Positive Mental Health Effects of Church Attendance Outnumber Negative Findings Nearly 10-to-1

May 25, 2026

A new study by the Wheatley Institute suggests that consistent religious participation is strongly connected to improved mental health, with researchers finding overwhelmingly positive outcomes linked to faith involvement across hundreds of studies.

Christianity Daily reports that the report, titled “The Religion and Mental Health Connection,” found overwhelmingly positive outcomes linked to faith involvement across hundreds of studies.

The report draws extensively from research compiled in the 2024 edition of the Oxford University Press Handbook of Religion and Health.

Researchers concluded that favorable mental health findings associated with religion greatly exceeded negative findings by nearly 10-to-1, after reviewing studies examining depression, anxiety, suicide, emotional well-being, stress management, and substance abuse.

According to Christianity Daily, the report shows 89% of 76 high-quality studies examining suicide showed lower suicide rates among individuals with stronger religious involvement.

Researchers referenced in the report estimated that the decline in weekly religious attendance may explain roughly 40% of the increase in the U.S. suicide rate in recent decades.

The report also underscored a strong relationship between religious engagement and lower rates of depression.

Researchers also pointed to a longitudinal study of nearly 49,000 nurses that revealed individuals attending weekly religious services experienced a 25% lower likelihood of depression over 16 years.

The report states: “It is not nominal affiliation but committed religious involvement that appears to matter most,”

Out of 251 high-quality studies, 93% linked religious participation with increased happiness, life satisfaction, hope, optimism and self-esteem.

Photo: top, Credit: Unsplash/Vince Fleming