Religious affiliation moderates associations between theodicies and mental health in people experiencing significant suffering from bereavement, illness and other stressors

Theodicies have been associated with mental health in several studies. However, little research on theodicies has been conducted with people in the midst of significant suffering. Further, religious traditions differ in theodical content and function in easing suffering. We examined associations between theodicies and mental health in people facing significant suffering and the extent to which they are influenced by Christian religious affiliation. In an online US sample of 367 people reporting a significant recent stressor (nearly half of which involved death or illness), Roman Catholics and Protestants differed on only one of six theodicies studied. Moderator analyses found consistent evidence (in 11 of the 18 models) that theodicies predicted stronger associations with mental health for Roman Catholics than for Protestants. Future research is needed to understand why effects of theodicies, which can be protective in times of high stress such as loss or sickness, differ by religious tradition.