Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Duke University Religion Index (DUREL)

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
International Handbook of Behavioral Health Assessment

  • 38 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter presents a concise and comprehensive review of studies on the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). DUREL is a succinct and focused instrument designed to measure religiosity through its three major components: organizational, non-organizational, and intrinsic. By addressing both external religious behavior and internal religious sentiments, the DUREL offers a thorough assessment of an individual’s religious experiences. DUREL has been validated across diverse languages and populations, including China, Iran, Portugal, and Turkey.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bruins, T. E., van Veen, M. M., Mooibroek-Leeuwerke, T., Werker, P. M. N., Broekstra, D. C., & Dijkstra, P. U. (2020). Association of socioeconomic, personality, and mental health factors with health-related quality of life in patients with facial palsy. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 146(4), 331–337. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2019.4559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castro, L. S., Balboni, T. A., Lobo, T. C., Moreira, R. S. L., Koenig, H. G., Peteet, J. R., & Cintra, F. (2021). Assessing religious commitment in a multicultural inpatient setting: A psychometric evaluation of the 10-item Belief into Action Scale. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(5), 3576–3590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01223-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cotton, S., Puchalski, C. M., Sherman, S. N., Mrus, J. M., Peterman, A. H., Feinberg, J., Pargament, K. I., Justice, A. C., Leonard, A. C., & Tsevat, J. (2006). Spirituality and religion in patients with HIV/AIDS. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 21(5), S5–S13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00642.x

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dobrowolska, B., Jurek, K., Pilewska-Kozak, A. B., Pawlikowski, J., Drozd, M., & Koenig, H. (2016). Validation of the Polish version of the Duke University Religion Index (PolDUREL). Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej, 126(12), 1005–1008. https://doi.org/10.20452/pamw.3721

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Esat, G., Smith, B. H., Rizvi, S., & Koenig, H. G. (2021). Adaptation of the Duke University Religion Index for Turkish speaking Muslims. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 24(8), 824–836. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2021.1923681

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, L., Koci, A., Gee, R. M., Noji, A., Glaser, D., Marsh, A. K., Marsh, K. K., Altman, A. M., Al Salmi, N., & Al Sabei, S. (2015). Caring for women globally: Psychometric testing of two instruments translated into five languages for use in cardiovascular recovery. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 21(Suppl 1), 27–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12393

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grover, S., & Dua, D. (2019). Translation and adaptation into Hindi of central religiosity scale, brief religious coping scale (Brief RCOPE), and Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 41(6), 556–561. https://doi.org/10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_304_18

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hoge, R. (1972). A validated intrinsic religious motivation scale. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 11(4), 369–376. https://doi.org/10.2307/1384677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurek, K., Pilewska-Kozak, A., Pawlikowski, J., Drozd, M., & Koenig, H. (2016). Validation of the Polish version of the Duke University Religion Index (PolDUREL). Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej, 126(12).

    Google Scholar 

  • Khalaf, D. R., Hlais, S. A., Haddad, R. S., Mansour, C. M., Pelissolo, A. J., & Naja, W. J. (2014). Developing and testing an original Arabic religiosity scale. Middle East Current Psychiatry, 21(2), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.XME.0000444753.76812.79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, S. S., Kim, D., Moon, N. Y., Seo, A., & Gil, M. (2021). Validity and reliability of the Korean versions of the Duke University Religion Index (K-DUREL) and the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (K-DSES). Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 30(2), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2021.30.2.141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G. (1997). Normative data on response rates in the National Institute on Aging’s Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies in the Elderly (EPESE), National Institute of Mental Health’s Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Survey, and National Institute of Mental Health-supported Duke Hospital Study. 1997–1998, Unpublished work. H.G. Koenig and Center for the Study of Religion, Spirituality and Health, Duke University Medical Center, Durham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G. (2018). Religion and mental health: Research and clinical applications. Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G., & Büssing, A. (2010). The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A five-item measure for use in epidemological studies. Religions, 1(1), 78–85. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel1010078

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H., Parkerson, G. R., Jr., & Meador, K. G. (1997). Religion index for psychiatric research. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(6), 885–886. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.6.885b

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G., Mccollough, M., & Larson, D. B. (2001). Handbook of religion and health. Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H., King, D., & Carson, V. B. (2012). Handbook of religion and health (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H. G., Peteet, J. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). Religion and psychiatry: Clinical applications. BJPsych Advances, 26(5), 273–281. https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2020.11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lace, J. W., & Handal, P. J. (2018). Confirming the tripartite structure of the Duke University Religion Index: A methodological approach. Journal of Religion and Health, 57, 704–716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucchetti, G., Granero Lucchetti, A. L., Peres, M. F., Lecc, F. C., Moreira-Almeida, A., & Koenig, H. G. (2012). Validation of the Duke Religion Index: DUREL (Portuguese version). Journal of Religion and Health, 51(2), 579–586. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9429-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maneze, D., Salamonson, Y., Poudel, C., DiGiacomo, M., Everett, B., & Davidson, P. M. (2016). Health-seeking behaviors of Filipino migrants in Australia: The influence of persisting acculturative stress and depression. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 18, 779–786. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0233-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martins, H., Caldeira, S., Domingues, T. D., Vieira, M., & Koenig, H. G. (2021). Validation of the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) in Portuguese cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(5), 3562–3575. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01143-z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murgić, L., Mihaljević, S., Sović, S., Aukst-Margetić, B., & Pavleković, G. (2018). Validation of the Croatian version of the Duke Religion Index (DUREL-hr) among medical school students. Collegium Antropologicum, 42(4), 299–304. https://hrcak.srce.hr/218713

    Google Scholar 

  • Nurasikin, M. S., Aini, A., AA, A. S., & Ng, C. G. (2010). Validity and reliability of the Malay version of Duke University Religion Index (DUREL-M) among a group of nursing student. Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 19(2), 68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plante, T. G., Vallaeys, C. L., Sherman, A. C., & Wallston, K. A. (2002). The development of a brief version of the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire. Pastoral Psychology, 50, 359–368. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014413720710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saffari, M., Zeidi, I. M., Pakpour, A. H., & Koenig, H. G. (2013). Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A study on Muslims. Journal of Religion and Health, 52(2), 631–641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9639-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saffari, M., Koenig, H. G., Ghanizadeh, G., Pakpour, A. H., & Baldacchino, D. R. (2014). Psychometric properties of the Persian spiritual coping strategies scale in hemodialysis patients. Journal of Religion and Health, 53(4), 1025–1035. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-013-9700-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, A. C., Plante, T. G., Simonton, S., Adams, D. C., Harbison, C., & Burris, S. K. (2000). A multidimensional measure of religious involvement for cancer patients: The Duke Religious Index. Supportive Care in Cancer, 8(2), 102–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s005200050023

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sohail, M. M. (2020). Belief in God’s help during hepatitis C: A qualitative study on Muslim patients in Pakistan. Journal of Religion and Health, 59(2), 928–945. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0700-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sohail, M. M., Mahmood, Q. K., Sher, F., Saud, M., Mas’udah, S., & Ida, R. (2020). Coping through religiosity, spirituality and social support among Muslim chronic hepatitis patients. Journal of Religion and Health, 59(6), 3126–3140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00909-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Storch, E. A., Strawser, M. S., & Storch, J. B. (2004). Two-week test-retest reliability of the Duke Religion Index. Psychological Reports, 94(3 Pt 1), 993–994. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.94.3.993-994

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P. W. (2013). Psychometric properties of the Duke University Religion Index, English and Spanish versions, for Hispanic-American women [Doctoral dissertation, San Diego State University].

    Google Scholar 

  • Toscanelli, C., Shino, E., Robinson, S. L., & Thalmayer, A. G. (2022). Religiousness worldwide: translation of the Duke University Religion Index into 20 languages and validation across 27 nations. Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences, 4(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42409-022-00041-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Z., Rong, Y., & Koenig, H. G. (2014). Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Duke University Religion Index in college students and community residents in China. Psychological Reports, 115(2), 427–443. https://doi.org/10.2466/08.17.PR0.115c19z8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, K. T., Kang, M. S., Lee, H. C., & Sipan, I. (2021). The Religious Perfectionism Scale: A cross-cultural psychometric evaluation among Christians in the United States. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 51(2), 251–262. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211011595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkerson, J. M., Smolensk, D. J., Brady, S. S., & Rosser, B. R. S. (2013). Performance of the Duke Religion Index and the spiritual well-being scale in online samples of men who have sex with men. Journal of Religion and Health, 52(2), 610–621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9594-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Religion, Science and Social Wellbeing, Department of Sociology, University of Chakwal, Chakwal, Pakistan

    Malik Muhammad Sohail

  2. Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Malik Muhammad Sohail

  3. Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Harold G. Koenig

  4. Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Harold G. Koenig

Authors
  1. Malik Muhammad Sohail
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Harold G. Koenig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. North Shore Campus, Auckland Univ of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

    Christian U. Krägeloh

  2. Dept of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Mohsen Alyami

  3. School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Oleg N. Medvedev

Appendix

Appendix

DUREL: Duke University Religion Index

Directions: Circle the number in front of the answer that most accurately describes your usual behavior or belief (circle only one answer for each question).

  1. (1)

    How often do you attend church or other religious meetings?

    1. 1.

      More than once/wk

    2. 2.

      Once a week

    3. 3.

      A few times a month

    4. 4.

      A few times a year

    5. 5.

      Once a year or less

    6. 6.

      Never

  2. (2)

    How often do you spend time in private religious activities, such as prayer, meditation, or Bible study?

    1. 1.

      More than once a day

    2. 2.

      Daily

    3. 3.

      Two or more times/week

    4. 4.

      Once a week

    5. 5.

      A few times a month

    6. 6.

      Rarely or never

The following section contains three statements about religious belief or experience. Please mark the extent to which each statement is true or not true for you.

  1. (3)

    In my life, I experience the presence of the Divine (i.e., God).

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

  2. (4)

    My religious beliefs are what really lie behind my whole approach to life.

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

  3. (5)

    I try hard to carry my religion over into all other dealings in life.

    1. 1.

      Definitely true of me

    2. 2.

      Tends to be true

    3. 3.

      Unsure

    4. 4.

      Tends not to be true

    5. 5.

      Definitely not true

DUREL Scoring Instructions

Subscale 1

Reverse-score Item 1 to obtain frequency of religious attendance subscale score.

Subscale 2

Reverse-score Item 2 to obtain frequency of private religious activity subscale score.

Subscale 3

Reverse-score Items 3–5 and total to obtain intrinsic religiosity subscale score.

Overall Score

For overall religiosity, sum up reversed scores for Items 1–5 (not recommended).

Points

  • Be sure to reverse-score items before analysis.

  • Examine each dimension (subscale) in a separate regression model when examining health outcomes.

  • Don’t recommend including all subscales in a single model due to strong multiple collinearities between subscales.

  • Don’t recommend using the total score, since subscale scores may cancel out the effects of each other.

Cite DUREL as follows:

Koenig, H., Parkerson Jr, G. R., & Meador, K. G. (1997). Religion index for psychiatric research. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(6), 885b–886. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.6.885b

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Sohail, M.M., Koenig, H.G. (2024). Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). In: Krägeloh, C.U., Alyami, M., Medvedev, O.N. (eds) International Handbook of Behavioral Health Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89738-3_41-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89738-3_41-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-89738-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-89738-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation