SPIRITUALITY HELPS STUDENTS COPE

Students who are involved in some spiritual activity are more likely to demonstrate better mental health than those who do not, according to research conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Their study indicated that as students progress through college, their stress level increases and so does the frequency of depression. Those students who do not participate in any spiritual activities are more than twice as likely to report depression than students who do participate in spiritual activities or religious services. Spiritual acivity also diminishes the probability of a student drinking alcoholic beverages.

The study found a high proportion of the students involved in some form of spiritual activity. They found that 77 percent report saying prayers regularly. 78 percent report discussing religion with friends, and 76 percent report being involved in a search for meaning and purpose in life.