The Relationship of Dispositional Optimism and Religiosity to Mental and Physical Health in Saudi Arabian Students Studying in The United States.

Abstract

The relationship between different forms of faith as belief systems and universal concepts of quality of life, health, well-being, etc., has attracted huge research attention. Data from Islamic samples support the positive link between religious belief, mental, and physical health. Little research has been done to examine the multiple dimensions of optimism and how it relates to religion and health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of dispositional optimism and religiosity to the mental and physical health of Saudi Arabian students studying in the United States. Understanding the relationship between optimism and religiosity may allow the creation of different strategies and therapy plans that help to maintain good mental and physical health for students studying aboard. A sample of 316 Saudi Arabian college students studying in United State were recruited. The sample was collected through an anonymous online survey through online sources e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat that reach Saudi communities in United States. Participants were asked to complete five questionnaires anonymously including: A Demographic questionnaire, Physical Health questionnaire, The Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), The Muslim Daily Religiosity Assessment Scale (MUDRAS; Olufadi, Y., 2016), and the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS, Stewart-Brown & Janmohamed, 2008). For the first hypothesis, a correlational analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the scores for The Revised Life Orientation scale and The Muslim Daily Religiosity Assessment Scale. Results showed a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and Muslim religiosity. For second hypothesis, a correlational analysis was performed to assess the relationship between dispositional optimism and mental health. Results reveled that there was a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and mental health. Results for the third hypothesis showed a significant positive relationship between dispositional optimism and better mental health. In a fourth hypothesis a hierarchical regression was conducted to test that optimism (LOT-R Scores), Mental Health (WEMWBS Scores) and Physical health (Phy Scores) would predict religiosity (MUDRAS Scores). Mental health, physical health and disposition optimism were not found to have a significant impact on Muslim religiosity. As the fourth hypothesis was rejected it was decided to investigate the relationship of optimism as a mediator of religiosity, mental and physical health. Therefore, a hierarchical regression was conducted to test that religiosity, mental and physical health would predict dispositional optimism. Results showed that optimism significantly predicts mental health. There was a trend toward optimism predicting physical health but it was not significant. However, optimism did not significantly predict religiosity. Future research should be focused on a Saudi Arabian population who study and live in Saudi Arabia instead of the USA.