Religious Disaffiliation and Mental Well-Being

Research has just begun to investigate the role that religious disaffiliation plays in general well-being. It is suggested that disaffiliation on average leads to decreased levels of well-being relative to those that remain religious. However, the current state of this work has not yet added in the contexts which may alter this outcome. In this thesis, I examine three contexts that help explain when we might expect someone to disaffiliate from religion as well as how these same contexts might effect one's mental well-being after disaffiliation. Though in some situations, well-being is suggested to decrease after disaffiliation, I find that in some situations, well-being actually improves after disaffiliation. I also note some potential avenues future research might take in order to expand our current understanding of the relationship between religious disaffiliation and mental well-being.