Indirect Effects of Prayer on Stress and Life Satisfaction  of Alcoholics Anonymous in Poland

Prayer is an effective way of coping, leading to beneficial outcomes. Alcohol-dependent participants of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) use prayer to build a bond with God, which is an important factor in well-being and sobriety maintenance. This study aimed to verify the underlying mechanism of the relationship between prayer as an antecedent of God’s support and life satisfaction and the role of hope and stress. In this cross-sectional study, 115 individuals from Poland attending AA meetings participated. The mechanisms underlying the link between prayer and life satisfaction were confirmed. The beneficial role of hope in the life satisfaction of AA participants from Poland was proven. Prayer was both directly and indirectly associated with life satisfaction. Prayer, as a positive antecedent of God’s support, was indirectly related to hope, which in turn correlated directly positively with both life satisfaction and satisfaction with different domains of life and indirectly through stress. Prayer, as a spiritual practice and a significant way to bond with God, should be used as an essential factor for both religiously committed and religiously skeptical individuals addicted to alcohol to improve their life satisfaction by shaping hope and effectively managing stress.