Citation

Pajević I, Sinanovic O, Hasanovic M. J. Relig. Health 2017; 56(6): 2317-2329.

Affiliation

School of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. dr.mevludin.hasanovic@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Academy of Religion and Mental Health, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10943-017-0431-z

PMID

28601928

Abstract

To compare the outcomes among war veterans who pray/do not pray and who were not suffering mental disorders after the Bosnia-Herzegovina war (1992-95). The sample consists of 100 healthy Bosnian war veterans divided in two equal groups-one, a highly religious group inside which were individuals who perform five obligatory prayers every day, and another group of individuals who do not practice any daily prayer. We used Minnesota Multiphase Personal Inventory (MMPI), Profile Index of Emotions (PIE) and Life Style Questionnaire (LSQ). War veterans who prayed had significantly higher levels for: incorporation, self-protection, and for reactive formation; but significantly lower levels for regression, compensation, transfer, no-controlling, oppositional and aggressiveness than their peers who did not pray. Practicing religion (regular performing daily prayers) is associated with reduction of tendencies towards the tendency for risk, impulsiveness, and aggression. It is also associated with successful overcoming of emotional conflicts in war veterans who practiced religion than their peers who did not practice religion.

Language: en

Keywords

Bosnia and Herzegovina; Islamic daily prayer; Mental health stability; PTSD; Religious involvement; Salah; War veterans