Contrasting the Effects of Harmonious and Obsessive Passion for Religion on Stress and Drinking: Give me that Old Time Religion … and a Beer.

Religiousness has been a consistent protective factor against problem drinking. Religiousness is also positively related to some domains of mental health (Koenig, 2009). We propose that Vallerand and Houlfort's (2003) theory of passion, which includes two different approaches to any given activity, might offer a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between religiousness and alcohol use. The current study longitudinally assessed the relationships among harmonious and obsessive passion for religion, alcohol-related problems, and mental health. We hypothesized that the relationship between religious passion and problem drinking would be mediated by mental health as assessed by perceived stress and satisfaction with life. Participants included 707 college students (54.9% female) who were assessed at three time points at three month intervals. Mediation analyses revealed that harmonious passion for religious beliefs and practices was negatively associated with drinking problems through perceived stress, while obsessive passion for religious beliefs and practices was positively associated with drinking problems through perceived stress. Harmonious passion for religious beliefs and practices can be conducive to better mental health and less problematic alcohol use, while obsessive passion can have the opposite effect. This study provides a stepping-stone for future research into the effects of harmonious and obsessive passion for religious beliefs and practices in the context of addictive behaviors.