Association Between Keeping Sabbath and Life Satisfaction Among Adult Seventh-day Adventists in Peru: A Cross-Sectional Study
摘要
Numerous studies have documented the association between religiosity and life satisfaction; few have examined the role of specific religious practices such as Sabbath-keeping. This gap is particularly evident in Latin American contexts, where religious practices may take on distinctive cultural meanings. This study examined the association between Sabbath-keeping and life satisfaction in a sample of adults in Peru. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between October and December 2023 using an online survey among adult members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Peru, recruited through Adventist institutional and community networks. A total of 1,976 participants aged 18 to 65 were included. Sabbath-keeping was assessed using the secular activities subscale of the Sabbatical Beliefs and Activities Scale, and life satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Poisson regression analyses with robust standard errors were performed to explore associations between the variables. Participants with higher levels of Sabbath-keeping—defined as refraining from secular activities such as shopping, reading nonreligious materials, watching news or sports, and attending secular events—reported significantly greater life satisfaction (PR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.17–1.33; p < 0.001). These associations remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Sabbath-keeping is positively associated with greater life satisfaction among adult Seventh-day Adventists in Peru. These findings suggest that specific religious practices, when aligned with personal beliefs and values, may contribute meaningfully to subjective well-being. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying this relationship in culturally diverse settings.