Influence Of Religious Practices on Mental Health Among Young Adults in Mainstream Churches in Imenti North, Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite the recognized role of religious practices in promoting mental health, limited research has examined their specific influence among young adults in mainstream churches in rural Kenya. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of religious practices on mental health among young adults in mainstream churches in Imenti North, Meru County, Kenya. An exploration on how attending worship services, reading sacred texts, adhering to religious statutes, and engaging in community service, influenced mental health among young adults. Grounded in human flourishing theory and relational theory, the study emphasized the role of positive interpersonal relationships and personal growth through engagement in the mentioned religious practices. A correlational research design was adopted, targeting 3,745 young adults and 106 pastors from seven mainstream churches that were sampled through simple random method. A sample of 361 young adults and 32 pastors was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Piloting of research instruments was done at PCEA Nkubu, and yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.854, ensuring reliability. Various types of validity that were ensured included content, criterion and construct validity. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 29 to derive descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study was significant to the body of research since various religious institutions, not only limited to churches, would get information on the perception that the young adults had towards various religious practices. This would enable them to develop more activities related to young adults and that could help them blend better with various religious practices. The findings revealed that 78% of respondents who regularly attended religious practices reported higher contentment and happiness. However, only 35% consistently engaged in personal reading of sacred texts. Community service participation showed a moderate positive correlation with mental well-being. These results underscore the importance of structured religious engagement in fostering mental health. However, findings are limited to mainstream churches in Imenti North and may not be generalizable to other contexts. It is recommended that churches engage young adults more in religious practices, offering tailored programs and services that specifically address their spiritual and mental health needs, such as those focusing on resilience and positive coping strategies. Young adults should be trained to lead Bible study groups, promoting leadership and consistent personal involvement in religious practices. Young adults should be encouraged to engage in religious practices through mentorship and inclusion. Church leaders should create inclusive programs to facilitate participation in religious statutes. Churches should create awareness about the transformation of young adults and offer various community service opportunities to young adults. Future research can explore interdenominational comparisons and urban-rural differences in longitudinal studies of religious practices such as attending worship services, reading sacred texts, adhering to religious statutes, involvement in community service and mental health.