Religion,Spirituality,and Well-Being in Sexual Minorities: The Moderating Role of Sense of Belonging

Abstract

Religion is generally associated with meaning in life and overall well-being and has been shown to result in better physical and mental health outcomes. However, the benefits that religion/spirituality offers may be more nuanced for sexual minorities. As evidenced by the minority stress theory, sexual minorities likely experience external and internal struggles, including discrimination within a majority of religious spaces. These struggles can cause long-term health consequences; however, a strong sense of belonging may mitigate the impact of these struggles. In an online sample of 555 sexual minorities, our study had participants complete measures of minority stress, spiritual struggles, intrinsic religiosity, well-being, and a sense of belonging. While intrinsic religiosity positively predicted spiritual struggles and discrimination experiences, participants’ sense of belonging fully moderated these relationships. We summarize these findings and suggest practical applications for helping sexual minorities develop a strong sense of belonging.