Religiousness and Depression: Evidence for a Main Effect and the Moderating Influence of Stressful Life Events T. Smith, M. McCullough, and J. Poll Presented by Lynn Carlson Radford University

Purpose To analyze the association between religiousness and depression and what factors influence the relationship. To analyze the association between religiousness and depression and what factors influence the relationship.

Goals of Meta-Analysis 1. Estimate the average magnitude of association between measures of religiousness and depressive symptoms. 2. Assess whether association is due to a main effect model, stress-buffering model, or both. 3. Identify characteristics of study samples and methods that might explain variation in religious-depression association.

Issues to consider Moderating and Mediating Variables Moderating and Mediating Variables Reciprocal relationships Reciprocal relationships Genetic influences Genetic influences Developmental influences Developmental influences Depressive influences on religion Depressive influences on religion Religious influences in depression Religious influences in depression

Review of the Literature 147 independent studies 147 independent studies Use four techniques to obtain studies Use four techniques to obtain studies -used electronic databases -used multiple search terms -manually examined reference sections of retrieved articles - sent letters asking for unpublished research to any author of three or more articles on topic

Inclusion Criteria Written in English Written in English Published before February 2000 Published before February 2000 Estimated bivariate association for individual Estimated bivariate association for individual Used search term “religiousness", Used search term “religiousness", "spirituality”, or “depression” Used only global mental health measures Used only global mental health measures

Data Coding Coders received extensive training Coders received extensive training Method sections coded separately than results Method sections coded separately than results Two rates coded each article Two rates coded each article Two rater teams coded each article Two rater teams coded each article Retrieved objectively verifiable characteristics Retrieved objectively verifiable characteristics Only made inferences on three variables Only made inferences on three variables If dimension of depression or religiousness not explicitly stated, then inferred to code If dimension of depression or religiousness not explicitly stated, then inferred to code

Potential Moderators Gender Gender Ethnicity Ethnicity Age Age Life stress Life stress Other Psychiatric diagnosis’s Other Psychiatric diagnosis’s Measure of Religiousness Measure of Religiousness

Characteristics of Studies 147 total independent studies 147 total independent studies 98,975 total participants 98,975 total participants Gender reported in 137 studies ( 93%) Gender reported in 137 studies ( 93%) Ethnicity reported in 95 studies (65%) Ethnicity reported in 95 studies (65%) Religious affiliation reported in 45 studies (31%) Religious affiliation reported in 45 studies (31%) Life Stress levels reported in 90 studies (61%) Life Stress levels reported in 90 studies (61%)

Results VariableNKSER+ 95% CI PublishedSource66, , P< , -.08 Unpublished32, God Concept 1, ,-.06 N= Number of participants, K= Number of studies, SE=standard error, R+=weighted mean correlation, 95% CI= confidence interval at 95%

Limitations of Study All experiments written in English All experiments written in English Used cross-sectional designs Used cross-sectional designs Mostly North American participants Mostly North American participants Mostly Christian participants Mostly Christian participants Response bias Response bias

Conclusion There is evidence that religiousness is a robust correlate of depressive symptoms, even thought it is a small one There is evidence that religiousness is a robust correlate of depressive symptoms, even thought it is a small one Can attribute association to both the main effect model and the stress buffering model Can attribute association to both the main effect model and the stress buffering model No evidence that age, gender, or ethnicity moderated the association No evidence that age, gender, or ethnicity moderated the association