Attributing Problem-Solving to God, Receiving Social Support, and Stress-Moderation

This research note explores the stress-moderating effects of attributing a problem-solving role to God among a nationwide sample of 2,260 Americans. Specifically, the ways in which the perception of “God-as-a-problem-solver” moderates stress is explored for Americans reporting low and high levels of social support from other people. Within a model that interacts two moderators (i.e., a moderated moderation analysis), two predictions are tested that extend from social support and sense of control frameworks. Consistent with one prediction, viewing God-as-a-problem-solver had a stress-buffering effect (i.e., a reduction of the negative impact of life stressors on a depressive symptomology outcome measure) among those receiving low social support. Consistent with a second prediction, viewing God-as-a-problem-solver served as a stress-exacerbator among those already receiving high levels of social support. Findings suggest that the optimal count of supportive sets of entities (be it God or other people) is no fewer or no more than one.