Possible psychological benefits of religion
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how religious beliefs and practices could support someone’s mental health and give different perspectives on this.
Key learning points
- Some evidence suggests religious belief can be beneficial for mental health.
- Some evidence suggests religious practices can be beneficial for mental health.
- Some people may dispute the claim that religion is beneficial for mental heath.
Keywords
Higher power - a spirit or being (such as God) that has great power and that can affect nature and the lives of people
Mental health - a state of wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and contribute to their community
Mindfulness - the practice of maintaining a moment by moment awareness of our thoughts
Prayer - the act or ceremony of speaking to and communicating with God, a god or higher power
Secular - not having any connection with religion or spiritual things
Common misconception
That all forms of religious belief and practices will have mental health benefits.
Religion is a very broad term and different beliefs and practices will have different effects on different individuals.
Teacher tip
This lesson includes analysis to offer different perspectives on this issue and could be explored further.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does it mean to be grateful for something?
Q2.What practice involves focusing the mind, often to achieve a calm and relaxed state?
Q3.What is a condition where someone can't control the urge to engage in a certain behaviour or use a substance, despite negative consequences?
Q4.What term means all powerful?
Q5.Which of these is not typically a religious belief about the afterlife?
Q6.What term refers to information or facts used to support a claim?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the key terms below to the correct definitions.
speaking or communicating with a higher power
not having any connection with religion or spiritual things
having a moment by moment awareness of our thoughts
Q2.What term means a state of wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and contribute to their society?
Q3.According to a 2019 National Volunteer survey (UK), what percentage of people found that their mental health had improved since they started volunteering?
Q4.Which of these is a religious practice which could be linked to good mental health?
Q5.What did Carl Jung suggest to Rowland Hazard to help him overcome his addictions?
Q6.Which of these statements is most accurate?
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: Possible psychological benefits of religion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: Possible psychological benefits of religion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Psychology: is our brain designed to believe? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.