DIFERENÇAS DE SAÚDE MENTAL ENTRE ATEUS, AGNÓSTICOS, ESPIRITUALISTAS E RELIGIOSOS BRASILEIROS
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Acumulam-se evidências de que indivíduos mais religiosos tendem a ser mentalmente mais saudáveis, mas relativamente poucos estudos realizaram comparações entre subgrupos religiosos (ex. católicos e espíritas) e não religiosos (ex. ateus e agnósticos). Nesta pesquisa, 1.541 brasileiros responderam a questionários relativos às suas experiências de felicidade, sentido de vida, sintomas de ansiedade e sintomas depressivos. Verificamos que ateus e agnósticos apresentavam níveis mais baixos de felicidade e sentido de vida do que católicos, evangélicos e espíritas, mas não estavam mais depressivos nem mais ansiosos. Evangélicos tendiam a experienciar menos sintomas depressivos e mais sentido de vida do que membros de religiões minoritárias, e espiritualistas constituíam o subgrupo mais vulnerável ao sofrimento mental. Esses resultados indicam que o pertencimento religioso oportuniza fontes extras de felicidade e sentido de vida para alguns indivíduos, mas talvez não ofereça recursos notáveis para a regulação de sintomas depressivos e de ansiedade.
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