The Role of Maternal Religiosity and Family Functioning as A Mediating Variable in the Psychological Well-Being of Elementary Students in Beirut

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between maternal religiosity and elementary students' psychological well-being in Beirut, Lebanon, with family functioning as a mediating variable. Despite extensive research on parental religiosity's impact on adolescent outcomes, limited attention has been paid to its influence on younger children, particularly in non-Western contexts with religious diversity. Using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Family Systems Theory with Baumrind’s parenting styles as theoretical frameworks, this quantitative correlational study investigates how mothers' religious beliefs and practices influence family dynamics and children's developmental outcomes in the Lebanese context. Using a cross-sectional design and through multistage stratified cluster sampling, data were collected from 101 mother-child dyads across four private schools. Maternal religiosity was assessed using Khamis’s (2012) scale, family functioning was measured with the General Functioning Scale (Epstein et al., 1983), and child well-being was evaluated using Khamis’s (2001) well-being scale. Results indicated significant positive correlations between maternal religiosity and both family functioning (r = –0.17, p = 0.049) and child well-being (r = 0.27, p = 0.003). Family functioning was also positively associated with child well-being (r = –0.22, p = 0.013). However, mediation analysis revealed that family functioning did not mediate the religiosity-well-being relationship. Socioeconomic status (SES) moderated this relationship, with religiosity having a stronger positive effect on well-being in lower SES families. The findings highlight the importance of culturally sensitive mental health practices that consider religiosity as a potential resource, particularly for disadvantaged families. Future research should employ mixed-methods approaches to explore how religiosity influences parenting and identify specific pathways linking maternal religiosity to child well-being. Limitations include a small sample size, reliance on self-reports, and the exclusion of public schools, which may affect generalizability.