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Religiousness, depressive problems and suicidal ideation: a 9-year follow-up clinical case-control study from the
Cis Vrijmoeth1, Joy Blok2, Bart van den Brink3
1Centre for Research and Innovation in Christian Mental Health Care, 3871 MR Hoevelaken, the Netherlands; Department Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Psychiatry Research
|October 11, 2025
Summary
Religious affiliation and commitment did not significantly impact major depressive disorder (MDD) or suicidality risk in a large prospective study. This research highlights the need to explore internal religious factors in future mental health studies.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Sociology of Religion
Background:
- Previous research on religion's link to depression and suicidality yields inconsistent findings, often limited by cross-sectional designs.
- Prospective studies are needed to clarify the complex, potentially bidirectional relationship between religiousness and mental health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine the association between religiousness and major depressive disorder (MDD), depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal ideation.
- To investigate whether religious affiliation and varying levels of commitment influence the risk or severity of depression and suicidality over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) cohort (N=2981).
- Categorized participants into non-affiliated, affiliated with low commitment/attendance, and affiliated with higher commitment/attendance groups.
- Employed mixed-effects models to compare outcomes (MDD, symptom severity, suicidal ideation) across religiousness groups over a 9-year follow-up period.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed between religiousness groups regarding the incidence or severity of MDD.
- Religious affiliation and commitment levels did not show a protective effect or increased risk for suicidal thoughts or ideation.
- Findings remained consistent in the total sample and a sub-sample diagnosed with MDD at baseline.
Conclusions:
- In this cohort, religious affiliation and varying levels of commitment did not appear to influence the risk or severity of depression or suicidality.
- The study suggests that external religious behaviors may not be a primary factor in mitigating or exacerbating these mental health conditions.
- Future research should explore internal religious aspects, such as God representation and moral beliefs, in relation to depression and suicidality.
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