Page 84 - JCBP-3-2

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Coping with a crisis

and reduced ethnic and cultural diversity, which may Acknowledgments
limit the generalizability of the findings across different
backgrounds. To that end, future research should involve None.
a more culturally and gender-diverse sample. Funding
5. Conclusion None.

Spirituality often implies a sense of community, with Conflict of interest
evidence suggesting that religious communities contribute
significantly to human flourishing. Studies, like those The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
6,42
by Prieto-Ursúa and Jódar, show that spirituality Author contributions
43
and religiousness can foster psychological growth and
resilience, especially following stress, such as the COVID-19 Conceptualization: Karen M. Skemp, Michele L. Pettit
pandemic. Similarly, positive social media use – especially Formal analysis: Patrick J. Barlow
in maintaining close relationships – can promote feelings of Investigation: All authors
belonging and social support. Resilience, crucial for mental Methodology: Patrick J. Barlow
health, is often strengthened by spiritual connections and Writing – original draft: Karen M. Skemp
supportive social networks. Based on these insights and Writing – review & editing: Michele L. Pettit, Patrick J.
what we learned from our study, we recommend that Barlow
students, faculty, and staff actively seek to build spiritual
and in-person connections through activities such as Ethics approval and consent to participate
spiritual book clubs, meditation groups, and faith-sharing The authors confirm that the research presented in this
sessions, as a means to enhancing overall mental health. article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to
Furthermore, fostering resilience should be a primary goal the legal requirements, of the United States and received
among campus community leaders. approval from the Institutional Review Board of the
To draw parallels or comparisons between spirituality University Wisconsin-La Crosse (approval ID: 22-KS-
and social media use in terms of their impact on mental 266). All study participants provided written consent
health is challenging, as there is no clear comparison in before participating.
the literature to date. Our study provides a unique glance Consent for publication
into the intersection of spirituality and social media use on
mental health in a campus community, recognizing diverse All study participants provided written consent before
coping strategies among various ages and genders. Future participating and were informed that their responses
researchers might need to consider broader frameworks would remain anonymous, and that all findings would be
or theoretical models that explore how different coping reported in aggregate form, ensuring that no individual
mechanisms, social support networks, or sources of responses could be identified.
meaning and purpose (including both spirituality and
social connections via social media) interact to influence Availability of data
mental health outcomes. While there might not be Data are available from the corresponding author on
direct comparative studies, synthesizing findings from reasonable request.
research on spirituality, social media use, and mental
health could provide valuable insights into how various Further disclosure
factors contribute to overall well-being in today’s digital Part of the findings has been presented at the American
age. In addition, interdisciplinary research that integrates Public Health Association (APHA) 2023 Annual
perspectives from psychology, sociology, and religious Conference on October 27, 2023.
studies could shed light on the complex interplay between
spirituality, social media, and mental health. References

In conclusion, our study underscores the intricate 1. King U. The Search for Spirituality: Our Global Quest for a
relationships among spirituality, social media use, and Spiritual Life. New Zealand: Bluebridge; 2012.
mental health, highlighting the need for tailored mental 2. Fetzer Institute. What does Spirituality Mean to Us?
health interventions that consider the diverse coping Overview. A Study of Spirituality in America. Available from:
mechanisms and social dynamics of different demographic https://spiritualitystudy.fetzer.org/key-findings/overview
groups. [Last accessed on 2024 Jun 02].

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 78 doi: 10.36922/jcbp.4563