Religiosity is a broad and complex concept that can be defined in several ways, and each individual’s perception of it can differ (Chida et al., 2009; Holdcroft, 2006). In recent years, spirituality has been viewed as a medium for finding meaning and harmony in life (Demir, 2018; Roberto et al., 2020). Researchers have taken up a more holistic approach to the study of spirituality, exploring its association to psychological factors (Chida et al., 2009; Roberto et al., 2020).

Many researchers argue that there are positive mental well-being aspects associated with high religiosity (Aten et al., 2019; Nguyen, 2020). This relationship has been the subject of ongoing debates. Even so, certain religions, such as Buddhism, have traditionally viewed them to be interconnected (Mackey, 1998). This interlink could be hinged on how each individual perceives spirituality, societal values, and other external factors (Aten et al., 2019). Additionally, research on the relationship between religion and mental health has significantly increased over the years (Baker et al., 2018; Dein et al., 2020; Garssen et al., 2020; Peres et al., 2017), especially with the Islamic religion (Ghorbani et al., 2019; Koenig & Al Shohaib, 2018; Saleem & Saleem, 2019; Vang et al., 2018). This is particularly relevant to the Maldives, where Islam is the state religion (Wille, 2022). The perception of religion among Maldivian youth has been transforming rapidly over the recent years, and so has the awareness of mental health. Although there is a growing number of young individuals seeking help for their mental well-being (Ibrahim, 2022), there are still individuals who refrain from seeking help concerning their mental health because they are made to believe that going to therapy is a reflection on their weakness in spirituality (Alhomaizi et al., 2018). Some families restrict mental health support for their household members (Radez et al., 2020), which can cause a significant negative impact on the developing brain of the youth, leading to poor quality of life and possibly affecting those around them (Lin & Guo, 2024).

Analyzing the relationship between mental well-being and religiosity among Maldivian youth is an important area of study due to the lack of prior research in the area. Additionally, raising awareness and decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health is essential to encourage more young individuals in the Maldives to seek help and support for their mental health. With mental health awareness rising in the Maldives (Ibrahim, 2022), it seemed the right time to conduct a study to find out the relationship between these two components and the Maldivian youth. This is in order to assess where we are and the knowledge we have about the connection between these two. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the association between religiosity and mental well-being among the Maldivian youth population aged 18–24.

This study adopted a cross-sectional online survey design. Data was collected from 203 participants. Participants were recruited through a purposive sampling technique through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to target Maldivian youth aged 18–24 years living in the Greater Malé area. Social media recruitment is increasingly recognized as an effective and ethical method to reach specific populations, especially the younger demographics, since it includes broad accessibility and is cost-effective (Gelinas et al., 2017). Prior to conducting the study, ethics clearance was obtained from the Villa College ethics committee and the Maldives National Health Research Council (NHRC). Likewise, key assumptions were also tested prior. Linearity was examined through scatterplots, and no major deviations were observed. Multicollinearity was assessed using Variance Inflation Factor (VIF), with values below 5 indicating no multicollinearity concerns. Normality of residuals was examined using histograms and Q-Q plots, which suggested approximate normal distribution. Homoscedasticity was assessed through residual plots, which indicated no major violations.

Religious/spiritual level. The Ok-Religious Attitude Scale (ORASI) was used to measure the religious/spiritual level of the participants. The ORASI is a psychological assessment tool developed by Uzeyir Ok, used to measure an individual’s attitudes towards Islamic religious beliefs and practices (Ok, 2016). This instrument was chosen because it was tailored for a Muslim population and it considers both cognitive and behavioral dimensions of Islamic religiosity. The scale was originally developed and validated in Turkey with university students (N = 934 and N = 388) indicating high internal consistency (α ranging from .81 to .91), and a stable four-factor structure shown through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (Ok, 2016). The scale is a self-report questionnaire that consists of a series of statements related to Islam, and individuals were asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement on a five-point Likert-type scale. However, the cultural relevance of the instrument raised questions about the two negatively worded items, especially with regard to the relevant blasphemy laws in the Maldives (End Blasphemy Laws, 2021). Taking this into consideration, the following changes were made. The two following items: “I feel there is no need for religion” and “I feel religion does more harm than good to people,” were removed. Hence, a total of six items were used.

Mental well-being. The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) is a psychological tool used to evaluate an individual’s mental well-being (Tennant et al., 2007). It consists of 14 items that are rated on a five-point Likert-type scale. The WEMWBS can be applied to multiple parts of the world, as it has been used in the UK and several other English and non-English-speaking countries (Stewart-Brown, 2012). In addition, this scale was originally developed and validated with adults (Tennant et al., 2007), making it suitable for this study.

The study was completely voluntary, and participants were free to withdraw at any time until the point of submission. Likewise, informed consent was taken from all participants. The privacy and anonymity of participants were strictly maintained throughout the study. The participant consent form ensured the participant’s confirmation of their understanding of the information provided. A pilot test was conducted to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of the research design, procedures, and the instruments (ORASI and WEMWBS). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients indicate that ORASI and WEMWBS demonstrated high levels of reliability. Specifically, the WEMWBS exhibited strong internal consistency (14 items; α = .956). Likewise, the ORASI also showed high levels of reliability (6 items; α = .921). The responses for the online survey were collected over two weeks, and a total of 203 responses were gathered.

The normality test for the data was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that the data from the ORASI deviates significantly from a normal distribution (D (203) = .180, p < .001). Conversely, data from the WEMWBS showed no significant deviation from normality (D (203) = .052, p = .200*). Similarly, the Shapiro-Wilk test confirms that the data for the ORASI is not normally distributed (W (203) = .886, p < .001), and that the data for WEMWBS follows a relatively symmetrical normal distribution (W (203) = .994, p = .649). For the “age,” both the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (D (203) = .142, p < .001) and the Shapiro-Wilk test (W (203) = .914, p < .001) suggest that the data significantly variates from a normal distribution.

After checking the reliability and normality of ORASI and WEMWBS, descriptive statistics were computed for all variables, including demographics. Similarly, mean scores of genders were analyzed for both religiosity and mental well-being. For the ORASI, which measures religiosity, a Mann-Whitney U test was used, and for WEMWBS, which measures mental well-being, an independent sample t-test was used. Furthermore, to measure the correlation between religiosity and mental well-being, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used. Likewise, to determine the relationship between age and religiosity and age and mental well-being, the Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used. Finally, to examine whether age moderates the relationship between both the variables, a regression analysis was used.

The results of the study indicated that the overall level of religiosity among the Maldivian youth population is high, while the level of mental well-being is moderate. Modest gender differences were observed, with females having slightly higher levels of religiosity compared to males. In contrast, males were observed to have reported slightly higher levels of mental well-being compared to females. These differences are small and should be interpreted cautiously, as they might not generalize beyond the present sample group.

The correlational analysis revealed no significant correlation between religiosity and mental well-being. Although a small positive correlation coefficient was observed, it did not reach statistical significance. These results suggest that religiosity is unlikely to have a major influence on mental well-being among the Maldivian youth.

The findings of the study revealed that high levels of religiosity observed may indicate that religious practices and beliefs are prevalent among Maldivian youth, possibly due to individual conviction or societal expectations (Naseem, 2020; Mohamed et al., 2020). However, the prevalence of religiosity does not seem to translate directly into strengthening mental well-being. This could be because, while religiosity offers moral guidance, a sense of purpose, and belonging (Nguyen, 2020; Prazeres et al., 2020), these aspects may not necessarily alleviate other issues faced by the youth, such as socio-economic hardships, educational pressures, and negative environmental influence (Hostinar & Miller, 2019).

Similarly, the study revealed modest gender differences, with females displaying slightly higher levels of religiosity, and males reporting slightly better mental well-being. These findings are in line with previous studies (Coppola et al., 2021; Etheridge & Spantig, 2022; Villani et al., 2019; Visani et al., 2011). From a traditional perspective, the nurturing and caregiving roles are usually associated with women, which include raising children within their religious beliefs (Coppola et al., 2021). This emphasizes the significance of religion in their life. Moreover, women undergo experiences such as child-rearing, childbirth, and care of the elderly, which is another reason for them to pray and seek spiritual support and guidance through religious practices (Li et al., 2020; Villani et al., 2019). In terms of mental health, multiple studies show that females have a higher prevalence of conditions like depression and eating disorders (Ernst et al., 2021; Etheridge & Spantig, 2022). However, this pattern may be caused due to men’s lower likelihood of seeking help for their mental health concerns (Pattyn et al., 2015).

Considering that the Maldives is a predominantly Muslim country (Naseem, 2020), the higher levels of religiosity observed among the Maldivian youth in the study were expected. However, the lack of significant correlation between religiosity and mental well-being suggests that the relationship between these two variables might differ across several cultures and societies (Aksoy et al., 2020; Bentzen, 2021; Fardin, 2020; Hamka et al., 2020; Mahmood et al., 2020). In a number of Western societies, where previous research has demonstrated a link between religiosity and mental well-being, religious involvement is a personal choice and a source of comfort and community support (Aksoy et al., 2020; Kobayashi et al., 2020; Nguyen, 2020; Malinakova et al., 2020; Prazeres et al., 2020). However, in the Maldives, high religiosity could be more of a result of cultural norms rather than an individual’s personal choice or spiritual fulfillment (Ahmad, 2001; Fulu & Miedema, 2015; Mohamed et al., 2020; Zahir, 2021).

Similarly, the finding that age is not significantly correlated with religiosity aligns with the idea that religiosity in high religious communities may not show significant differences among demographics but is rather influenced by a collective norm (Kobayashi et al., 2020; Prazeres et al., 2020). While the weak positive correlation between age and mental well-being suggests that as individuals age, their well-being slightly increases, this could be due to multiple factors, such as emotional regulation or the increase in life experiences (Aksoy et al. 2020; Nguyen, 2020).

The non-significant interaction conducted between age and religiosity suggested that the effect of religiosity on mental well-being does not differ across ages. This non-significant interaction could be due to the impact of religiosity on mental well-being being more consistent, regardless of age. Some studies suggest that older adults may experience a stronger sense of spiritual contentment (Coppola et al., 2021; Li et al., 2020), while others point out that positive relationships between religiosity and well-being stay consistent across age groups (Nguyen, 2020; Prazeres et al., 2020).

The result of the study highlights the importance of reconsidering mental health strategies focused on the youth population of the Maldives. In many countries, it is common to use religious involvement as a tool to improve mental well-being (Dein et al., 2020; Garssen et al., 2020; Mahamid & Bdier, 2021; Santini et al., 2020). However, this study found no significant correlation between religiosity and mental well-being, or between age and religiosity. There was a slight significant positive relationship between age and mental well-being, which implies that focusing primarily on religious engagement as a way to foster better mental health may not yield the desired outcomes in this particular sample group. Instead, a more effective approach would be to invest in mental health services that directly address the specific needs of the youth. This involves implementing mental health awareness programs in educational institutes, increasing accessibility to counselling services, and launching more public health campaigns focusing on promoting mental well-being (Lindow et al., 2020; McGorry et al., 2022). Mental health professionals should also take note of the gender differences in mental well-being, as indicated by the study. The observation of higher mental distress among female participants in this study emphasizes the need for gender-focused mental health interventions (Comacchio et al., 2022). These interventions should look into specific sociocultural and psychological challenges women face in society, which could possibly contribute to their relatively higher mental distress levels (Chandra et al., 2019; Loewenthal, 2019).

The difference between the findings of this study and those of the previous researches conducted in other cultures (Faturachman et al., 2020; Hamka et al., 2020; Kobayashi et al., 2020; Lalayants et al., 2019; Mahmood et al., 2020; Malinakova et al., 2020) highlights the need for more studies on the relationship between religiosity and mental well-being in the Maldives. As mentioned by Nguyen (2020), a deeper approach of how religion is perceived, practiced, and internalized within the specific culture is important for accurately measuring its potential impact on mental well-being. The high prevalence of religiosity among the Maldivian youth, as found in this study, also holds implications for educators. Religious discussions and understanding play an important role in shaping one’s personal and societal identity (Ives & Kidwell, 2019). As such, educators have the ability to help shape these discussions in a healthier and more constructive manner, creating an environment that promotes critical thinking and personal reflection (Latief et al., 2021; Taufik, 2020).

Given the high level of religiosity, families and communities have an important role in shaping the youth’s understanding and practices of religion (Chelladurai et al., 2022; Eko & Putranto, 2019). According to Chelladurai et al. (2022), engaging young people in open conversations about the influences of religious practices and beliefs on their mental well-being can help to create a more supportive and understanding environment.

The results revealed that even though the overall religiosity levels were high among the sample, their level of mental well-being was only moderate. In terms of the statistical analysis, there was no significant correlation between religiosity and mental well-being. The lack of significant correlation suggests that religiosity is not likely to be a major influencing factor in the mental well-being of Maldivian youth. This study contributes valuable baseline knowledge on the understanding of religiosity and mental well-being among Maldivian youth. The findings emphasize the complex and multifaceted nature of the relationship between both the variables. Hence, mental health professionals, educators, policy makers, and families should consider more holistic approaches to promote the mental well-being of youths, rather than focusing on religiosity alone. Further research can build on this study to deepen the knowledge on the relationship between religiosity and mental well-being.