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Atheism and mental health
1Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA. rob.whitley@dartmouth.edu <rob.whitley@dartmouth.edu>
Harvard Review of Psychiatry
|April 27, 2010
Summary
Atheism, particularly positive atheism, is a growing worldview that significantly impacts mental health. Further research is needed to understand atheism
Area of Science:
- Social Psychiatry
- Cultural Psychiatry
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- The impact of religiosity on mental health is well-researched, but the influence of atheism remains largely unexplored.
- Atheism, particularly "positive atheism," is a chosen worldview experiencing a resurgence in Western democracies, often termed the "new atheism."
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish atheism as a significant sociocultural variable in mental health studies.
- To advocate for the inclusion of atheism within the scope of social and cultural psychiatry.
- To explore atheism's role as a potential socio-environmental stressor or buffer in relation to mental health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Propose measuring atheism as an individual-level exposure variable to correlate with psychiatric outcomes.
- Call for systematic investigation into atheism's influence on psychiatric institutions.
- Recommend examining atheistic theory and its practical applications concerning the human condition, suffering, and personhood.
Main Results:
- The study presents a theoretical framework, not empirical results.
- Highlights the need for quantitative and qualitative research on atheism and mental health.
Conclusions:
- Atheism, especially positive atheism, warrants recognition as a meaningful sociocultural factor in mental health.
- Social and cultural psychiatrists should investigate atheism's impact on mental well-being.
- Future research should focus on measurement, institutional influence, and theoretical/practical applications of atheism in relation to mental health.
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