[Religiosity and intensity of endogenous depression symptoms. A follow-up study]

The aim of our study was to determine if the quality of remission in unipolar affective disorder correlates with patient's religiosity. We have investigated 63 patients who were hospitalised in the Department of Psychiatry CMUJ between 1991 and 1997. The quality of remission has been assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), Hopelessness Scale (HS). Religiosity has been tested by the Scale of Individual Religiosity, and Religious Life Inventory. Patients were also assessed with the use of our own questionnaire, answering the following questions: 1. Do you believe?, 2. Does the disease influence the faith?, 3. Does your faith help in the disease?. Religiosity did not correlate with the quality of remission in depression in a statistically significant manner. There is only one statistically significant correlation: patients who answered positively the question number 3 (41 patients), have better remission. It is impossible to describe simple correlation between religiosity and remission in unipolar affective disorder. Patients who found their faith helpful have better remission.