Abstract
Incarceration often diminishes the quality of life of inmates due to their social marginalization. It is therefore essential to investigate factors that can enhance their well-being. This study explored three key relationships: religiosity and quality of life; resilience and quality of life; and the mediating role of resilience in the link between religiosity and quality of life among prisoners. A total of 700 inmates (78% male, 22% female) from the Nsukka and Enugu correctional facilities participated. The hypotheses were tested using the HAYES MACRO PROCESS. Findings indicated that religiosity was negatively associated with quality of life (β = -0.9, p < .05), and that resilience was positively associated with quality of life (β = 0.29, p < .001), with resilience mediating the relationship between religiosity and quality of life. These results suggest that both religiosity and resilience act as protective factors, with resilience serving as the pathway through which religiosity influences inmates’ quality of life.