Mental disorders, religion and spirituality 1990 to 2010: a systematic evidence-based review

The Relationship Between Preparedness for Caregiving and Spiritual Well-Being in the Carers of Stroke Patients: A Case Study in Türkiye

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between preparedness for caregiving and spiritual well-being in the carers of stroke patients. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 130 primary carers of patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of stroke at the neurology clinic of a hospital. It was determined that the participants had moderate levels of preparedness for caregiving, they had high levels of spiritual well-being, and there was a positive significant relationship between these two variables. According to the regression analysis results, the spiritual well-being level of the participants was a predictor of their preparedness for caregiving (B: 0.144, p < 0.001). The results of this study demonstrated that the spiritual well-being of the carers of stroke patients is important in increasing preparedness for caregiving. In this context, to ensure that the carers of all stroke patients feel prepared for the caregiving process, it is recommended to evaluate their preparedness levels, support them in their preparation for their caregiving roles, and identify their spiritual needs.

Beyond Belief and Practice: An Exploratory Literature Review and Discussion of the Differential Impact of Spirituality and Religiosity on Mental Health Disorders

The relationship between spirituality and religiosity and their impact on mental health is intricate and underexplored. This exploratory review aims to elucidate the distinct effects of these constructs, highlighting their contributions to psychological well-being and clinical practices. By dissecting the impacts of spirituality and religiosity on mental health, the study focuses on their individual and combined roles in shaping therapeutic approaches and theoretical understandings in the field. A literature review was conducted using PubMed, focusing on articles discussing spirituality, religiosity, and their intersection with mental health and psychopathology. Out of 312 identified articles, 69 peer-reviewed articles were included after screening for relevance. The results indicate that spirituality and religiosity significantly influence mental health yet are often conflated, leading to research inconsistencies and clinical challenges. Spirituality, as a broad and individualistic pathway, enhances personal well-being and resilience, often transcending organized religious practices. In contrast, religiosity, with its structured community support, sometimes imposes constraints that exacerbate stress under specific doctrinal pressures. Neurobiological evidence suggests that both constructs interact with cognitive processes and brain function, influencing emotional regulation and stress response. The study concludes that distinguishing between spirituality and religiosity is essential for precise academic discourse and effective clinical practice. This differentiation allows for more personalized therapeutic approaches, accommodating an individual's spiritual and religious contexts. The authors propose a refined framework for future research and therapeutic applications to be sensitive to the nuanced experiences of individuals and to better tailor interventions in clinical settings.

What Do We Know About the Influence of Believers' Religiosity on Happiness and Gratitude? - A Perspective for Clinical Practice

Introduction

The recognition of religion's significance in mental health has led to several scientific advances in diagnosis or treatment. In contrast, Vietnam is a multi-religious Southeast Asian country with a large number of believers, but there is almost no research addressing the impact of religiosity among Vietnamese believers on mental health concerns such as depression, happiness, and gratitude.

Participants and Methods

Our cross-sectional study was focused on Vietnamese believers (N = 374), surveyed directly at different religious facilities in Vietnam. The present study was evaluated utilizing the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology.

Results

The primary findings of the study indicate that (i) age was found to positively moderate the association between intrinsic religiosity and gratitude (β = 0.191, 95% CI [0.116, 0.277], p < 0.001); (ii) Intrinsic religiosity has a positive influence on depression-happiness scale (β = 0.276, 95% CI [0.168, 0.373], p < 0.001) and gratitude (β = 0.337, 95% CI [0.205, 0.466], p < 0.001); Moreover, (iii) gratitude has a positive influence on depression-happiness scale (β = 0.381, 95% CI [0.280, 0.491], p < 0.001); Finally, (iv) the study revealed that gratitude mediates the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and depression-happiness scale (β = 0.128, 95% CI [0.071, 0.197], p < 0.001).

Discussion

The findings of this study suggest that gratitude could potentially play a significant role in comprehending the association between religiosity and the levels of depression and happiness experienced by religious individuals in Vietnam.

Meditation-Based Lifestyle Modification in Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Outcomes and Moderation Effects of Spirituality

Objective: Understanding the relevance of religion or spirituality (R/S) in the treatment of mental disorders is central to clinical and academic psychiatry. In this secondary analysis, associations of R/S with depression were investigated with respect to a new second-generation mindfulness-based intervention, the Meditation-Based Lifestyle Modification (MBLM) program. Methods: Different aspects of spirituality, spiritual coping, and spiritual engagement were assessed in 81 patients with a diagnosis of mild-to-moderate depression. Treatment effects on R/S postscores and predictor and moderation effects of depression severity and stress change-scores were evaluated at 8 weeks (MBLM vs. CONTROL [drug continuation therapy] vs. TAU [inpatient treatment as usual]) and 6 months (TAU+MBLM vs. TAU). Results: At both time points, significant differences between MBLM versus TAU and CONTROL were found in a range of spiritual outcomes, most of them with a medium-to-large effect size and in favor of MBLM. Baseline interest in spirituality (p = 0.001) and baseline spiritual mind-body practice (p = 0.017) were identified as independent predictors of change in depression severity at 6 months. Moreover, moderation analyses found that patients reporting often/regular spiritual mind-body practice at 6 months did not benefit differently from TAU+MBLM versus TAU (p = 0.437) regarding their change in depression severity and stress, while those reporting no/seldom spiritual mind-body practice at 6 months benefited significantly worse from TAU than from TAU+MBLM (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Participation in the MBLM program resulted in significantly greater increases in spirituality in depressed patients than standard therapy. Interest in spirituality and engagement in spiritual mind-body practices at baseline were positive predictors of clinical outcome in both groups. Patients of any group who regularly performed spiritual mind-body practices benefited equally in terms of antidepressant outcomes, underlining the benefit of these practices within a general therapeutic framework. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03652220.

Spirituality in Addiction Recovery: A Narrative Review

In the area of addiction, Canada has been in a public health crisis since 2016. Addiction takes a toll on an individual's self-worth and identity. In this narrative literature review, the distinct nature of spirituality was addressed. Next, individualized conceptualizations of spirituality were outlined. Subsequently, the importance of fellowship in addiction recovery was detailed. Next, the significance of being of service was presented. Meaningful and authentic spirituality were discussed in the context of recovery identity. Lastly, spirituality as a personal journey is described. A narrative literature review of 70 manuscripts published between 1999 and 2021 was undertaken to determine multiple approaches to treating addiction recovery in the context of spiritual development. An understanding of spirituality can inform counsellors regarding spiritual development in addiction recovery. Implications for counselling include a roadmap to support clients developing an individualized spiritual connection and operating as a functional system.

Depression, anxiety, stress symptoms and their determinants among secondary students with vision impairment in rural Northwestern China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective

The measures implemented to control the spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could affect children's mental and vision health. Youth particularly from minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to be impacted by these measures. This study aimed to examine the mental health of children with vision impairment and associated factors in North-western China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,036 secondary school children living in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Participants completed a survey on sociodemographic and lifestyle information and answered the Chinese version of the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) questionnaire. Presenting visual acuity was measured by a trained enumerator. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for mental health problems.

Results

Responses from 1,992 (97.8%) children were included in the analysis after excluding those with incomplete mental health outcome data. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms within the dataset were 28.9, 46.4, and 22.3%, respectively. The distribution of children with different stress levels differed significantly between those with and without vision impairment (p = 0.03). Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that depression symptoms decreased with higher parental education (OR, 0.76, 95% confidence intervals (CI):0.63-0.96), longer sleep duration (OR, 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97) and longer study time (OR, 0.82, 95% CI: 0.74-0.91), whereas they increased with higher recreational screen time (OR, 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08-1.32). Anxiety symptoms decreased with higher parental education (OR, 0.80, 95% CI: 0.66-0.96) and increased with higher recreational screen time (OR, 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04-1.27) and being a left-behind child (OR, 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.54). In addition, stress symptoms decreased with longer sleep duration (OR, 0.92, 95%CI: 0.85-0.99) and increased with higher number of siblings (OR, 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.19), higher recreational screen time (OR, 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04-1.28) and older age (OR,1.12, 95% CI: 1.004-1.24).

Conclusion

A considerable proportion of our sample experienced mental health problems during the pandemic. Healthcare planners in China should consider interventions such as reducing recreational screen time, ensuring sufficient sleep, and timely detection of mental health symptoms among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

Does Internalized Stigma Change the Way that Religiousness Relates to Depression for People with Marginalized Sexualities?

Drawing on minority stress and intersectionality theories, we examine whether the relationship between religiousness and depression among people with marginalized sexualities changes as a function of their experience of internalized stigma. Analyses of a sample of 260 people with marginalized sexualities suggested that the relationship between religiousness and depression was moderated by internalized homonegativity. Simple slopes analyses revealed that when people with marginalized sexualities reported higher degrees of internalized homonegativity, the relationship between religiousness and depression was positive. Conversely, when people with marginalized sexualities reported lower degrees of internalized homonegativity, religiousness was negatively related to depression. Dismantling analyses using subscales of the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory suggested that these effects are largely driven by personal homonegativity and participants' views of the morality of homosexuality. Taken together, these results suggest that religiousness may be positive for people with marginalized sexualities when they experience low degrees of internalized stigma. Further, results suggest that both people with marginalized sexualities' negative self-views and negative views of people with marginalized sexualities generally may affect the ways in which people with marginalized sexualities experience religiousness, and how it ultimately impacts them psychologically.

The Relationship Between Spiritual Well-Being and Post-Traumatic Growth in Turkish Patients Undergoing Solid Organ Transplantation

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between spiritual well-being and post-traumatic growth in solid organ transplant patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 366 patients who presented to the organ transplantation polyclinic of a university hospital between September 2021 and February 2022 in Turkey. The mean Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory and Spiritual Well-Being Scale scores of solid organ transplant patients were 81.33 ± 20.28 and 37.18 ± 8.69, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between post-traumatic growth and spiritual well-being. According to linear regression analysis, spiritual well-being, gender, marital status, transplanted organ, donor type, and previous mental disorders were statistically significant predictive factors that affected post-traumatic growth. Spiritual well-being was an important variable that affected post-traumatic growth in solid organ transplant patients. Therefore, healthcare providers can provide individualized psychosocial-spiritual care and counseling services that increase post-traumatic growth in patients after organ transplantation.

Religious status and addictive behaviors: Exploring patterns of use and psychological proneness

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have emphasized the role of religiosity as both a protective factor and a factor contributing to the success of recovery in the case of addictive beahaviors. However, the associations between religious status and the involvement in distinct addictive behaviors as well as the associations between religious status and psychological factors have not been comprehensively examined. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to extend the literature by examining the (i) relationship between religiosity and distinct addictive behaviors including substance use and behavioral addictions, and (ii) interactive effects of religious status and psychological factors on addictive behaviors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from two representative samples were analyzed (National Survey on Addiction Problems in Hungary [NSAPH]: N = 1385; 46.8% male; mean age = 41.77 years [SD = 13.08]; and Budapest Longitudinal Study [BLS]: N = 3890; 48.4% male; mean age = 27.06 years [SD = 4.76]). Distinct addictive behaviors and psychological factors related to the psychological proneness to addictive behaviors (impulsivity, sensation seeking, rumination, well-being, mentalization, and worry) were comprehensively examined in relation to religious status (religious, agnostic, and non-religious). Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney (MW) tests and multinomial logistic regressions were performed.

RESULTS

Religious individuals showed significantly lower involvement in addictive behaviors whereas agnostic individuals showed significantly higher involvement in addictive behaviors. With regards to psychological factors related to the proneness to addictive behaviors, agnostic individuals showed the highest level of psychological proneness. The results of multinomial regression models showed that religiosity was protective in the NSAPH sample. However, worry could overwrite the protective effect. In the BLS study, the protective role of religiosity was uncertain. It was not protective in itself, but through interaction with sensation seeking, rumination and uncertian mentalization, religiosity can also be protective.

DISCUSSION

The findings highlight the general protective role of religiosity in addictions. However, interaction with some psychological contructs can modify the protective role of religious status. The study also highlights the need to take into account agnostic religious status of individuals in future research. Consequently, further studies are needed to explore the causality and mediating roles between these variables.

Exploring spirituality and quality of life in individuals who are deaf and have intellectual disabilities

PURPOSE

While positive contributions of religion and spirituality (R/S) to quality of life (QOL) are confirmed by a growing body of evidence, only limited research has involved people with intellectual disabilities and so far, no studies included prelingually deaf individuals with intellectual disabilities. This study explores the role of R/S in people with intellectual disabilities and deafness living in three therapeutic living communities specifically adapted to their needs.

METHODS

Forty-one individuals (mean age: 46.93 years, 43.9% female) with prelingual deafness and mild to moderate intellectual disability participated in structured sign language interviews adapted to their cognitive-developmental level, regarding their QOL, individual spirituality and participation in spiritual practices in the community. Participants' QOL was assessed with an established short measure for QOL (EUROHIS-QOL) adapted to easy-to-understand sign language. With 21 participants, qualitative interviews were conducted. In addition, proxy ratings from caregivers were obtained.

RESULTS

The participants' ratings of their individual spirituality (r = 0.334; p = 0.03) and spiritual practices-in-community (r = 0.514; p = 0.00) correlated positively with their self-reported QOL. Qualitative findings illustrate the importance of R/S and give insights into R/S concepts and practices.

CONCLUSIONS

Personal spirituality and participating in spiritual practices are positively related to self-reported quality of life in deaf individuals with intellectual disability (ID). As a consequence, access to spiritual and religious services should be included in comprehensive programs and society at large.

Identifying Systemic Factors when Counseling Black Women of Christian Faith in the USA

When Black women of Christian faith in the USA receive secular help for psychological symptoms, their spiritual and religious communities often view the decision negatively. The women may feel shamed, ostracized, and condemned. They often experience emotional, physical, and spiritual trauma from the rejection that increases the frequency, duration, and intensity of their psychological symptoms. This article identifies specific community-based and systemic factors that exacerbate mental health issues in Black women of Christian faith. The authors discuss the influence of such factors on mental health and provide evidence-based practices for mental health clinicians working with Black women of Christian faith.

Changes in mental health symptoms and sociocultural factors across the COVID-19 pandemic in mothers of Mexican descent

Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Little is known about the lasting effects on mental health, particularly among mothers of young children, who historically report high levels of depression and anxiety. We examined if anxiety and depression symptoms worsened for mothers of Mexican descent across the pandemic and identified the role of sociocultural risk and protective factors on these changes. Mothers of Mexican descent (n = 141) with young children (ages 0-7) were administered surveys on mental health symptoms (anxiety and depression), stress-related sociocultural factors (perceived discrimination) before (pre-pandemic), within 3 months (early pandemic), and 18 months after the COVID-19 stay-at-home order (late pandemic). Another sociocultural factor, acculturative stress, was only measured pre-pandemic while during the later phase of the pandemic mothers reported their levels of loneliness, optimism, and coping styles. Repeated measures (RM) ANOVA demonstrated that depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as perceived discrimination increased from pre to early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and slightly lowered in late-COVID but did not return to pre-COVID levels. Two-way RM ANOVA showed that acculturative stress and perceived discrimination predicted worse mental health trajectories across the pandemic while moderations revealed that optimism buffered against, and avoidant coping increased the adverse effects of sociocultural factors on mental health. The effects of the COVID pandemic on mental health are lingering in mothers of young children; however, optimism may be a protective factor. The results also highlight the damaging effects of external factors, such as discrimination, on maternal mental health during times of crisis.

Influence of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on youth cannabis use: A structural equation modelling analysis on national survey on drug use and health (NSDUH) 2015-2019

Religiosity may reduce the risk of substance use in adults and young people. However, religiosity is a complex construct, variously defined and assessed. We explored the role of different religious components: intrinsic (subjective), extrinsic-personal (service attendance) and extrinsic-social (church-based social activities) in deterring cannabis use among adolescents. Combining several years (2015-2019) of NSDUH data on 68,263 adolescents between 12 and 17 years, a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was used to evaluate pathways from intrinsic and extrinsic components of religiosity to cannabis use. We analyzed the role of several covariates, including comorbid depression and secular volunteering activities. About 15% of participants said they had used cannabis at some level in the previous year. Some degree of intrinsic and of extrinsic-personal religiosity was reported by 66% and 25% of the sample. 57% were committed to at least one faith-based activity, while 74% reported participation in non-faith-based community activities. The SEM regression model -controlling for putative confounders- showed that both intrinsic and extrinsic-personal religious components reduced the likelihood of cannabis use (Cannabis use coeff.: -0.065, p = 0.001; coeff.: -0.176, p < 0.001, respectively). However, the extrinsic-social component had no effect on refraining from cannabis use, despite involvement in non-faith based volunteering activities was protectively associated. Support for secular volunteering programs may be a cost-effective mechanism for reducing cannabis use. Moreover, whilst promoting religiosity is beyond the scope of any preventive programs, religious practices should be considered relevant protective factors, deserving consideration and support in terms of public health.

The associations between religiosity and the Big-Five personality traits in college students from Sudan

Research on the association between religiosity and personality with Arab participants is rare. The aim of the present study was to explore this association using a sample (N = 623) of college students from Sudan. They responded to the Arabic Scale of Intrinsic Religiosity and the Arabic Big-Five Personality Inventory. The results indicated that men obtained a significantly higher mean score than did women for extraversion, whereas women obtained higher mean total scores for religiosity and neuroticism than did men. For both genders, religiosity was significantly and positively associated with agreeableness and conscientiousness. In college men only, religiosity was significantly correlated with extraversion. A principal components analysis of the combined sample of men and women retained two components and labeled "Positive traits" and "Neuroticism and Introversion". Predictors of religiosity were Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The model explains 42% of the variance. It was concluded that the associations observed in the Sudanese sample reflect the general pattern observed in other international samples.

Validation of the Italian Version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale Among Psychiatric Patients

Spiritual experience can represent an important aspect of mental health. The purpose of the current study was to validate the Italian version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES-IT) in a population of patients with different psychiatric disorders. It involved 209 patients enrolled in four facilities within the network of IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli Research Institute in Italy. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated two domains. Internal consistency was very good (Cronbach's Alpha = .93). Scale stability across time assessed by test-retest reliability showed a good performance (Pearson's correlation r > 0.9 for all items). Convergent reliability was assessed by Pearson's correlation between the DSES-IT and the WHOQOL-SRPB scales (r = - .63, p = 0.001). Diagnostic group comparison revealed a statistically significant difference among the patient groups (ANOVA test p = 0.01). The results confirm good psychometric properties of the Italian version of the DSES scale.

Stigma and Suicide From the Perspective of Balinese Adults

Research on stigma toward suicide has grown dramatically but limited is studying in Bali, Indonesia. This qualitative research conducted to explore the stigma and suicide from Balinese perspective. Eighty-four Balinese Hindus participated in this study, which 27.38% of them had a history of suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. Our research found that the cultural belief of Balinese view suicide as an act of ulah pati, which means taking death inappropriately and for an inappropriate reason, which carries the consequence that the suicidal person and the family will incur bad karma. Public stigma and self-stigma toward suicide exist among Balinese, i.e. the act of suicide due to a mental disorder and people who die by suicide are weak. The findings of this study suggest mental health professionals and local governments to pay attention to Balinese cultural belief and Hinduism religious teaching to prevent suicide.

Religiosity, Identity Confusion, and Psychological Well-Being in Turkish University Students: The Moderating Role of Religious Orientation

Research conducted in industrialized democracies where Christianity is the prevailing religion has suggested that religiosity may play an important role in identity development and well-being. This study examined the associations between religiosity, religious orientation, identity confusion, and psychological well-being in 488 Turkish university students. The results revealed that extrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with identity confusion. On the other hand, religiosity, extrinsic religious orientation, and identity confusion were negatively associated with psychological well-being, while intrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with psychological well-being. Moderation analysis indicated that extrinsic religious orientation could facilitate psychological well-being in the midst of severe identity confusion.

What Are the Characteristics of the Parish Nursing Research Literature and How Can it Inform Parish Nurse Practice and Research in Canada? A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Parish nursing is a specialized branch of professional nursing that promotes health and healing by integrating body, mind and spirit as a practice model. Parish nurses contribute to the Canadian nursing workforce by promoting individual and community health and acting as system navigators. Research related to parish nursing practice has not been systematically collated and evaluated.

PURPOSE

This review seeks to explore, critically appraise and synthesize the parish nurse (PN) research literature for its breadth and gaps, and to provide recommendations for PN practice and research.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using Levac and colleagues' procedures and Arksey and O'Malley's enhanced framework. The CINAHL, ProQuest and PubMed databases were comprehensively searched for original research published between 2008 and 2020. The final sample includes 43 articles. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to critically assess literature quality.

RESULTS

There is a significant gap in PN research from Canada and non-U.S. countries. Methodological quality is varied with weak overall reporting. The literature is categorized under three thematic areas: (1) practice roles of the PN, (2) role implementation, and (3) program evaluation research. Research that evaluates health promotion program interventions is prominent.

CONCLUSIONS

More rigorous research methods and the use of reporting checklists are needed to support evidence-informed parish nursing practice. Building relationships among parish nurses, nursing researchers and universities could advance parish nursing research and improve evidence-based parish nursing practice. Research into the cost effectiveness, healthcare outcomes, and the economic value of PN practice is needed.

Impact of new country, discrimination, and acculturation-related factors on depression and anxiety among ex-Soviet Jewish migrants: data from a population-based cross-national comparison study

Migration, displacement, and flight are major worldwide phenomena and typically pose challenges to mental health. Therefore, migrants' mental health, and the factors which may predict it, have become an important research subject. The present population-based cross-national comparison study explores symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization, as well as quality-of-life in samples of ex-Soviet Jewish migrants settling in three new countries: Germany, Austria and Israel, as well as in a sample of non-migrant ex-Soviet Jews in their country of origin, Russia. In the current study, we investigate the relationship of perceived xenophobiа and antisemitism, acculturation attitudes, ethnic and national identity, as well as affiliation with Jewish religion and culture to the psychological well-being of these migrants. Furthermore, we consider xenophobic and antisemitic attitudes as well as the acculturation orientation of the new countries' societies, assessed in the native control samples. Our data suggest that attitudes of the new country's society matter for the mental health of this migrant group. We conclude that the level of distress among ex-Soviet Jewish migrants seems to depend, among other factors, on the characteristics of the new country and/or specific interactions of the migrant population with the society they are settling in.

A Grounded Theory of the Process of Healing From Opioid Addiction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that opioids are involved in almost 71% of all drug overdose deaths. Although there is increased attention on the lethal potential of opioid addiction, narratives about healing, wherein people have sustained long-term health and well-being from opioid addiction, are few. Our purpose with this study was to develop a biopsychosocial understanding of how people heal from opioid addiction, not only maintain abstinence. The Theory of Healing from Opioid Addiction yielded five categories, 15 themes, and seven subthemes. Results showed four phases of healing (i.e., Inactive Healing, Early Active Healing, Middle Active Healing, and Late Active Healing), four Continuous Core Components of healing (i.e., 12-Step Programs, Psychotherapy, Spirituality, and Relationships with Others), and 15 themes ranging from Substance Use Treatment to Effectively Processing Trauma to Self-Love. Participants’ ( N = 11) healing journey began during opioid addiction itself and continued through to the last phase of healing, wherein participants had transformed their lives and concretized a sense of personal empowerment.

Coping and Protective Factors of Mental Health: An Examination of African American and US Caribbean Black Women Exposed to IPV from a Nationally Representative Sample

Existing research continues to highlight the harm that intimate partner violence (IPV) can pose to health and well-being. However, little is done to understand the effectiveness of coping and protective mechanisms in helping women manage under adverse circumstances. The current study addresses the mental health of US Black women and the role of coping and protective moderators. An analysis of data from the National Survey of American Life (2001-2003), the most comprehensive survey on the health of US Blacks, was conducted. The association between severe physical intimate partner violence and mental health outcomes were confirmed. Resilience moderated the relationship between severe intimate partner violence and mood disorder among US Black women, but this differed between African American and Caribbean Blacks. Resilience, emotional family support, and spirituality reduced the likelihood of having a mental health condition for some African American and Caribbean Black women, while the opposite was found for religiosity. Demographic factors were also associated with mental health conditions and behaviors. The study draws our attention to potential coping and protective mechanisms that could be incorporated into counseling and intervention practices while recognizing factors that may be harmful to the mental health of individuals.

Attitudes of Catholic Priests Regarding the Participation of People with Schizophrenia and Depression in Religious Practices: Relationships with Prejudices and Community Size

This study investigated whether priests' attitudes regarding individuals with schizophrenia and depression participating in religious practices varied in relation to priests' adherence to prejudices about these mental disorders (MD). A sample of 559 Italian priests completed a questionnaire on their views of either schizophrenia or depression. Data were analyzed using a multiple-group structural equation in which the diagnostic group was a moderator and the size of the municipalities in which the churches were located was a covariate. The study revealed that: priests' attitudes towards churchgoers with MDs are related to views of these individuals as dangerous, easy to recognize and poorly aware of their MDs; community size has a direct effect on priests' attitudes and an indirect effect through perceived dangerousness; the above-mentioned relationships do not differ by type of disorder. Sensitizing priests on stigma may be helpful to facilitate the participation of believers with MDs to religious practices.

Religious Involvement and DSM-IV Anxiety Disorders Among African-Americans

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between eight measures of religious involvement and five anxiety disorders among a nationally representative sample of African-Americans ( N = 3403). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition , World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess 12-month and lifetime prevalence for each disorder. Logistic regression indicated weekly service attendance was inversely associated with 12-month and lifetime panic disorder, lifetime agoraphobia, and 12-month and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prayer was inversely associated with 12-month agoraphobia, 12-month social phobia, and lifetime PTSD. Listening to religious radio and looking to God for strength were also inversely related to, respectively, 12-month and lifetime panic disorder. Conversely, reading religious materials was positively associated with 12-month panic disorder, 12-month agoraphobia, lifetime PTSD, and lifetime generalized anxiety disorder. The results are discussed in light of conceptual models that specify multiple and sometimes divergent pathways through which religion impacts health, and suggestions for clinicians addressing anxiety disorders are delineated.

Prayers and Mindfulness in Relation to Mental Health among First-Generation Immigrant and Refugee Muslim Women in the USA: An Exploratory Study

The goal of our study was to explore how first-generation immigrant/refugee Muslim women experience prayer and mindfulness in relation to their mental health. Participants were nine women from an urban city in the Midwestern USA. The women completed a structured demographic survey and a virtual semi-structured interview in a focus group. Using qualitative thematic analysis, we obtained four overarching themes from the data: (a) Prayer helps to build community, (b) Prayer promotes wellbeing, (c) Prayer increases faith, and (d) Prayer encourages intentional awareness. The findings demonstrate that prayer involves awareness and has a strong influence on the mental health of the women participants.

Protocol for an RCT on cognitive bias modification for alcohol use disorders in a religion-based rehabilitation program

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol-related cues trigger relapse in patients with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). These cues may automatically activate motivational approach tendencies. Through computerised cognitive bias modification (CBM), the tendencies of patients with AUD to approach alcohol can be reduced. The present protocol describes a training intervention with approach bias modification (ApBM) incorporating religion-related stimuli as an alternative to alcohol to improve the effectiveness of CBM in a religion-based rehabilitation centre. AUD is often related to patients' religious attitudes in this treatment context. The religion-adapted ApBM, therefore, combines training in avoidance of alcohol-related motivational cues and an approach to religion-based motivational cues. This combination's effectiveness will be compared with a standard ApBM and to a sham ApBM.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Using a double-blind multiarm parallel randomised controlled trial procedure (ratio 1:1:1), 120 patients with AUD will be randomised into 1 of 3 conditions (religion-adapted ApBM, standard ApBM or sham ApBM) with personalised stimuli. The interventions are delivered over 4 consecutive days during an inpatient detoxification programme in addition to treatment as usual. Assessments occur before the start of the training and after the fourth training session, with follow-up assessments after 1 and 4 months. A multivariate analysis of variance will be used with the primary outcomes, the percentage of days abstinent and meaning in life 4-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include differences in reported training satisfaction and symptoms of AUD.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee Academic Medical Center Amsterdam (Reference number: 2020_251). Further, study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NL75499.018.20.

Religiosity, perceived anti-Semitism, xenophobia and mental health: Experiences of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Austria and Germany

Research about the relation between migration and mental health as well as factors influencing the mental health of migrants has been growing because challenges of migration can constitute a significant mental health burden. However, its divergent findings seem to reflect group-specific differences, e.g., regarding country of origin and receiving country. Almost no empirical studies about individual migrant groups in different receiving countries have been undertaken so far. The present population-based study explores symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization as well as quality of life in an Austrian and a German sample of ex-Soviet Jewish migrants. We mainly investigate the relationship of religiosity and perceived xenophobic and anti-Semitic discrimination to the psychological condition of the migrants. Standardized self-report scales, specifically the Beck-Depression-Inventory-II (BDI), State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), were used to measure mental health. Ex-Soviet Jewish migrants in Austria showed significantly more symptoms of depression than those in Germany. Regression analyses support a protective effect of religiosity on mental health in the sample in Germany and an adverse effect of perceived discrimination in the sample in Austria. The present study reveals a less favorable situation for ex-Soviet Jewish migrants in Austria, in terms of income, residence status, and xenophobic attitudes in the local population, compared to the group in Germany. Furthermore, our data suggest that the receiving country matters for the mental health of this migrant group. However, further research is needed to support these conclusions.

The Impact of Listening to, Reciting, or Memorizing the Quran on Physical and Mental Health of Muslims: Evidence From Systematic Review

Objectives: Listening to or memorizing the Quran has been suggested to affect the psychosocial health and well-being of Muslims. Muslims who memorized Quran have a higher quality of life (QoL) and lower anxiety and stress. Hence, this systematic review was conducted to evaluate the studies that assessed the effect of listening to, reciting, or memorizing the Quran on physical and mental health.

Methods: This review was performed on articles published from the inception and April 2021. Databases including ProQuest, PubMed and Web of Science were searched on 19 April 2021. Keywords such as “Quran”, “al- Quran,” “al- Kareem,” “Holy Quran,” “memori,” “Tahfiz,” “Huffaz,” “listening” and “reciting” were used for databases searching. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tool and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Only 20 articles were included in data synthesis out of a total of 230.

Results: The findings revealed that listening to, reciting or memorizing the Quran had a favorable effect on depression, anxiety, physiologic parameters, quality of life, quality of sleep and intelligence quotient.

Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that, listening to, reciting or memorizing the Quran may be useful as an intervention to improve physical and mental health.

Healthcare Providers' Perceptions about the Role of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services in Substance Use Outpatient Treatment

Addressing patients' religion and spirituality (R/S) needs has been associated with positive health outcomes. However, despite receiving extensive training in spiritual assessment and care, chaplaincy services are primarily confined to inpatient settings, with few studies occurring in outpatient settings. The study sought to understand mental health providers' views about what shaped provider and patient motivation to engage in R/S discussions and seek referrals to chaplaincy services. We conducted five one-hour focus group sessions with a total of 38 staff members and thematically analyzed the resulting session and field notes. We identified four themes concerning provider knowledge and attitudes about R/S and chaplaincy services: Staff Information Needs, Staff Motivation to Discuss R/S and Refer, Patient Motivation to Use Chaplaincy Services, and Chaplain Accessibility. The study findings suggest that providers in outpatient substance use treatment clinics in the Veterans Health Administration are receptive to learning about R/S care and the possibility of expanding chaplaincy services. However, staff have misconceptions about the roles and responsibilities of chaplains. Attitudes about and experiences with R/S discussions varied. Trust and confidence in the benefits of chaplaincy services may be improved among both providers and patients by increasing chaplains' accessibility and visibility within these outpatient settings.

Religious-based interventions for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies

BACKGROUND

Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder. In the treatment of depressive symptoms, patients' religious practices and beliefs are often not considered. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to analyse the effect of religious interventions on depression.

METHODS

A literature screening was performed on August 2021, using the Cochrane Collaboration, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Primary source articles published from 2015 to August 2021 in peer-reviewed journals were eligible for inclusion if data were presented on religious interventions' effects on depression.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded 208 potentially relevant publications. Eight articles were identified and included in the review. One of the articles was excluded from the meta-analysis because it did not report the mean data for the baseline and follow-up assessment results. From the 7 out of 8 included studies, the results consistently indicated that religious-based interventions effectively reduced depressive symptoms among vulnerable persons with chronic medical illness, pregnant women, haemodialysis patients, elderly nursing home residents, people with major depressive disorders or dysthymia, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.

LIMITATIONS

The definition of the religious-based intervention varied substantially among the trials. These differences can make interpretation and comparing implications on the treatment of depression difficult.

CONCLUSION

Compared to standard/other usual therapies for treating depression, religious-based interventions provide superior effects. This review and meta-analysis strongly suggest that patients' religious beliefs should be considered when diagnosing and treating depression.

Religiosity, impulsivity, and compulsivity in university students

OBJECTIVES

Prior research suggests that religiosity may be associated with healthier levels of mental health in certain domains (eg, higher self-esteem and lower rates of substance use problems). However, very little is known about religiosity and impulsive plus compulsive tendencies. This study examined associations between religiosity and impulsive and compulsive behaviors and traits among university students.

METHODS

Nine thousand, four hundred and forty-nine students received a 156-item anonymous online survey which assessed religiosity, alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, and impulsive and compulsive traits. Two groups of interest were defined: those with high religiosity, and those with low religiosity, based on z-scores. The two groups were compared on the measures of interest.

RESULTS

Three thousand, five hundred and seventy-two university students (57.1% female) responded to the survey. Those with high levels of organizational religious activity, as well as those with high levels of intrinsic or subjective religiosity, differed from their fellow students in having better self-esteem, being less likely to have alcohol or drug problems, and generally being less impulsive in terms of attention and planning. Compulsivity did not differ between groups. Associations were of small effect size except for the link between religiosity and lower impulsivity, which was of medium effect size.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a link between higher religiosity and lower impulsivity, as well as higher levels of mental health across several domains. Whether these associations are causal-and if so, the direction of such causality-requires rigorous longitudinal research.

Religion Involvement and Substance Use Problems in Schoolchildren in Northern Chile

(1) Background: Religious involvement and spirituality have proven to be sources of well-being for individuals at different moments in life and are also associated with a decrease in depression, anxiety, and substance use. Therefore, these could be protective factors against stressful conditions and contribute to mental health. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between religious involvement and substance use among students in northern Chile. (2) Methods: The design is retrospective ex post facto with only one group, and the sample included 2313 adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age from public and private schools. A subscale of the Child and Adolescent Assessment System was used to assess substance use and Universal Age I-E-12 to measure religious involvement. (3) Results: The findings suggest that the intrinsic orientation of religiousness (β = −0.048, p < 0.014), age (β = 0.374, p < 0.000), gender (β = 0.039, p < 0.040), and ethnic identity (β = 0.051, p < 0.008) have significant correlations with substance use. (4) Conclusions: The intrinsic orientation of religion is a relevant variable associated with consumption due to its non-instrumental characteristics of religion and practices aimed at self-exploration and self-knowledge that favor the subjective well-being of individuals, which could prevent drug use from becoming an alternative for dealing with conflicts in the children and young population of this region of Latin America.

"His Main Problem Was Not Being in a Relationship With God": Perceptions of Depression, Help-Seeking, and Treatment in Evangelical Christianity

Some Christian communities may understand mental illness as the result of spiritual causes, such as sin, demons, or a lack of faith. Such perceptions are likely to influence how Christian individuals conceptualise and experience their mental health and enact help-seeking behaviours. This study explores perceptions of depression and mental health help-seeking in evangelical Christianity by using a novel qualitative story completion task. A convenience sample of 110 Christian participants from the United Kingdom completed a third-person, fictional story stem featuring a male with depression who entered his local church. A contextualist-informed thematic analysis illustrated how the disclosure of depression was represented as eliciting negative social reactions, potentially rendering individuals with depression as socially dislocated. Stories suggested that, increasingly, evangelical Christians may perceive a spiritualisation of mental illness, which negates reference to psychological, social, and biomedical representations, as unhelpful. Findings reveal the risks of a solely spiritual aetiology of depression and highlight how existing mental ill-health can be exacerbated if fundamentalist beliefs and approaches to therapeutic care are prioritised over holistic models of care. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the value of a rarely-used tool in psychology—the story completion task—for examining socio-cultural discourses and dominant meanings surrounding stigmatised topics or populations.

Without Your Therapist: Contemplative Prayer During Treatment as a Religious Exposure Intervention to Reduce Religious Struggle and Anxious God Representation

This case study focuses on the treatment of a 44-year-old Dutch man presenting with an anxious God representation and religious struggles according to DSM-5 criteria. Having received prior treatment for a panic disorder and alcohol use disorder, the patient was given a 60-day treatment in which the Jesus Prayer intervention was used to address his religious and spiritual problems. To our knowledge, this is the first case study involving the Jesus Prayer in the treatment of a patient. The intervention had positive effects on the patient’s religious and spiritual problems concerning an anxious God representation, religious struggles, stress levels and surrender to God. The intervention may also play a supporting role in decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety and in promoting global mental health, as reliable change index analyses revealed symptom reduction between baseline levels and at post-assessment levels for all measured symptoms, with a semi-gradual decrease over the course of treatment. These improvements were continued in a 3-month follow-up assessment, suggesting promise for the Jesus Prayer as an effective treatment method for religious and spiritual problems. Recommendations regarding the importance of assessing the religious life of patients and implementing spiritual interventions are discussed, as well as the relevance of the therapist’s own assumptions when treating a religious or spiritual problem.

The role of positive behaviors, attitudes and virtues in the mental health of community-dwelling older adults: A 1-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

Few studies have investigated the influence of positive behaviors, attitudes and virtues on mental health outcomes of older adults, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the influence of positive behaviors, attitudes and values on the mental health (depression, anxiety and stress) of Brazilian older adults treated in primary care.

METHODS

A longitudinal study, with a 1-year follow-up, of older adults seen by Family Medicine teams was conducted. Instruments were applied assessing traditional factors (cognition, physical activity, sleep, quality of life, social support), behavioral factors (religiousness, spirituality, satisfaction with life, resilience, altruism, volunteerism, loneliness, meaning in life) and mental health (depression, anxiety and stress). Analyses using linear and logistic regression models were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 490 older adults (91.8% of individuals assessed at baseline) were included. Traditional factors such as gender, sleep problems, ethnicity and alcohol use, as well as positive behavioral factors including loneliness, resilience and well-being at baseline, were found to be associated with mental health at 1-year follow-up. Similarly, changes in scores for quality of life, loneliness, religiousness, feeling at peace, sleep problems and altruism were associated with changes in mental health scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The results revealed that positive behavioral factors influenced the mental health of older adults as much as traditional factors and should therefore be addressed by health professionals and medical managers.

Explaining US Adolescent Depressive Symptom Trends Through Declines in Religious Beliefs and Service Attendance

Over the past decade, US adolescents' depressive symptoms have increased, and changing religious beliefs and service attendance may be contributing factors. We examined the contribution of religious factors to depressive symptoms among 417,540 US adolescents (grades: 8, 10, 12), years:1991-2019, in survey-weighted logistic regressions. Among adolescents who felt religion was personally important, those who never attended services had 2.23 times higher odds of reporting depressive symptoms compared to peers attending weekly. Among adolescents who did not feel that religion was important, the pattern was reversed. Among adolescents, concordance between importance of religion and religious service attendance may lower risk of depressive symptoms. Overall, we estimate that depressive symptom trends would be 28.2% lower if religious factors had remained at 1991 levels.

Bi-directional associations between religious attendance and mental health: findings from a British birth cohort study

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that religious attendance is associated with positive outcomes for mental health; however, there are few longitudinal studies, and even fewer, which take into account the possibility of bi-directional associations. This study aimed to investigate bi-directional associations between religious attendance and mental health.

METHODS

Participants were 2125 study members who provided data at age 68-69 from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (1946 British birth cohort study). Mental health was assessed using the 28-item General Health Questionnaire at ages 53, 60-64 and 68-69. Religious attendance was measured using a 4-point scale (weekly=3, monthly=2, less than monthly=1 or never=0) at ages 43, 60-64 and 68-69. Cross-lagged path analysis was used to assess reciprocal associations between mental health and religious attendance, adjusting for gender and education.

RESULTS

Previous religious attendance was strongly related to later attendance (r=0.62-0.74). Similarly, mental health at baseline was strongly associated with subsequent mental health scores (r=0.46-0.54). Poor mental health at age 53 and 60-64 was associated with more frequent religious attendance at age 60-64 (b=0.04; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.06; p<0.05), and 68-69 (b=0.03; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.06; p<0.05), respectively. There was no evidence that religious attendance at age 43, 60-64 or 68-69 was associated with later or concurrent mental health.

CONCLUSION

Using birth cohort data from the UK, it was found that poor mental health was associated with later religious attendance but not vice versa. Future research should confirm these novel findings and explore the underlying mechanisms between religious attendance and mental health.

"It's easy to dismiss it as simply a spiritual problem." Experiences of mental distress within evangelical Christian communities: A qualitative survey

Evidence suggests that faith communities can support psychological wellbeing but can also potentially diminish wellbeing through stigma, imposed spiritualization, and marginalization. In particular, for evangelical Christianity, whose theological praxis typically accentuates literalist spiritual onto-etiologies, including the belief that mental distress can be treated solely through spiritual intervention (prayer, fasting, and deliverance), there may be negative implications for Christians with mental distress. The current qualitative survey examined the responses of 293 self-identified evangelical Christians, concerning their experiences of mental distress in relation to their church community. An inductive thematic analysis revealed five themes: 1) Tensions between Faith and Suffering; 2) Cautions about a Reductive Spiritualization; 3) Feeling Othered and Disconnected; 4) Faith as Alleviating Distress; and 5) Inviting an Integrationist Position. Findings reveal stigma and the totalizing spiritualization of mental distress can be experienced as both dismissive and invalidating and can problematize secular help-seeking. This lends support to previous research which has suggested that evangelical Christian communities tend to link mental distress to spiritual deficiencies, which can hold potentially negative consequences for their wellbeing. Nevertheless, a degree of complexity and nuance emerged whereby spiritual explanations and interventions were also experienced as sometimes helpful in alleviating suffering. Overall, findings suggest evangelical communities are increasingly adopting integrationist understandings of mental distress, whereby spiritual narratives are assimilated alongside the biopsychosocial. We argue that church communities and psychotherapeutic practitioners should support movement from a position of dichotomizing psychological suffering (e.g., spiritual vs. biopsychosocial) towards a spiritually syntonic frame, which contextualizes distress in terms of the whole person. Considerations for psychotherapeutic practice and further research are made.

Religiosity and prevalence of suicide, psychiatric disorders and psychotic symptoms in the French general population

We aimed to examine the association between religious beliefs and observance and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders, psychotic symptoms and history of suicide attempts in the French general population. The cross-sectional survey interviewed 38,694 subjects between 1999 and 2003, using the MINI. Current religious beliefs and observance were identified by means of two questions: "are you a believer?" and "are you religiously observant?". We studied the association between religiosity and psychiatric outcomes using a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, including migrant status. Religious beliefs were positively associated with psychotic symptoms and disorders [OR = 1.37, 95% CI (1.30-1.45) and OR = 1.38, 95% CI (1.20-1.58)], unipolar depressive disorder [OR = 1.15, 95% CI (1.06-1.23)] and generalized anxiety disorder [OR = 1.13, 95% CI (1.06-1.21)], but negatively associated with bipolar disorder [OR = 0.83, 95% CI (0.69-0.98)], alcohol use disorders [OR = 0.69, 95% CI (0.62-0.77)], substance use disorders [OR = 0.60, 95% CI (0.52-0.69)] and suicide attempts [OR = 0.90, 95% CI (0.82-0.99)]. Religious observance was positively associated with psychotic symptoms and disorders [OR = 1.38, 95% CI (1.20-1.58) and OR = 1.25, 95% CI (1.07-1.45)], but negatively associated with social anxiety disorder [OR = 0.87, 95% CI (0.76-0.99)], alcohol use disorders [OR = 0.60, 95% CI (0.51-0.70)], substance use disorders [OR = 0.48, 95% CI (0.38-0.60)] and suicide attempts [OR = 0.80, 95% CI (0.70-0.90)]. Among believers, religious observance was not associated with psychotic outcomes. Religiosity appears to be a complex and bidirectional determinant of psychiatric symptoms and disorders. In this respect, religiosity should be more thoroughly assessed in epidemiological psychiatric studies, as well as in clinical practice.

Social Adaptation in Context: The Differential Role of Religiosity and Self-Esteem in Vulnerable vs. Non-vulnerable Populations - A Registered Report Study

There is evidence that religiosity and self-esteem are positively related, while self-esteem and religiosity in turn predict successful social adaptation. Moreover, self-esteem has been shown to be directly related to social adaptation in vulnerable contexts. In this registered report study, we tested the hypothesis that religiosity has a positive influence on social adaptation for people living in vulnerable contexts and that self-esteem is a mediator of this relationship. Evidence from this study indicates that neither there is any effect of religiosity on social adaptation nor on self-esteem, independent of whether people live in vulnerable contexts or not.

Associations between religiosity and perinatal anxiety symptoms among women of Mexican descent

BACKGROUND

Over half of pregnant women experience anxiety symptoms, however perinatal mental health disparities exist. Women of Mexican descent exhibit higher levels of anxiety symptoms which may be linked to sociocultural stressors. However, little is known about culturally relevant factors that may protect against anxiety in this fast-growing population, such as religiosity, an important facet of Mexican culture.

METHODS

Pregnant women of Mexican descent (n = 197) were recruited from a local community clinic and followed into the postpartum period. Women completed surveys assessing religiosity, acculturation, acculturative stress, and anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Higher levels of religiosity were associated with lower levels of anxiety symptoms throughout pregnancy, but not postpartum (b = -1.01, p = .002). Additionally, religiosity significantly buffered the relationship between acculturative stress and anxiety symptoms during early (R² = .13, b = -.12, p = .041), mid- (R² = .19, b = -.19, p < .001) and late pregnancy (R² = .14, b = -.13, p = .023), and at six weeks postpartum (R² = .08, b = -.12, R² = .08, p = .016).

LIMITATIONS

The study was limited to women of Mexican descent and it is possible that other immigrant groups may exhibit different patterns of religiosity and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that religiosity may be protective against maternal anxiety among women of Mexican descent, which has important implications for culturally relevant perinatal interventions and treatments.

Hospitality Towards People with Mental Illness in the Church: a Cross-cultural Qualitative Study

Mental illness is a prevalent concern that affects Christian churches in North America in significant ways. Previous studies on the relationship between mental illness and the church have found that beliefs and practices within the church can contribute to stigma towards people with mental illness. Yet, the typical experience of people with mental illness who attend church has been found to be positive, suggesting that there are considerable resources within the church for supporting those who experience mental health problems. One such resource is the concept of hospitality, which promotes a sense of belonging for those with mental illness in the church. This qualitative study advances the construct of hospitality as a helpful paradigm for addressing mental health needs within the church, capturing perspectives and practices that are currently in place or seen as necessary by church attendees. The study methodology also emphasized the need to incorporate cultural considerations that are appropriate for the racial and ethnic make-up of particular churches. Semistructured focus group interviews were conducted with participants from eight churches that were either predominantly African American, Asian American, Latinx, or multi-ethnic. Findings resulting from content analysis of transcripts indicated that hospitality was a broadly helpful construct for addressing mental health concerns in the church, though some cultural differences existed in the understanding and application of hospitality. Both the interface of the findings with the existing scholarly literature and the relevance of findings for church leaders are discussed.

Association between spirituality/religiousness and quality of life among healthy adults: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is determined by multiple factors that include components such as spirituality and religiousness (S/R). Even though various systematic reviews have investigated the association between S/R and improved health outcomes in the most different groups, healthy young individuals are seldom addressed.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between S/R and HRQoL among young, healthy individuals.

METHODS

Systematic review of papers published in the last ten years and indexed in four academic research databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) and two gray literature databases. Inclusion criteria were studies assessing S/R and HRQoL using validated instruments and assessing healthy adults (i.e., non-clinical patients, not belonging to any specific group of chronic diseases), aged between 18 and 64 years old.

RESULTS

Ten out of 1,952 studies met the inclusion criteria: nine cross-sectional and one longitudinal cohort study, in which 89% of the participants were college students. Nine studies report a positive association between S/R and HRQoL, while one study did not report any significant association. The main HRQoL domains associated with S/R were the psychological, social relationships, and environment domains, while the S/R most influent facets/components were optimism, inner strength, peace, high control, hope, and happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher S/R levels among healthy adult individuals were associated with higher HRQoL levels, suggesting the S/R can be an important strategy to deal with adverse environmental situations even among those without chronic diseases, enhancing the wellbeing of individuals. Registration of systematic review: PROSPERO-CRD42018104047.

Associations of Spiritual Well-Being and Hope with Health Anxiety Severity in Patients with Advanced Coronary Artery Disease

Background and Objectives: Health anxiety is one of the most common problems in patients with coronary artery disease. The present study tested whether health anxiety severity could be predicted by spiritual well-being and hope in patients with advanced coronary artery disease. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 100 patients with advanced coronary artery disease were recruited from hospitals and healthcare centers in Iran. Patients completed self-report scales, including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Adult Hope Scale, and Short Health Anxiety Inventory. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to empirically explore the relations among variables. Results: Results indicated that patients who reported higher levels of hope (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and spiritual well-being (β = 0.20, p < 0.05) reported lower levels of health anxiety. Agency (β = 0.58, p < 0.01) scores were a significant negative predictor of health anxiety severity. Additionally, religious spirituality scores (β = 0.28, p < 0.01) were shown to significantly negatively predict health anxiety level. However, the pathways components of hope and existential spirituality were not significant predictors. Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicate that spiritual well-being and hope could be important factors in determining health anxiety for adults with coronary artery disease, and their role is worthy of further exploration to help improve health anxiety for patients with coronary artery disease.

Social support through religion and psychological well-being: COVID-19 and coping strategies in Indonesia

The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) originated in China at the end of 2019, the virus festered there for four months before spreading globally. Impacting the developed and developing world including Indonesia. It has transformed social, economic and political practices social life, everyday habits and government policies, with multi-dimensional consequences on human life. The present study endeavours to explore the relationship between religiosity, social capital, and psychological well-being of the general public, particularly in terms of coping with the pandemic. In addition to this, the study aims to highlight the importance of public awareness regarding social distancing, use of religion as a coping mechanism, and living a healthy lifestyle during pandemic. For knowing the perception of the masses, an online survey by using a self-administered questionnaire was carried out among coronavirus patients, the general public, social media activists, students, and professionals across Indonesia. The findings indicate that the pandemic has altered the lifestyle of the masses in different ways and that people have varied perceptions towards this virus regarding its spread and preventive measures. The study also reveals that, social capital (β = .418, p < .001), psychological well-being (β = .343, p < .001), and religious coping (β = .145, p <. 01) have a significant amount of the variance of coronavirus situational stress (F =  69.77, p < .001, R2 = 0.485). Lastly, the study suggests that, adopting preventative measures, standard operating procedures that are sustainable and healthy forms of coping with the pandemic will be equally as important as medical care in order to contain and eventually eradicate the virus.

Relationship of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Levels with Religious Coping Strategies Among Turkish Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study was to investigate the depression, anxiety, stress levels, and religious coping strategies of Turkish pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the pregnant women involved in this study (N = 327), 74.6% were concerned about their health, whereas 85.9% had concerns about the health of the fetus during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that 19.9% had extremely severe depression, 97.9% had extremely severe anxiety, and 52.3% had severe stress symptoms. Religious coping scores of the pregnant women included in the study were found to be high. There was a weak positive correlation between positive religious coping and depression and a very weak negative correlation between negative religious coping and depression.

Association of Burnout with Emotional Coping Strategies, Friendship, and Institutional Support Among Internal Medicine Physicians

Physician burnout influences physician mental health, staff stress, safety events, and patient outcomes. The association of burnout with compassion satisfaction, secondary stress, emotional coping strategies and many psychosocial variables, such as institutional support, friendship, and spirituality, have not been well studied. A convenience sample of internal medicine physicians was emailed a survey using validated instruments to explore these associations. The response rate was 337/1021 (33%), with a burnout prevalence of 175/337 (52%). Grit, acceptance, active coping, positive reframing, and strategy planning were associated with lower burnout domains and greater compassion satisfaction. Certain emotional coping strategies such as denial, disengagement, self-blame, substance abuse, and venting were associated with greater burnout and lower compassion satisfaction. Greater institutional support was associated with lower burnout (r =  − .35, p < .001), secondary stress (r =  − .14, p < .05), and compassion satisfaction (r = .28, p < .0001). Friendship was associated with lower burnout (r =  − .25, p < .0001) and greater compassion satisfaction (r = .28, p < .0001). This study suggests that amelioration of burnout requires both intrinsic strategies that emphasize physician coping skills as well as extrinsic strategies that address institutional support.

Conflicting Advice between Spiritual Leaders, Friends and Family, and Mental Health Providers: Impacts on Mental Health Treatment-Seeking Behaviors

This study aimed to examine the effects of advice from religious/spiritual leaders and friends/family of a religious/spiritual person with mental health struggles on treatment-seeking. A survey was administered to adult patients of a university-affiliated psychiatric clinic in the Midwest. Participants whose friends/family members' advice conflicted with their psychiatrist's advice were six times more likely to delay seeking mental health treatment (OR: 6.09, 95% CI: 1.37, 27.01). Conflict between religious/spiritual leader's advice and psychiatrist's advice had a significant effect on delay in seeking mental health treatment (OR: 11.73, 95% CI: 2.21, 62.14), with an average delay of just over two years.