Impact Of Existential Loneliness And Existential Anxiety On Happiness: Moderating Role Of Religiosity And Gender

Abstract

The present study explored the moderating role of religiosity in the relationships of existential loneliness and existential anxiety with happiness in a convenient sample of (N = 300) undergraduate students at University of Sargodha, Sargodha. Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (Weems, Costa, Dehon, &Berman 2004), Short Muslim Religiosity and Belief Scale (Tayyiba, Tian & Al-Adawi, 2009), Existential Loneliness Questionnaire (Mayers, Khoo & Svartberg 2002), and Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999) were used to measure the focal constructs of the present study. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that religiosity was non-significant whereas existential loneliness and existential anxiety were significant negative predictors of happiness after controlling for gender, family system, and faculty (arts vs sciences). Religiosity weakened the negative relationships of existential anxiety and existential loneliness with happiness. Gender also moderated between existential loneliness and happiness as the negative influence of existential loneliness on happiness was significant in girls only. Implications of the study along with suggestions for future research have been reflected upon in the indigenous cultural milieu.