Religiosity, Social Support and Social Negativity as Predictors of Mental Health of Women in Ghana

Abstract

The study examined the influence of religiosity, social support and social negativity on the mental health of women in Ghana. The cross-sectional survey design was employed in the study. In all, 200 women living in Accra at the time of data collection were used in the study. Data was collected on participants‘ demographic characteristics using a demographic questionnaire; mental health was assessed using the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38); the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSRFQ) was used to measure Religiosity and Social Support and Social Negativity were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Social negativity questionnaire respectively. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis revealed that religiosity and social negativity predicted mental health significantly among the participants while social support did not have any significant influence on mental health. The implications of the findings are discussed.