Having Life More Abundantly: Caring for the Body, Mind, and Spirit

Abstract: Health can be subdivided into three categories: physical, mental, and spiritual. Empirical work establishes spiritual health as a correlate of physical and mental health. The purpose of this paper is to complement these empirical findings with choice-theoretic underpinnings. Thus, to trace the linkages between one’s choices concerning the disposition of one’s income and time and one’s health and well-being, we develop a model comparing differentially spiritual individuals. While subjective well-being is increasing in spirituality, the more spiritual may not be healthier. Those whose faith provides superior ability to cope with stress have better health and subjective well-being. Public policy can provide incentives to reduce the costs of spiritual development, perhaps leading to a healthier populace.

JEL: I190, D01, Z12

Keywords: spirituality, spiritual capital, sense of coherence, health and well-being, socially referenced preferences, altruism.