Mental Health Among Young Adults : The Role of Religiosity, Self-Control, and Basic Psychological Needs

Abstract

Mental health is a multidimensional aspect influenced by spiritual and psychosocial factors. This study aimed to examine the simultaneous and partial effects of religiosity, self-control, and basic psychological needs on mental health. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional correlational design was used. Participants were 356 young adults aged 17–23 years selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using scales of religiosity (α = .886), self-control (α = .785), basic psychological needs (α = .837), and mental health (α = .737). Multiple regression showed that the three predictors jointly explained 5.6% of the variance in mental health, R² = .056, F(3, 352) = 6.912, p < .001. In the partial analysis, religiosity, self-control, and basic psychological needs were significant predictors, with self-control showing the largest standardized coefficient (β = .233, p < .001). These findings indicate that the three variables are relevant protective resources for mental health among young adults, although most of its variance is explained by other factors.