title: Religiosity and well-being of older adults in Chennai, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Using the theory of religious effects (Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 42, 17-30 ( 2003 )), the current study examined the relationship among religiosity, psychosocial resources (social support and mastery) and psychological distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through face-to-face interviewing, data were collected from 321 randomly selected older adults in Chennai, India. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to test the direct-effect and the mediation models. The direct-effect model posited a direct inverse relation between religiosity and psychological distress. The mediation model posited that psychosocial resources mediate the influence of religiosity on psychological distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fit indices supported a partial mediation model. Psychosocial resources partially mediated the influence of religiosity on psychological distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest the crucial role of religiosity in influencing the well-being of older adults. The need to integrate religiosity in interventions for older Indian adults is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570, Singapore. swksrini@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chokkanathan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality