This study demonstrates that religion protected mental health but constrained support for crisis response during the crucial early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from a national probability-based sample of the U.S. population show that highly religious individuals and evangelicals suffered less distress in March 2020. They were also less likely to see the coronavirus outbreak as a crisis and less likely to support public health restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. The conservative politicization of religion in the United States can help explain why religious Americans (and evangelicals in particular) experienced less distress and were less likely to back public health efforts to contain the virus. We conclude that religion can be a source of comfort and strength in times of crisis, but—at least in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic—it can also undercut efforts to end the root causes of suffering.

中文翻译：

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在 COVID-19 大流行的关键早期，宗教保护了心理健康，但限制了危机反应

这项研究表明，在 COVID-19 大流行的关键早期，宗教保护了心理健康，但限制了对危机应对的支持。来自美国人口全国概率样本的数据显示，高度虔诚的个人和福音派人士在 2020 年 3 月遭受的痛苦较少。他们也不太可能将冠状病毒的爆发视为一场危机，也不太可能支持公共卫生限制以限制病毒的传播。美国对宗教的保守政治化可以帮助解释为什么有宗教信仰的美国人（尤其是福音派人士）经历的痛苦较少，并且不太可能支持遏制该病毒的公共卫生努力。我们得出结论，在危机时期，宗教可以成为安慰和力量的源泉，