(PS1-62) Relationship Between Religious Coping and Anxiety Symptoms Among Emerging Adults in India: Moderating Role of Regional Identity

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health problems worldwide, with the highest disease burden in low and middle-income countries (Alonso et al., 2018; Javaid et al., 2023). Research on contributing factors to anxiety is predominantly conducted in high-income countries. This study examined the relationship between religious coping and generalized anxiety symptoms in India, a middle-income, deeply religious country. Regional identity differences are influential across India, i.e., among the Northeast, Northern, Western, and Southern communities. This study explores whether regional identity moderates the relationship between religious coping and generalized anxiety.

Participants (N= 484, M_age= 20.48, 77% women) completed regional identity, positive religious coping, negative religious coping, and generalized anxiety measures. Demographically, most participants were Christian (42%) and Hindu (39%), with 40% from Northeastern India and 57% from other regions. Fourth of the sample reported mild to moderate anxiety with higher endorsement among women, LGBTQ+ folks, and Hindus. Negative religious coping and anxiety were positively correlated (r= .15, p= .00) while positive religious coping was unrelated to anxiety (r= -.07, p= .11). 

Regional identity emerged as a significant factor with Northeast participants reporting the lowest endorsement of anxiety with higher usage of both positive and negative religious coping. While regional identity did not moderate the relationship between positive religious coping and anxiety, it was a significant moderator for negative religious coping and anxiety (b= -.24, SE= .09, t= -2.61, p= .00). Further analyses revealed that the association between negative religious coping and generalized anxiety was nonsignificant for Northeasterners (b= .10, SE= .06, t= 1.50, p= .14). In contrast, the association between negative religious coping and anxiety was significant for residents in other parts of India (b= .36, SE=.06, t= 5.54, p< .001). One possible explanation for the differences among the Northeasterners could be attributed to the socio-demographic and cultural climate of the region. 

Research studying the relations between positive religious coping, negative religious coping, and regional identity with anxiety, has been previously unexplored in India. Findings urge practitioners to address the impact of negative religious coping on wellbeing, especially when working with religious populations like Indians. It may be helpful to highlight regional identity when discussing mental health. Study limitations include the sample primarily being urban, college-going adults with data collected at a single time point. Questionnaires were not normed using Western samples. A critical research gap exists in understanding regional mental health differences in India. Examining how young adults across regions use religiosity to cope with anxiety can enhance mental health support nationwide.