Relationships between perception of God, religious orientation and psychological well-being (A comparative field study on high school and university sample)

In this study, the relationship and interaction between high school and university students' perception of God, religious orientation forms and psychological well-being levels were examined. The relationship of these three variables with some socio-demographic variables was determined. The study consists of three main parts: theoretical framework, field study and interpretation of findings. Documentation technique was used in the theoretical part, and survey technique was used in the field study. The sample consists of 1655 students, 658 high school and 997 university students. In practice, "God Perception Scale" (GPS), "Revised Muslim Religious Orientation Scale" (MROS-R) and "Scales of Psychological Well-Being" (SPWB42) were used. Relationships between variables were determined by statistical analysis based on correlation analysis and interaction structural equation model (SEM). In the study, significant relationships were found between perception of God, religious orientation forms, psychological well-being and some socio-demographic variables. There is a positive correlation between positive perception of God and intrinsic, extrinsic and fundamental religious orientation; A negative relationship was found between questioning religious orientation. It has been observed that there are positive and significant relationships between the perception of God and psychological well-being and between religious orientation forms and psychological well-being. Of the eight hypothetical models proposed in the SEM analysis, only the God perception, intrinsic religious orientation, and psychological well-being model of the university sample were found to be completely valid and significant. In the other seven proposed models, it was determined that there were meaningful paths from God perception to religious orientation forms. However, it was observed that these seven models as a whole were not valid and meaningful. The findings obtained from high school and university samples were compared and it was determined that there were some significant differences.