원불교 종교활동과 노년기의 주관적 삶의 질 — 생애사적 접근 —

Abstract

This study examines the effects of religious activity on subjective quality of life among the elderly using the life history approach. The life history data were collected from in-depth interviews between October and December in 2011. The interviewees were six elderly persons who believed in “Won-buddhism”. We covered five topics related to qualities of life among the elderly: the starting event for religious life, religion and changes in family relationships, religion and changes in mental health, religion and perception for death, religion and life satisfaction. We examined the appropriateness of Kart's Cognitive Coherence Hypothesis for the topics of mental health, perception for death, and life satisfaction. In results, religious activity had positive effects on several areas of quality of life, but the effects could be different depending on the family relationships and life conditions. If other family members did not support the religion of the elderly participants, the positive effect of religion could be canceled out. Religion contributed to quality of elderly life with providing religious world view and values which were effective to cope with later-life stressors such as physical disease, death, and poor living conditions. These results correspond to the Cognitive Coherence Hypothesis, and such positive effects of religion were more prominent among the elderly in the lower socioeconomic status.