Buddhist Practices and Mental Health Outcomes in Thailand

While research supports a positive link between religious practices and mental health, few studies examine the influence of multidimensional religious practices on diverse mental health outcomes, often focusing on Western, primarily Christian, populations. This study investigates this relationship among Thai Buddhists, addressing limitations of prior research that employed single-item religiosity measures and predominantly Western samples. Using national representative data from over 22,000 Thai Buddhists, we estimated binary probit models to examine the association between Buddhist practices and mental well-being. While age, education, and residence were associated with mental health, Buddhist activities and religious engagement were significantly associated with improved outcomes. Consistent daily practices (e.g., praying, giving alms), occasional practices (e.g., meditation, listening to sermons), and more demanding practices (e.g., ordaining) were all significantly associated with positive mental health, with ordaining demonstrating the strongest association. These findings suggest that integrating Buddhist activities into community health programs, supporting mindfulness initiatives, and training mental health professionals and religious leaders in collaborative holistic care could promote mental health among Thai Buddhists.