The Relation between Intrinsic Religiosity and the Body-Mind- Spirit Wellness Behaviors and Mediating Role of Challenge Appraisal

Backgrounds and Intrinsic religiosity has an important effect on mental health. There have been different ways to explain this effect. This research was conducted to determine the mediating role of challenge appraisal in the relation between intrinsic religiosity and healthy physical, mental and spiritual behaviors. In the present study 300 girl students were selected by random cluster sampling. The data was collected through The ‘Age-Universal’ I-E Scale, the Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness Behavior and Characteristic Inventory and the Appraisal of Life Events Scale. The theoretical model was tested within a structural equation-modeling framework to identify both direct and indirect effects. The results indicate overall model fitness. Although direct effects of intrinsic religiosity on the body-mind-spirit wellness behaviors were not significant, indirect effect of intrinsic religiosity on the body-mind-spirit wellness behaviors was fully mediated by challenge appraisals. the present study sustains a theory that suggests that intrinsic religiosity engenders a challenge approach to stress that aids well-being.