiple linear regression, we assessed self-reported measures of drug use and sex, condom use, belief in God, and religiosity on mental health among a sample of Black youth (N = 638) living in a large midwestern city. Results indicated drug use, and sex while on drugs and alcohol, were significant and positively associated with mental health symptoms. Belief in God was negatively associated with having sex while on drugs and alcohol. The study’s findings suggest that despite the many structural inequalities that Black youth face, religion continues to be protective for Black youth against a myriad of prevalent problem behaviors.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/325black youthreligiositymental healthcritical theory |
| spellingShingle | Camille R. Quinn Bernadine Waller Ashura Hughley Donte Boyd Ryon Cobb Kimberly Hardy Angelise Radney Dexter R. Voisin The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth Religions black youth religiosity mental health critical theory |
| title | The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth |
| title_full | The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth |
| title_fullStr | The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth |
| title_short | The Relationship between Religion, Substance Misuse, and Mental Health among Black Youth |
| title_sort | relationship between religion substance misuse and mental health among black youth |
| topic | black youth religiosity mental health critical theory |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/325 |
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