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The Role of Buddhist Practices in Happiness and Health in Thailand: A Structural Equation Model

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  • Lylla Winzer

    (Mahidol University)

  • Rossarin Soottipong Gray

    (Mahidol University)

Abstract

Based on secondary data from the Thai National Statistical Office, the present study tested a model that links Buddhist practices to self-perceived health in a large sample of Thai people. We tested three hypotheses: (1) Buddhist values (e.g., gratitude, generosity and altruism) arise by how frequently people engage in institutionalized Buddhist practices (e.g., praying, meditation, offering food to the monks); (2) The observation of institutionalized Buddhist practices is linked to higher levels of happiness, improved family and community connections and lower levels of negative emotions, depending on to the extent to which individuals incorporate Buddhist values into their behavior; and (3) The path from Buddhism (practices and values) to self-perceived health is mediated by happiness, negative emotions, and family and community connections. The model had a very good fit with the data, corroborating all hypotheses. The strongest indirect path from Buddhist practices to health was mediated by happiness. The results indicate that religion benefits self-perceived health mediated by how much an individual engages in religious practices and the extent to which those practices nurture human virtues. By regulating negative emotions, promoting family and community connections, and strengthening positive feelings, religion has an indirect impact on health. The implications of these findings for public health and the limitations of the study are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Lylla Winzer & Rossarin Soottipong Gray, 2019. "The Role of Buddhist Practices in Happiness and Health in Thailand: A Structural Equation Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 411-425, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:20:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-017-9953-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-017-9953-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Linda K. George, 2010. "Still Happy After All These Years: Research Frontiers on Subjective Well-being in Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(3), pages 331-339.
    2. Sabatini, Fabio, 2014. "The relationship between happiness and health: Evidence from Italy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 178-187.
    3. James Schuurmans-Stekhoven, 2011. "Is it God or Just the Data that Moves in Mysterious Ways? How Well-Being Research may be Mistaking Faith for Virtue," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 313-330, January.
    4. Martikainen, Pekka & Aromaa, Arpo & Heliövaara, Markku & Klaukka, Timo & Knekt, Paul & Maatela, Jouni & Lahelma, Eero, 1999. "Reliability of perceived health by sex and age," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1117-1122, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaozi Gao & Kerry Lee & Kannika Permpoonputtana & Adisak Plitponkarnpim, 2023. "Earning Too Little And Worrying Too Much: The Role Of Income And Financial Worries On Parents’ Well-Being In Hong Kong And Bangkok," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 743-756, September.
    2. Rossarin Soottipong Gray & Umaporn Pattaravanich, 2020. "Internal and external resources, tiredness and the subjective well-being of family caregivers of older adults: a case study from western Thailand, Southeast Asia," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 349-359, September.
    3. Kathleen Ford & Aree Jampaklay & Aphichat Chamratrithirong, 2022. "A Multilevel Longitudinal Study of Individual, Household and Village Factors Associated with Happiness Among Adults in the Southernmost Provinces of Thailand," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1459-1476, June.

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