Dissociation, Paranormal Belief, and Quality of Life in Older People
Sage Open September 28, 2016 Tungshan Chou
Religiosity measured by self-reported religion type may misrepresent the true degree of religiosity in Taiwanese people. In 266 healthy older adults across Taiwan, a qualitatively derived index of religious piety, based on principles suggested by Gries, Su, and Schak, was compared with self-reported religion type for effects on dissociation, paranormal belief, and quality of life. Older people with high religious piety displayed better quality of life profiles than those with low religious piety. Self-reported religion type mainly affected paranormal beliefs compatible with the reported religion, while religious piety more strongly influenced quality of life than dissociation or paranormal belief. The hypothesized beneficial advantage of dissociation from ritual healing theory did not receive empirical support in this nonclinical sample.