Religious Involvement and Risk of Major Depression in a Prospective Nationwide Study of African American Adults
Abstract
This study investigated the association between religious involvement and major depression in 607 African American adults, using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Black Americans. Logistic regression found that survey participants who reported receiving "a great deal" of guidance from religion in their day-to-day lives at Time 1 (1988-1989) were roughly half as likely (OR = 0.47, p < 0.01) to have major depression at Time 2 (1992), controlling for sociodemographic and psychological factors, and major depression at baseline. The odds of major depression were also lower for persons with high self-esteem (OR = 0.41, p < 0.01) and those who reported having satisfying relationships with friends and family members (OR = 0.51, p < 0.05) at baseline. No association was found between religious attendance or church support and major depression. The possible mechanisms through which religious involvement may protect against depression, especially among African Americans, are discussed.
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Of the 178 highest-rigor studies on R/S and depression, 119 (67%) reported inverse relationships and 13 (7%) found positive relationships with depression.
“Of the 178 studies with the highest methodological rigor, 119 (67%) reported inverse relationships [124–135] and 13 (7%) found positive relationships with depression [136–148].”
From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [129]
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Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications
Koenig, H. G. (2012) · ISRN Psychiatry · doi:10.5402/2012/278730 · Cited by 2,423 · see citing works
“Of the 178 studies with the highest methodological rigor, 119 (67%) reported inverse relationships [124–135] and 13 (7%) found positive relationships with depression [136–148].”
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Religiosity and Mental Health Service Utilization Among African-Americans
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- Authors
- Ellison, C. G., & Flannelly, K. J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ellison, Christopher G.
- Venue
- Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
- Published
- 2009-08
- Volume
- 197
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 568-573
- ISSN
- 0022-3018 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1985290452
- Cited by
- 125
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 7.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01ag018432-02)
- National Institute on Aging (R01 AG18432)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- religious involvement, major depressive disorder, African American adults, religion and mental health, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, religious service attendance, risk factors for depression
- MeSH terms
- Black or African American, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Religion, Religion and Psychology, Risk Factors, Self Concept, Social Support, United States, Prevalence, Self Efficacy, Spirituality
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