The mediating role of spiritual health and ego-strength on the relationship between spiritual/religious perfectionism and mental health

Examining the relationship between spiritual/religious perfectionism and indices of mental health including psychological well-being and psychological distress was the first objective of the present study. The second objective of the present study was to investigate the moderating role of spiritual health and ego-strength on the relationship between spiritual/religious perfectionism and mental health. Two hundred and sixty four volunteer students (122 boys, 142 girls) from the universities in Tehran participated in the present study. All participants were asked to complete Spiritual/Religious Perfectionism Scale, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Ego-Strength Scale, and Mental Health Inventory. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between spiritual/religious perfectionism and measures of religious well-being, existential well-being, ego strenght, and psychological well-being, as well as a significant negative correlation between spiritual/religious perfectionism and psychological distress. Spiritual health as well as ego-strength showed a significant positive and negative correlation with psychological well-being and psychological distress, respectively. Results of path analysis showed that religious well-being, existential well-being, and ego strength plaid a moderating role on the relationship between spiritual/religious perfectionism and mental health. It can be concluded that spiritual/religious perfectionism is one of the determinants of mental health. Such determinant role is further supported by a positive correlation detected between spiritual/religious perfectionism and indices of spiritual health and ego-strength. Spiritual/religious perfectionism, as a new conceptualization of perfectionism separate from nonspiritual/nonreligious perfectionism, is confirmed by significant correlations between Spiritual/religious perfectionism and indices of mental health, spiritual health, and ego-strength in the present study.