Chang Hsiao-Ming, Lin Ching-Hui
Department of Recreational Sport, Putian University, Putian, China.
Office of Physical Education of Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 17;16:1571796. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1571796. eCollection 2025.
This study explores the psychological impact of Mazu beliefs on the happiness of Taiwanese followers, emphasizing the sequential mediating roles of mental health and positive emotions. Given the cultural prominence of Mazu belief in Taiwan, this research sheds light on its potential contributions to enhancing well-being from the perspective of positive psychology.
Using a questionnaire survey, convenience sampling was employed to collect data from followers at 57 Mazu temples across 20 counties and cities in Taiwan. A total of 402 valid responses were obtained. The collected data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the relationships among Mazu beliefs, mental health, positive emotions, and happiness.
The analysis demonstrated that Mazu beliefs positively and significantly influence mental health and positive emotions. Additionally, Mazu beliefs were found to affect happiness indirectly through the sequential mediation of mental health and positive emotions. These findings support the theoretical framework linking religious belief to emotional and psychological well-being.
This study highlights the critical role of culturally embedded religious practices, particularly Mazu beliefs, in fostering mental health and enhancing positive emotions, which collectively promote happiness among followers. These results contribute to advancing the understanding of the intersection between Eastern religious beliefs and positive psychology, offering insights into how spiritual practices can sustain emotional resilience and psychological well-being.
本研究探讨妈祖信仰对台湾信众幸福感的心理影响，强调心理健康和积极情绪的顺序中介作用。鉴于妈祖信仰在台湾文化中的突出地位，本研究从积极心理学的角度揭示了其对增进幸福感的潜在贡献。
采用问卷调查法，通过便利抽样从台湾20个县市的57座妈祖庙的信众中收集数据。共获得402份有效问卷。使用偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）对收集到的数据进行分析，以评估妈祖信仰、心理健康、积极情绪和幸福感之间的关系。
分析表明，妈祖信仰对心理健康和积极情绪有积极且显著的影响。此外，研究发现妈祖信仰通过心理健康和积极情绪的顺序中介间接影响幸福感。这些发现支持了将宗教信仰与情绪和心理健康联系起来的理论框架。
本研究强调了文化嵌入的宗教实践，特别是妈祖信仰，在促进心理健康和增强积极情绪方面的关键作用，这些共同促进了信众的幸福感。这些结果有助于推进对东方宗教信仰与积极心理学交叉领域的理解，为精神实践如何维持情绪恢复力和心理健康提供了见解。
