The role of religious activity and spirituality in the health and well-being of older adults.

Older adults completed questionnaires of religiosity, spirituality and health, as well as of the potential mediators of healthy behaviors and social support. Church membership related to potential mediators and positive health; given membership, frequency of attendance contributed less to health. Existential well-being was strongly related to all outcome health measures.

Forgiveness, physiological reactivity and health: the role of anger.

Research has revealed that forgiveness may have beneficial effects for the forgiver's health. The present research explored whether reductions in anger underlie such effects, or whether forgiveness has beneficial health effects above and beyond the effects of decreasing anger. State and trait forgiveness were examined, along with styles of anger expression, for their relationship to physiological responses during recalled betrayal, and to self-reported health indices.

Effects of naltrexone on repressive coping and disclosure of emotional material: a test of the opioid-peptide hypothesis of repression and hypertension.

Objective: The present study was designed to assess the role of endogenous opioids in the relationship of hypertension to repressive coping.

Methods: Ten hypertensive and 8 normotensive males were given either the opioid antagonist naltrexone or placebo in a randomized, double-blind fashion over the course of four laboratory sessions. Measures of repression and disclosure were completed and blood pressure was assessed during a laboratory stressor protocol.