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Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Koenig, HG; Berk, LS; Daher, NS; Pearce, MJ; Bellinger, DL; Robins, CJ; Nelson, B; Shaw, SF; Cohen, HJ; King, MB
Published in: J Psychosom Res
August 2014

OBJECTIVE: Religious involvement may help individuals with chronic medical illness cope better with physical disability and other life changes. We examine the relationships between religiosity, depressive symptoms, and positive emotions in persons with major depression and chronic illness. METHODS: 129 persons who were at least somewhat religious/spiritual were recruited into a clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of religious vs. secular cognitive behavioral therapy. Reported here are the relationships at baseline between religious involvement and depressive symptoms, purpose in life, optimism, generosity, and gratefulness using standard measures. RESULTS: Although religiosity was unrelated to depressive symptoms (F=0.96, p=0.43) and did not buffer the disability-depression relationship (B=-1.56, SE 2.90, p=0.59), strong relationships were found between religious indicators and greater purpose, optimism, generosity, and gratefulness (F=7.08, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Although unrelated to depressive symptoms in the setting of major depression and chronic medical illness, higher religious involvement is associated with positive emotions, a finding which may influence the course of depression over time.

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Published In

J Psychosom Res

DOI

EISSN

1879-1360

Publication Date

August 2014

Volume

77

Issue

2

Start / End Page

135 / 143

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Self Report
  • Religion
  • Psychiatry
  • Middle Aged
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Koenig, H. G., Berk, L. S., Daher, N. S., Pearce, M. J., Bellinger, D. L., Robins, C. J., … King, M. B. (2014). Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness. J Psychosom Res, 77(2), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.05.002
Koenig, Harold G., Lee S. Berk, Noha S. Daher, Michelle J. Pearce, Denise L. Bellinger, Clive J. Robins, Bruce Nelson, Sally F. Shaw, Harvey Jay Cohen, and Michael B. King. “Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness.J Psychosom Res 77, no. 2 (August 2014): 135–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.05.002.
Koenig HG, Berk LS, Daher NS, Pearce MJ, Bellinger DL, Robins CJ, et al. Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness. J Psychosom Res. 2014 Aug;77(2):135–43.
Koenig, Harold G., et al. “Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness.J Psychosom Res, vol. 77, no. 2, Aug. 2014, pp. 135–43. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.05.002.
Koenig HG, Berk LS, Daher NS, Pearce MJ, Bellinger DL, Robins CJ, Nelson B, Shaw SF, Cohen HJ, King MB. Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness. J Psychosom Res. 2014 Aug;77(2):135–143.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Psychosom Res

DOI

EISSN

1879-1360

Publication Date

August 2014

Volume

77

Issue

2

Start / End Page

135 / 143

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Self Report
  • Religion
  • Psychiatry
  • Middle Aged
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans