被掩蓋的宗教正向心理功能：心理困擾對年輕成人快樂感和宗教參與之間關聯的影響

The Hidden Positive Psychological Function of Religion: The Influence of Distress on the Association between Young Adults’ Happiness and Religious Involvement

研究目的：西方社會有宗教信仰者的快樂感通常比沒有信仰者高，顯示宗教參與對個體具有正向心理功能；但台灣的研究卻鮮少發現宗教信仰和快樂感有顯著關聯。有學者主張這是因為宗教的正向心理功能受到宗教自我選擇作用壓抑之故；亦即：雖然宗教參與會提高個體快樂感，但因為台灣民眾信仰目的較具功利性，令遭逢生命困境而心理困擾程度較高者較容易自我選擇進入宗教，故宗教信徒的平均快樂感原本就比無宗教信仰者低，掩蓋了信仰宗教得到的心理益處。本文企圖以經驗資料檢證此假設。研究方法：本研究以台灣青少年成長歷程研究計畫2011年、2014年追蹤調查資料為分析樣本，採用心理困擾作為宗教自我選擇的風險因子，以多元迴歸模型檢視宗教對台灣年輕成人快樂感的正向影響是否受自我選擇作用抑制。研究結果：控制心理困擾與社會人口變項之後，宗教團體活動參與和快樂感的關聯由不顯著轉為正向顯著；研究結論：宗教參與對增進快樂感的正面功能會受到宗教自我選擇作用所掩蓋。

Purpose: In Western societies, people with a religious affiliation tend to be happier than those without, suggesting that religious involvement has positive psychological functions. In Taiwan, the association between religiosity and happiness is seldom found, perhaps because the positive psychological function of religion is often suppressed by the effect of self-selection in religion. That is, although religiosity may enhance happiness, the utilitarian purpose of religious affiliation may cause those who face difficulties or distress more likely to choose to associate with a religion. If their baseline level of happiness is lower than those who do not believe in a religion, the psychological benefits of religiosity may be hidden. This research empirically tests this self-selection hypothesis. Methods: Using 2011 and 2014 longitudinal survey data from the Taiwan Youth Project, I regarded psychological distress as a risk factor for religious self-selection and employed multiple regression analyses to examine whether the positive influence of religiosity on happiness is suppressed by religious self-selection among Taiwanese young adults. Results: Controlling for psychological distress and sociodemographic ariables, the positive association between religious group activities and happiness became significant. Conclusions: The positive function of religious involvement on happiness is hidden by religious self-selection.