{"id":{"repo_id":"unt","oai_identifier":"info:ark/67531/metadc3274"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/unt/info:ark/67531/metadc3274","repository":{"repo_id":"unt","name":"University of North Texas","base_url":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Intrinsic Religious Orientation and Mental Health in Later Life","abstract":"This dissertation research project was conducted to investigate religion as a coping resource in later life. The major proposition of the study was that intrinsic religious orientation is positively associated with mental health in late life. A forty three-item questionnaire was distributed to residents of four independent retirement communities resulting in a sixty-six percent return rate. The convenience sample of 214 individuals, with a mean age of 81.94 years, consisted of 156 female and 58 male respondents. Intrinsic religious orientation was held as the independent variable, while mental health was the dependent variable. Stress vulnerability characteristics were held as control variables including age, gender, education, stressful life events, marital status, perceived social support, and physical health. The zero order correlation between the independent and dependent variables was r = .128, sig. = .034 (1 tailed). When all control variables were entered, the relationship between intrinsic religious orientation and mental remained, r = .116, sig. = 046 (1 tailed). Regression analysis produced three predictors of mental health for females: stressful life events, age, and intrinsic religious orientation. Intrinsic religious orientation did not significantly change the relationship between stressful life events and mental health. A highly narrow variability in the sample limited stronger results. Findings indicate the importance of further investigation into religion as a coping resource, especially among older females.","abstract_html":"This dissertation research project was conducted to investigate religion as a coping resource in later life. The major proposition of the study was that intrinsic religious orientation is positively associated with mental health in late life. A forty three-item questionnaire was distributed to residents of four independent retirement communities resulting in a sixty-six percent return rate. The convenience sample of 214 individuals, with a mean age of 81.94 years, consisted of 156 female and 58 male respondents. Intrinsic religious orientation was held as the independent variable, while mental health was the dependent variable. Stress vulnerability characteristics were held as control variables including age, gender, education, stressful life events, marital status, perceived social support, and physical health. The zero order correlation between the independent and dependent variables was r = .128, sig. = .034 (1 tailed). When all control variables were entered, the relationship between intrinsic religious orientation and mental remained, r = .116, sig. = 046 (1 tailed). Regression analysis produced three predictors of mental health for females: stressful life events, age, and intrinsic religious orientation. Intrinsic religious orientation did not significantly change the relationship between stressful life events and mental health. A highly narrow variability in the sample limited stronger results. Findings indicate the importance of further investigation into religion as a coping resource, especially among older females.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pruett, Charlie D., Jr."],"institution":"University of North Texas","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Eve, Susan Brown","Yeatts, Dale E.","Williamson, David Allen","Lusky, Richard A.","Ingman, Stanley R."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-12","date_published":"2002-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:34:52Z","subjects":["Older people -- Mental health.","Older people -- Religious life.","Adjustment (Psychology)","aging","mental health","religion","coping","stress","life events","sociology","gerontology"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["Public","Copyright","Pruett, Charlie D., Jr.","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["oclc: 52061503","untcat: b2495609","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3274/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc3274"],"render_values":[{"text":"oclc: 52061503","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"untcat: b2495609","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3274/","href":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3274/","code":true},{"text":"ark: ark:/67531/metadc3274","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.12794/metadc3274","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Eve, Susan Brown","Yeatts, Dale E.","Williamson, David Allen","Lusky, Richard A.","Ingman, Stanley R."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pruett, Charlie D., Jr."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2002-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of North Texas"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis or Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Older people -- Mental health.","Older people -- Religious life.","Adjustment (Psychology)","aging","mental health","religion","coping","stress","life events","sociology","gerontology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Public","Copyright","Pruett, Charlie D., Jr.","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. 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Intrinsic religious orientation was held as the independent variable, while mental health was the dependent variable. Stress vulnerability characteristics were held as control variables including age, gender, education, stressful life events, marital status, perceived social support, and physical health. The zero order correlation between the independent and dependent variables was r = .128, sig. = .034 (1 tailed). When all control variables were entered, the relationship between intrinsic religious orientation and mental remained, r = .116, sig. = 046 (1 tailed). Regression analysis produced three predictors of mental health for females: stressful life events, age, and intrinsic religious orientation. Intrinsic religious orientation did not significantly change the relationship between stressful life events and mental health. A highly narrow variability in the sample limited stronger results. Findings indicate the importance of further investigation into religion as a coping resource, especially among older females."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["Text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Intrinsic Religious Orientation and Mental Health in Later Life"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Eve, Susan Brown","Yeatts, Dale E.","Williamson, David Allen","Lusky, Richard A.","Ingman, Stanley R."],"dc:creator":["Pruett, Charlie D., Jr."],"dc:date":["2002-12"],"dc:description":["This dissertation research project was conducted to investigate religion as a coping resource in later life. The major proposition of the study was that intrinsic religious orientation is positively associated with mental health in late life. A forty three-item questionnaire was distributed to residents of four independent retirement communities resulting in a sixty-six percent return rate. The convenience sample of 214 individuals, with a mean age of 81.94 years, consisted of 156 female and 58 male respondents. Intrinsic religious orientation was held as the independent variable, while mental health was the dependent variable. Stress vulnerability characteristics were held as control variables including age, gender, education, stressful life events, marital status, perceived social support, and physical health. The zero order correlation between the independent and dependent variables was r = .128, sig. = .034 (1 tailed). When all control variables were entered, the relationship between intrinsic religious orientation and mental remained, r = .116, sig. = 046 (1 tailed). Regression analysis produced three predictors of mental health for females: stressful life events, age, and intrinsic religious orientation. Intrinsic religious orientation did not significantly change the relationship between stressful life events and mental health. A highly narrow variability in the sample limited stronger results. Findings indicate the importance of further investigation into religion as a coping resource, especially among older females."],"dc:format":["Text"],"dc:identifier":["oclc: 52061503","untcat: b2495609","doi: 10.12794/metadc3274","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3274/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc3274"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of North Texas"],"dc:rights":["Public","Copyright","Pruett, Charlie D., Jr.","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"dc:subject":["Older people -- Mental health.","Older people -- Religious life.","Adjustment (Psychology)","aging","mental health","religion","coping","stress","life events","sociology","gerontology"],"dc:title":["Intrinsic Religious Orientation and Mental Health in Later Life"],"dc:type":["Thesis or Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:34:52Z"}