The Effects of the Pilgrimage in the Way of Saint James on Mental Health and Well-being (ULTREYA)

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effects of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on mood, satisfaction with life, happiness, ability to pay attention to the present moment and the capacity to make choices in a more conscious and values-oriented way. Other personal aspects that could be related to the effects of the Camino and that may also mediate some of its effects (e.g., personal reasons for walking, socialization along the Camino, number of days walked, physical pain associated with walking, previous pilgrimages to Santiago, etc.) will be also assessed. Methods: This is a naturalistic study with a 3-month follow-up. Voluntary participation of pilgrims doing one of the \"Way of Saint James\" routes will be requested. Participants will be asked to complete an online questionnaire with sociodemographic data and outcome measures (e.g. mindfulness, satisfaction with life, depression, stress, anxiety) before starting the Camino, at the end of the Camino and 3 months later. These evaluations will help us discover the effects of the Camino de Santiago on mental health and well-being in the short- and mid-term. For more information (and/or to participate), go to: http://estudiocamino.org/