Affective Aspects of Religiousness and 6-Year Course of Depressive Symptoms in Aged Dutch Citizens
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Positive feelings toward God may reduce depressive symptoms in older adults. However, anxiety and negative religious coping are linked to increased depressive symptoms over time, highlighting the complex relationship between religiousness and mental health.
Area Of Science
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Background
- The relationship between religiousness and depressive symptoms in older adults is complex and not fully understood.
- Previous studies have not clarified whether religiousness predicts or merely parallels depressive symptoms.
- Affective aspects of religiousness require further investigation in relation to late-life depression.
Purpose Of The Study
- To examine the longitudinal associations between affective aspects of religiousness and depressive symptoms in older adults.
- To differentiate between predictive and parallel effects of religiousness on depression.
- To investigate specific facets of religiousness, including feelings toward God and religious coping.
Main Methods
- Longitudinal study using data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.
- A subsample of 222 older adults (mean age 76.3 years) completed questionnaires over 3-year intervals.
- Utilized the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, Questionnaire God Representations, and Brief Religious Coping scale.
- Employed mixed model analysis and logistic regression for data analysis.
Main Results
- Positive feelings toward God were associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms over time.
- Anxiety toward God, discontent about God, and negative religious coping predicted an increase in depressive symptoms.
- These negative religious factors also showed a tendency to run parallel to the course of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
- Positive affect toward God may have a protective effect against depressive symptoms in late life.
- Negative religious cognitions and coping strategies are associated with increased and fluctuating depressive symptoms.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering specific affective dimensions of religiousness in understanding late-life mental health.
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