Lifetime Trauma,Praying for Others,and C-Reactive Protein |
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| Authors: | Neal Krause Gail Ironson Kenneth I Pargament |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;2. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA;3. Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA |
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| Abstract: | Research indicates that praying for others may offset the effects of stress on self-rated health and psychological well-being. The purpose of the current study is to extend this literature by seeing whether praying for others moderates the effects of exposure to lifetime trauma on a key marker of inflammation: C-reactive protein. The data come from a recent nationwide survey of adults of all ages (N = 1,589). Levels of C-reactive protein were obtained from assays of blood spots drawn from a capillary fingerstick. The findings suggest that the magnitude of the relationship between lifetime trauma and C-reactive protein is completely offset for study participants who frequently pray for others. The theoretical implications of this research are discussed. |
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