title: Explaining the relationship between religiousness and substance use: self-control matters.
abstract: Religiousness is reliably associated with lower substance use, but little research has examined whether self-control helps explain why religiousness predicts lower substance use. Building on prior theoretical work, our studies suggest that self-control mediates the relationship between religiousness and a variety of substance-use behaviors. Study 1 showed that daily prayer predicted lower alcohol use on subsequent days. In Study 2, religiousness related to lower alcohol use, which was mediated by self-control. Study 3 replicated this mediational pattern using a behavioral measure of self-control. Using a longitudinal design, Study 4 revealed that self-control mediated the relationship between religiousness and lower alcohol use 6 weeks later. Study 5 replicated this mediational pattern again and showed that it remained significant after controlling for trait mindfulness. Studies 6 and 7 replicated and extended these effects to both alcohol and various forms of drug use among community and cross-cultural adult samples. These findings offer novel evidence regarding the role of self-control in explaining why religiousness is associated with lower substance use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky.
authors.forename: C Nathan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: DeWall
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Evan C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.
authors.forename: Nathaniel M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Family Institute, The Florida State University.
authors.forename: Frank D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Fincham
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of William & Mary.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Nezlek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult