Religion and Psychological Distress in Japan

This study introduces data from a new random sample of Japanese adults. Findings show that reporting of distress symptoms are: ( 1. positively associated with a religious coping index (i.e., beliefs that religion or supernatural beings provide comfort, support or protection), (2. associated in different directions with ownership of different household altars (positively for Shintō altars and negatively for ancestor altars), (3. negatively associated with frequency of ancestral grave visitations, (4. positively associated with certain beliefs (e.g., in supernatural beings), and (5. generally do not differ per religious identification (e.g., religious vs. not religious). Also, physical health and “balance in life” (i.e., balance between work/household obligations and leisure) are strongly and negatively associated with depression symptoms. Results indicate important distinctions between Japan and the United States concerning the relationship between religion and psychological distress.