INT’L. J. PSYCHIATRY IN MEDICINE, Vol. 31(1) 77-95, 2001 RELIGION AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG WOMEN VETERANS WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT EXPERIENCE* BEI-HUNG CHANG, SC.D. Boston University School of Public Health and Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Massachusetts KATHERINE M. SKINNER, PH.D. Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Massachusetts and Boston University School of Public Health ULRIKE BOEHMER, PH.D. Boston University School of Public Health and Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Massachusetts ABSTRACT Objective: Religion has been shown to have a positive impact on well-being and to play an important role in coping with stressful life events. However, the buffering effect of religiosity on mental health, after a particularly stressful life event such as sexual assault, has not been studied. In this study we examined the buffering effect of religion on mental health and depression for women who report experiencing sexual assault while in the military. Method: The sample includes a nationally representative sample of 3,543 women veterans who use VA ambulatory care. Two dimensions of religiosity were used: organizational (frequency of religious service attendance) and sub- jective (the extent religious beliefs are a source of strength/comfort). Mental health was measured by the mental component summary (MCS) from the *This research was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research and Development Grant (SDR 93-101). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 77 Ó 2001, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.