Religious Involvement and Risk of Major Depression in a Prospective Nationwide Study of African American Adults

2009/08/01 by Christopher G. Ellison, Kevin J. Flannelly · 124 citations
Medicine · Psychology · Social Sciences · #African american #Attendance #Church attendance #Clinical psychology #Demography #Depression (economics) #Gerontology #History #Internal medicine #Logistic regression #Longitudinal study #Medicine #Odds #Odds ratio #Political science #Psychiatry #Psychology #Religion and Society Interactions #Religion, Society, and Development #Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology #Religiosity #Social psychology #Sociology

paper · doi:10.1097/nmd.0b013e3181b08f45

published in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 197(8), 568-573 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)

openalex publication_date 2009/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

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.

Citations

• Religious Involvement, Social Ties, and Social Support in a Southeastern Community
• Social Relationships and Health.
• Religiosity and Mental Health: A Meta–Analysis of Recent Studies

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