The Effects of Bilingualism on Language Development Essay

The effects of bilingualism on language development in children are examined. Theories suggest that bilingual children are able to learn a second language after the first is mastered. One of the reasons behind this is that the child has already developed the nonverbal concept of the word (because the child is already using it in the primary language), so only the verbal concept must be constructed. It has been shown that balanced bilinguals are more cognitively and linguistically flexible. However, unbalanced bilinguals generally show mixed results. Introduction Impact of Bilingualism In California, bilingualism is a big issue. Most people in California are not bilingual, but there is a large minority that does speak a second†¦show more content†¦Apparently, if the child is able to use both languages interchangeably, then they are considerably more flexible in their cognitive processes. These balanced bilinguals as they are called, are significantly more skilled at comprehending different syntactical structures. On the other hand, what if a child does not lend equal weight to both languages and tends to rely on one more than the other (unbalanced bilingualism)? Evidence suggests that even though the limited knowledge of the weaker language may help, the child usually experiences some sort of detrimental social reactions. For instance, if the child is primarily a Spanish-speaker and English is the weaker language, then they tend to be looked down upon (Pease-Alvarez, as cited in Seifert, Hoffnung, Hoffnung, 1997). Because English holds more prestige in our society, people generally discredit those who do not speak it as well. However, even if the child only has some knowledge of the second language, in some circumstances (most often if English is the primary language and Spanish or another language is the secondary), it can also carry more prestige. The sword swings both ways on this issue, but for the most part it cannot do any real harm to the child. Learning a Second Language Another question is if a child already knows one language, is it easier to teach a second, or is it easier if the child learns them simultaneously? According to one study, children who areShow MoreRelatedBilingualism And Bilingualism1307 Words   |  6 Pagessurvey, 56% of respondents said they could speak a language other than their mother tongue. In many countries, the proportion of bilinguals is much higher. For example, 99% of Luxembourg and 95% of Latvian populations speak more than one language. Even in the United States, where English is pre-dominantly used as a single language, a large number of people using non-English languages at home have increased by 140% since 1980. Thus, bilingualism is an extensive cultural, linguistic, and cognitiveRead MoreMultidimensional Effects Of Bilingualism1117 Words   |  5 Pagesspeaking language contribute to an individual’s compatibility with his or her environment (Bialystok, 2010). Past research on language has focused primar ily on individuals who speak one language (Yow Li, 2015); however, as diversity increases over time, many individuals speak two or more languages (Bunge Zelazo, 2002). This reality has prompted many scientists to examine bilingualism, its effects on cognition, and the processes bilingual individuals have used to control the languages they speakRead MoreBilingualism Does Improve Brain Functioning919 Words   |  4 Pagesthough one can deviate from the main language spoken, bilingualism does improve brain functioning, because your brain has to work harder to understand two languages simultaneously. This keeps the mind fresh, it requires the ability to switch from one language to another without losing detail of what topic is being spoken about, and it forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, which in turn works out the brain and strengthens its cognitive muscles. Bilingualism would definitely fall within the behaviorRead MoreBilingualism Is The Ability By Individuals1208 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Bilingualism is the ability by individuals to use two linguistic systems languages. Children acquire bilingualism in their early years when they are regularly exposed to adults who speak two different languages such as German and French or English and Spanish. Research shows that the majority of people in the world today are bilingual, or multilingual (those who comprehend more than two languages), compared to monolingual (individuals who have learned only one language). While manyRead MoreThe Importance Of Bilingualism And Its Effects On The World1709 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans in the United States about knowing other languages. In the United States the rate of people speaking two or more languages, bilingualism (2) and multilingualism (multiple), is the lowest in the world (Grosjean 15). When defining bilingualism, I am referencing the ability to communicate, whether it is speaking, writing, reading, or understanding, in another language. Out of the entire United States, clos e to 17 percent speak more than one language but they do not reach those of Europe, Asia, orRead MoreBilingualism : A Culturally And Culturally Diverse Country Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagesof our country will be introduced to two or more languages from birth and will develop proficiency in these languages following their significant exposure to both. This is referred to as simultaneous bilingualism (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2004). There are many misconceptions about simultaneous bilingualism that are believed to be persistent in society, even within professional groups including teachers, doctors and speech-language therapists (Hamers Blanc, 2000; King FogleRead MoreBilingualism and Multiliteracies in Australia Essay1323 Words   |  6 Pagesability; discussing three main issues in bilingualism which is: the maintaining children’s first language, social and cognitive benefits, also why bilingualism should be in cooperated into school programming/cur riculum. Bilingualism can be defined as the ability to speak and/or write in two languages. In Australia English is the main language although in 1996, statistics show that 15% (2.5 million people) of the Australian population communicate in a language other than English at home and 42% ofRead Moreintend to expose in their studies how Educational Neuroscience can reshape educational policies and1500 Words   |  6 Pagesand practices in teaching and learning the core content areas, especially in timing and sequencing content exposure. One approach was to study whether exposing a young child to two languages caused delay in language development and language confusion. Studies revealed that the optimal age for dual language development was before age five. Children were not delayed in phonetic contrasts acquisition. Imaging brains of monolingual and bilingual infants revealed that both groups presented similar neuralRead MoreWhy Immigrants Have A Higher Incidence Of Schizophrenia933 Words   |  4 Pagesother structural discrimination as well as issues related to language (Whitley 1074). Thus, despite discrimination and other social factors that contribute to mental health issues in immigrants, the one factor of which immigrants are personally in control is their language proficiency. Though it seems like an obvious solution for immigrants to learn the language to rid themselves of some socioeconomic burdens, too often second-language acquisition is reserved for the second generation, which isRead MoreStudy Into Dyslexia And Bilingual Acquisition During The Critical Period1528 Words   |  7 Pagesofficial language. These facts tie in particularly well with Fred Genesee’s views on bilingualism, especially when he talks about the myth that â€Å"monolinguals are the gold standard†; in fact, a majority of the world is bilingual or multilingual, due to a variety of factors. However, before views on monolingualism can be updated and transformed, there are a variety of other factors that must also be reevaluated. If bilingualism is the norm, how can we think about it in terms of language acquisition

Martin Luther King And Rosa Parks Achieving Racial...

Despite the reformative efforts of progressive figures such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks in achieving racial equality, the presence of racism in American society continues to cause turmoil between white and minority individuals, which invokes an essential question: despite living in a modern and progressive society, why has racial equality not been truly achieved yet? Unfortunately, the long-lasting presence of racial injustice has prevented our society from attaining full acceptance of diverse beliefs and eradication of racial segregation, which still exists today on a much less noticeable level, specifically on college campuses. Upon the request of one college’s African American students, the Halisi House was implemented at Cal State LA, which is a living and learning dormitory specifically designed for the school’s black community and it portrays the continual presence of the fundamental issues of race and lack of societal progress today. These students were compelled to take radical action due to the unintentional segregation that occurs in racially-diverse settings, which is caused by the superficial acknowledgement and value for diversity, but lack of open-minded acceptance and integration of individuals of varied racial backgrounds. With the institutions of higher education in America gaining diversity, there has been widespread uproar about the frequent occurrence of racial discrimination on college campuses. Minority students at various universities haveShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Contribution of Martin Luther King to US Affairs1173 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ What was the contribution of Martin Luther King to US affairs? 1) Introduction: 1. Before 1945, the Negro community was regarded as socially inferior within the United States. 2. While slavery had been abolished in 1863 under President Lincoln, segregation was commonplace, especially in the southern sates. 3. The Jim Crow laws were in place to maintain this segregation and in 1896, the Supreme Court ruled these laws constitutional. 4. However, the growing discontentment among the NegroRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay871 Words   |  4 Pages Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was born in Atlanta Georgia on January 15, 1929. His parents were Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his siblings were guided by the spiritual teachings from their father and attended public schools in Atlanta during their childhood. King and his nine siblings grew up in a financially secure middle class family. They received a better education than the average child of their race, King noticed this and it influencedRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1053 Words   |  5 Pagesstrides were made for racial equality in the United States. However, while changes were made, they did take a considerable amount of time to achieve. This made some leaders of the civil rights movement frustrated and caused them to divert from their original goal of integration. They instead strove for black separatism where blacks and whites would live segregated. The civil rights movement started in 1955 with the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks, a black woman, satRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. vs. Malcolm X997 Words   |  4 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. vs. Malcolm X Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X both fought for the same goal, but had different ways of achieving this goal. They both fought against civil rights and were leaders in the civil rights movement. The way they were brought up is a good explanation for their differences; King was brought up in a wealthy family, while X was raised in the ghetto to a poor family. Both fought against unfair laws, Social Discrimination, and Racial segregation, but theyRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"the home of the brave and the land of the free.† The statement â€Å"land of the free† hasn’t always been the case for African-Americans. But fortunately, America is â€Å"the home of the brave† and through trials and tribulations they were able to achieve equality. Dating back to 1619 the first African-Americans were sold into slavery at Jamestown. Being a slave meant you were a human being owned by another and as slaves they were deprived of most of their rights as an American and were treated as a peaceRead MoreEssay on Waiting Til the Midnight Hour1733 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 1950’s and 1960’s. I am a self-professed scholar of African American history and I found an amazing amount of information that I was not aware of. Like most who claim to be Black History experts, I was aware of the roles of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. However, I was not aware of the impact that so many lesser known figures had in the civil rights movement. It was refreshing to learn of the roles played by Harold Cruse, Arturo Schomburg, RichardRead MoreAfrican Americans And The Civil Rights Movement1260 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican Americans have fought for equality for a long period of time against desegregation and racism. It was an era where blacks couldn’t have the same rights as a white individual. African American were treated with hate and anger. The Civ il Rights Movement is embodied in dramatic recorded speeches. Speeches like â€Å"I have A Dream†, the â€Å"Black Revolution†, and â€Å"Black Power’ and Coalition Politics. These speeches were written by great leaders. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Bayard RustingRead MoreI Have A Dream Speech1508 Words   |  7 PagesRosa and three other colored women to move seats. However, Parks disobeyment led to mass support when she was later arrested and the bus boycott took place. This gained the support of thousands African-American people and not only from the ones who participated in the event. It also gained support of prominent colored members of the community. Martin Luther King Junior, a Baptist minister in Montgomery, emerged as a prominent figure for this movement. King helped to found the Southern Christian LeadershipRead More The Civil Rights Movement (1955- 1965) Essay1262 Words   |  6 Pages Civil Rights Movement in the United States, was a political, legal, and social struggle to gain full citizenship rights for African Americans and to achieve racial equality. The civil rights movement was a challenge to segregation, the system of laws and customs separating blacks and whites. During the civil rights movement, individuals and organizations challenged segregation and discrimination with a variety of activities, including protest marches, boycotts, and refusal to abide by segregationRead MorePersonal Experience with The African American Civil Rights Era1546 Words   |  6 Pagestime period, activists, African American and white alike, rallied for change using all methods possible: nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and even violence in some cases. While it is most common to recall the achievements of men such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and A. Philip Randolph, and while it is true that men played a large role in the advancement of the African American Civil Rights Movement, one cannot forget the other half of the gender demographic. African American women were arguably

Morton Salt Essay Example For Students

Morton Salt Essay Morton Salt is a prominent American company situated in the Lake City that makes salt for food consumption, water needs, industrial, rural or road use, and other human needs. The main branch is based in Chicago and is a leading producer in North America and a well-known marketer. The firm was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1848 as a not very large sales agency. Wheeler launched Onondaga salt companies to sell their product in the Midwest. In 1910, this rather successful business, which until then became a producer and seller of salt, was formed as a company of Morton Salt. He was named after the founder, Joy Morton, who was the son of J. Stirling Morton, the founder of the Tree Day. Nowadays you can even take a trip to the Lake City and take a look at how the Morton salt is made, and which equipment is used for it. How can we get salt? The property of salt is to precipitate and fall to the bottom. This process occurs without human help or any technical equipment. In nature, it is present in sedimentary rocks in sufficient quantities. Geologists call it rock salt; it really is a rock conglomerate. But if this monolith is influenced by high temperatures and pressure, then it softens and becomes so consistent that it can be selected from the formation by specific equipment. If the salt layers lay not deep from the surface, then the development is carried out in a mine way. This production is the least costly and is used on the formations around the world. Another method of production is used for the formation of salt layers at a depth from the surface. His principle is to drill wells and fill it with water to dissolve salt. The resulting brine is pumped onto the surface; then the salt is weld from this brine. This production method is called a vacuum, with the help of which we can receive the salt of fine grinding. In the presence of huge salt domes in the subsoil, mine is built, combines for rock production are launched in it, and the salt is extracted according to the same principle as coal or other solid minerals. There are naturally formed salt caves and lakes, which organize the production of fossil salt on an industrial scale. How we get Morton Salt? We receive the outcome after introducing the water into specific salt caves, where its deposits are dissolved, and in turn it makes possible for the brine to get to the surface in order to be processed with special equipment. It is necessary to get rid of a large amount of liquid correctly, so the brine is boiled. The finished product on this stage is crystal deposits of salt. At this point, if everything is done correctly, the production process is coming to an end. The crystal deposits need one more stage, which is trying to remove all the remaining moisture. When everything is done correctly, we can see the resulting product, salt. Of course, salt production is a long and hard process, but if the professional deal with it, we can see an amazing outcome. Design Now, when the salt production is finished, it needs further production, putting into finished round cans which are done on-site. Before packaging, the product is stored in silos. Usually, Morton Salt is put into round cans made of two sheets of the board that are glued together. Before being finished, the can`s production is conducted by creating a long round tube which is cut into pieces with special equipment. If everything was done correctly, all the ingredients are later put into a small round can with a beautiful design. But there is also another design for it, which is usually used at home at the dinner table. The glass bottles with pepper grinders are perfect for family dinner. The complex of ingredients of high quality with a convenient bottle with pepper grinders are sure to make tasting the food easier and better. Also, you can find pepper miniatures in the same glass bottles. Many people agree that that is much more convenient than putting the salt in a bag or box. Pepper miniatures are easy to travel with, and they look relevant on the dinner table, unlike the bag and box which are too big and inconvenient. What we see at a glance is a design of the package, and all people acquainted with Morton Salt paid attention to the girl illustrated on it. There is no real person for modeling the girl, but a lot of students use her for their projects about the salt. Girl costume is easily recognized, as people saw it during the usage of the product for different aims. Although the girl costume has changed a lot throughout the years, the girl with the umbrella will always be associated with Morton Salt.

Mental health and spirituality

Introduction Religious people are less susceptible to depression because spirituality gives them a sense of purpose, community and teaches them to have an attitude of acceptance. These qualities are quite useful in mental health. The association between religiosity and mental health will be analyzed through empirical evidence on the two, causes of depression and how these causes can be affected by religious practices.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Mental health and spirituality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sense of loss, helplessness, isolation, grief as causes of depression and how religion can neutralize these factors through comfort, facilitation of acceptance and creation of new identities Depression is a complex mental health issue which can be caused by so many factors. Nonetheless, these factors can be classified into these major categories: genetic, environmental, psychological and physical factors . Environmental and psychological factors are the most relevant category in this discussion and they include economic, family or social challenges. Some people may have undergone family abuse or abuse from close people either in the past or in the present. These can leave scars that make individuals susceptible to depression. The major role of religion in such a case is to provide coping mechanisms for victims of abuse. Alternatively, depression may be caused by family conflicts. Disputes may arise between siblings or parents and their children and this may put people at a risk of being depressed. Such persons may feel lost or isolated or may lose their sense of belonging and religion can address these emotional challenges. Other people have difficulty dealing with major loss or the death of a loved. Grief has been shown to be a major cause of depression among patients. Religion can facilitate acceptance of such sad events as they take place and thus minimize the possibility of gett ing depressed. Occurrence of major events in one’s life is also closely related to death as another major cause of depression. Some people may get divorced, move to a new city, retire or lose their job and these changes can trigger depressive tendencies. Usually such people may feel unwanted and unloved. They start to question the reason for their existence. As such, religion can offer a platform for neutralizing those negative thoughts and thus prevent depression. It can enhance their sense of meaning and life purpose.Advertising Looking for thesis on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sometimes physical factors can lead to instances of depression and these may include serious illness. When individuals have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses, most of them tend to develop depression. In fact, substantial research has illustrated that patients with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Stroke and many o thers are likely to be depressed. This does not imply that depression is a normal reaction to those diagnoses but it may occur at any one time to the concerned patient. Religion can provide a sense of comfort to such patients who may feel like they have lost it all. How religion helps to define life purpose and provides a sense of meaning among people who are susceptible to depression Many religious people affirm that their lives have a sense of purpose and meaning. This can prove to be a useful trait in handling depression because it gives people a sense of understanding even when illness, death or other major events have occurred. Depression often sets in when these individuals start questioning why they are alive in the first place. Religion offers that sense of comfort in times of crises because it has already dealt with those underlying questions that can lead to depression. Koenig et al (44) summarized one hundred reports on religion and life satisfaction and found that an ove rwhelming percentage of the analyses i.e. 80% of them found that life satisfaction increased with an increase in religiosity. Okulicz-Kozaryn (3) found that this ability to create purpose in life is what led to happiness and happiness eventually led to greater life satisfaction. Although the study did not focus on depression, it is very useful in the study because it explains the importance of religion in dealing with underlying causes of depression and countering them. Many individuals tend to take on their day to day challenges without really thinking about the meaning of their life. They go to school, get jobs or start businesses, raise families and interact with others without really questioning the purpose of their lives in relation to these events. However, when a drastic event occurs, such people will then begin to think of their purpose but will often lack answers on it. Religion teaches that human beings are not simply products of chance because if this were the case then t here would be no meaning to life (Hatcher Douglas, 49). Man is a conscious being so he has that inherent need to understand why he is on this earth.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Mental health and spirituality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many religions teach that man was created in order know his higher power. In other words, even if many negative things take place in one’s life, one’s life still remains valuable because it can still be used to get to know God or a higher power. Religions teach people to believe that they are spiritual beings and that they continue to exist even after death occurs. Therefore, even chronically ill patients can have a sense of hope because they know that they will continue to exist even at the end of life. Furthermore, when a person has a sense of purpose as postulated by that person’s religious beliefs then it is likely that the person will be detach ed from material or worldly things. Such an individual will not be as affected as a non religious person when they lose their job or when they retire because they know that there is a greater spiritual quest that they are engaging in. Most religious people think of life’s happenings as transient since the ultimate goal is to grow and develop in God or the higher power. This sense of detachment is crucial to dealing with instances of abuse or any other troubling occurrence. Thoughts of that abusive situation may not keep lingering in the mind of the victim because he or she will think of it as a small fraction of the larger picture. That person will be detached from the incident and is likely to fare better than the non religious person. This would make him or her less susceptible to depression. When a person has a deep sense of place and they are well connected with their ultimate purpose then they will often be at peace with themselves. Circumstances around that individual w ill not dictate one’s reaction because that person looks within in order to find answers. In the end, it is likely that such a person will be immensely comfortable in his own skin. Environmental causes of depression that may challenge one’s sense of place can have a marginal effect on the individual because that person’s focus is on something else other than the physical. Isolation, loneliness and detachment as causes of depression and how religion neutralizes them through social support and renewed identity Clark and Lelkes (1) carried out a research to find the relationship between religious interactions and life satisfaction. Here, they found that the religious tend to be more satisfied with their lives. They controlled for education, marital status, age and country and still found that religious devotees tended to be more satisfied with their lives than those who were not.Advertising Looking for thesis on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But what was most insightful about this research was that is illustrated how social support affected life satisfaction. The authors found that Roman Catholics tended to report greater life satisfaction in regions where more Roman Catholics were present. Protestants also reported greater life satisfaction in areas where there were more Protestants. This implies that there are positive spillover effects from associations with members of the same faith. These associations were found to come from social support institutions set up by the prevalent religions. People tended to have greater spillover when they attended these churches and events. Even their degree of happiness tended to increase. When individuals are more satisfied with their lives then chances of falling prey to depression are much less there than in those groups that are unsatisfied with their lives. Clark and Lelkes (7) found that positive spillovers of life satisfaction occurred when religious groups of the same kind ex isted. This implies that social support and social satisfaction are critical in determining how satisfied one is with one’s life. Religion offers that crucial life support and thus causes significant changes in people’s attitude or perception of their lives. Depression can therefore be alleviated or prevented because religious association is an anecdote towards one of the most pressing problems in cases of depression; isolation. Religion has often been considered as a powerful source of community even as external factors try to pull people apart. When individuals get together, they often create positive energy that reinforces their shared identity with one another. Usually, these people may come together in order to perform a ritual and once they leave those gatherings, the sense of motivation that they derive from it often trickles into their own lives. Since these people feel connected to one another, then that shared feeling causes most of them to act in accordance with that identity. Indeed, religion provides that platform for explaining one’s interrelation with the world and everything else within it. Furthermore, it confirms to people that they are part of a larger community that values them Okulicz-Kozaryn (3). As stated earlier, many people tend to be susceptible to depression because a certain life event may have caused them to be isolated or lonely. For example, when a person looses a spouse through death or divorce, that person’s identity is likely to be distorted. Depression can arise among the widowed because more often than not the living spouse identified herself with her role as a wife and that may no longer be plausible. Such a person may feel lonely and unwanted and these are feelings that are synonymous to depression. Consequently, religion would give this widow a renewed sense of identity. She will feel that her life is still significant because she belongs to her church, mosque or any other religious structure. This would neutralize those negative sentiments and thus cause her to be mentally sound. Similarly, a person who has moved from their country of birth to a different part of the world may feel detached from his or her new community. Religion provides such people with a renewed sense of identity in an otherwise strange and unwelcoming environment. Religion facilitates acceptance of life events When people want to develop spiritually, the first thing they usually do is to become aware of the teachings which they are ascribing to. In order for religious teachings to get into people’s consciousness, it must be accepted. Acceptance refers to the process of being open about something without either negating it to agreeing to it. Although the attitude of acceptance is mostly applied to religious teachings, it often overflows into other parts of life. The attitude of acceptance is crucial in life because it allows people to just let life’s experiences flow. Acceptance allows p eople to take others as they are rather than judge or condemn them. Essentially, this allows them to interact with others lovingly. When looking at causes of depression, it was found that most people tend to succumb to depression after the death of a loved one has occurred or when facing a sad event in life like retirement or job loss. These issues create a lot of negative thoughts and when those thoughts become overwhelming then someone can easily become depressed. The attitude of acceptance as taught through religion can come in handy because it causes individuals to accept life as it is. Religious people are better at accepting life events because they understand certain fundamental laws. First, they know that all human beings have choices and can decide to either take one path or the other. In Christianity, people are often expected to make conscious choices on salvation, forgiveness, humility and many other facets. Religious people therefore understand that choices are imperati ve in their lives and most will shun having a complaining attitude. Most religions also teach adherents to think of problems as blessings since these are regarded as tests of one’s spiritual journey. Possessing such knowledge does help most people to accept challenges with grace. They are under the belief that human beings are transient so all of its circumstances will be regarded as a form of teaching for them. The attitude of acceptance therefore teaches people to look at life’s problems as a lesson in wisdom. This kind of perception allows most religious people not to focus on past events because they emphasize mostly on the future. In religion, the will of the divine being is more important than that of men such that people do not try to look for answers through their own comprehension but through the lens of their divine being. Many religious groups tend to teach followers about being appreciative of the little things in life. They teach people to dwell on what th ey have rather than what they do not have or wish to acquire. In troubling circumstances, it is absolutely essential for people to detach themselves from their prevailing situations in order to prevent over analysis of their respective challenges. Religiousness therefore inculcates a spirit of gratitude which in turn causes greater levels of life acceptance among followers Clark and Lelkes (5). When situations that could lead to depression show up, religion causes affected persons to accept those scenarios by dwelling on the positive things in their lives. Evidence The subject of religion and mental health has been studied by several researchers who have found positive relations between religiosity and mental health stability. One such case was research carried out by Sbarra and Law (820). This research directly focused on the subject matter under analysis which was depressed mood. They wanted to find the relationship between church attendance and depressed mood. The dual dwelt on o lder members of the population with a mean age of 75.6 and a population of 791 participants. They used frequency of church attendance as a measure of the level of religiosity. They also used the CES-D scale as a measure of depressive symptoms. From the analysis, people who went to church had lower instances of depression. Those who did not go to church at all appeared to have an even lower level of depression but it was soon confirmed that this same group were more susceptible to depressed mood than those who did go to church. The explanation given by Law and Sbarra (813) concerning these observations was that church attendance gives people a sense of purpose, meaning in their life and also gives them shared activities. This study confirms earlier assertions made in the paper that religion enhances social support, meaning and purpose. It also illustrates that spirituality can be used tactfully by psychologists in order to prevent occurrence of depression in susceptible populations s uch as the elderly and the chronically ill. Koenig (51) found that patients dealing with medical illness tended to rely on religion to cope with the challenges of medical illness. As stated earlier, chronically ill patients are highly susceptible to depression. It would therefore be crucial to find out what scholars say about this particular group’s depression susceptible with regard to religiosity. The researchers in this particular report sought to find out the opinions of the mentally sick by asking them what coping mechanisms they utilized. Other individuals had different reports but majority of the patients asserted that they depended upon their religious practices and beliefs. They claimed that it gave them a sense of comfort and therefore heightened their ability to cope with pain and other challenges associated with long term illness. It gave them a sense of optimism and this can be deduced to be inversely related to depression amongst them. Koenig (737) did a compreh ensive analysis of studies that have been conducted amongst physically ill patients concerning their susceptibility to depression and their level of depression. He summarized findings carried out in San Diego, and University of Alabama. It was illustrated that patients tended to focus on prayer prior to surgery and others relied on prayer as one of the conventional forms of adaptation. In other words, chronically ill patients tended to adapt to their illness in a much better way because of religious practices. Essentially, this implies that their susceptibility to depression was minimized owing to these coping mechanisms. These findings sustain earlier assertions that religion provides groups in risk populations with a sense of support. Koenig (738) explains that the concerned groups were able to deal with psychological symptoms such as loss of interest. Chronic illness often presents patients with a set of physical and psychological challenges. They might lose weight, concentration and energy and there is very little that religion can do about these physical factors. However, religion affects the psychological factors that make chronically ill patients vulnerable to depression. In this scenario, physically ill patients tend to lose interest in life and religion addresses that through increased meaning. It causes people to feel isolated and withdrawn from their environment. Religion facilitates social interactions and thus minimizes the depressive mood. Some may feel a sense of hopelessness because they appear to have lost that sense of control over their illnesses. In such situations, it becomes imperative for these groups to find a sense of hope and religion provides them with that (Koenig, 739) Conclusion Religion prevents depression; this has been confirmed through empirical research which has shown that patients tend to cope with illnesses through religious practices and that people are likely to be more satisfied with their lives when religious. When mea sured for depression, it was found that this category was less prone to depression. Spirituality also leads to lower prevalence of depression because it Neutralizes factors that tend to cause depression. It offers individuals a sense of belonging such that they can get rid of feelings of hopelessness which can cause depression. Religion also gives people a sense of purpose in their life and thus acts as a coping mechanism for life’s events. Additionally, religion also creates an attitude of acceptance such that individuals can counter the negative thoughts associated with distressing life events. Together, these factors minimize susceptibility to depression even among groups that would be at the greatest risk. Essentially, actual religious faiths have little to do with this positive outcome; it is association with others and access to a social network that creates this positive relationship between religion and mental health. Works Cited Clark, Andrew. Lelkes, Orsolya. Let u s pray: religious interactions in life satisfaction. Paris School of Mimeo, 2009(2009-01): 1-15 Hatcher, William Douglas, Martin. The Bahai faith? The emerging global religion. San Francisco: Harper and row, 1985 Koenig, Harold. Spirituality and depression: a look at the evidence. Southern Medical journal, 100.7(2007): 737-739 Koenig, Harold., McCullough, M. Larson, D. Handbook of religion and health. Oxford: OUP, 2001 Law, Rita Sbarra, David. The effects of church attendance and marital status on the longitudinal trajectories of depressed mood among older adults. Aging and Health Journal, 21.6(2009): 803-823 Okulicz-Kozaryn, Adam. Religiosity and life satisfaction: a multilevel investigation across nations. Harvard: HUP, 2009 This thesis on Mental health and spirituality was written and submitted by user Ada O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.