Article
“Find that Balance:” The Impact of Cultural Consonance and Dissonance on Mental Health among Utah and Mormon Women
Medical Anthropology Quarterly
(2019)
Abstract
Cultural consonance and religious participation are both associatedwith salutogenic
mental health outcomes. Yet studies of religious and other cultural models must take
into account multiple and conflicting cultural norms. In this article, we explore the
consequences of trying to adhere to the oppositional cultural models of religious
(Latter-day Saint or Mormon) and secular American gender roles as perceived by
college-aged women at a Utah university. Using cultural consensus and cultural
consonance analysis, we demonstrate that while conforming with one model may
provide social and mental health benefits, striving for consonance with both results
in increased perceived stress levels for Latter-day Saints and nonmembers alike.
Such cultural dissonance may be a contributing factor to the current mental health
crisis among Utah youth. This work expands the theory of cultural consonance
by examining it in the context of two incongruent lifestyles.
Keywords
- cultural dissonance,
- cultural consonance,
- perceived stress,
- Mormon,
- gender roles
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter December 31, 2019
Citation Information
Francois Dengah. "“Find that Balance:” The Impact of Cultural Consonance and Dissonance on Mental Health among Utah and Mormon Women" Medical Anthropology Quarterly (2019) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/francois_dengah/4/