Protestant beliefs and their impacts on mental health promotion: Scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62827/eb.v25i4.4233Keywords:
Protestantism; Religion; Mental Health.Abstract
Introduction: Religiosity is an important psychosocial determinant of mental health, influencing behaviors, perceptions, and coping strategies. Objective: To map the scientific evidence regarding Protestant beliefs and their relationships with mental health. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Searches were carried out in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and PsycINFO databases, with no restrictions on language or period. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) strategy was employed. Study selection was performed by three independent reviewers with the support of Rayyan software. Results: Nine studies were included. The results were heterogeneous. The evidence indicates that Protestant religiosity may be associated with reduced depressive and anxious symptoms, greater psychological well-being, and strengthened social support. However, negative impacts are observed in conservative religious contexts, especially among sexual minorities. Conclusion: Protestant beliefs were associated with different mental health outcomes, with favorable associations in some contexts, although their effects vary according to sociocultural and individual factors.
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