Four methodologically diverse studies (N= 1,758) show that prayer frequency and alcohol consumption are negatively related.
In Study 1 (n = 824), we used a cross-sectional design and found that higher prayer frequency was related to lower alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior.
Study 2 (n = 702) used a longitudinal design and found that more frequent prayer at Time 1 predicted less alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior at Time 2, and this relationship held when controlling for baseline levels of drinking and prayer.
In Study 3 (n = 117), we used an experimental design to test for a causal relationship between prayer frequency and alcohol consumption. Participants assigned to pray every day (either an undirected prayer or a prayer for a relationship partner) for 4 weeks drank about half as much alcohol at the conclusion of the study as control participants.
Study 4 (n = 115) replicated the findings of Study 3, as prayer again reduced drinking by about half.
These findings are discussed in terms of prayer as reducing drinking motives.
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