THE MODERATING ROLE OF RELIGIOSITY AMONG PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION

Moderating Role of Religiosity in Depression

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to explore the association of depression with mental wellbeing with respect to religiosity among hospitalized depressed patients.
Study Design: An Exploratory and co-relational study.
Place and Duration of the study: The study was conducted at Khyber Medical complex, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady reading Hospitals of Peshawar from Mar 2016 to Aug 2016.
Material and Methods: A sample of 50 male and female hospitalized depressed patients was taken from different hospitals of Peshawar through purposive sampling technique. Beck Depression Inventory, Belief into Action Scale and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale were used for measuring study variables. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted to analyze data.
Results: Total 50 patients were selected among them 25(50%) were males and 25(50%) were  females. The mean age was 28.2 ± 12.8 with the range of 15-60 years. Bivariate correlation matrix revealed that scores of respondents on Belief into Action Scale has a significant positive correlation with scores on Warwick Mental Wellbeing Scale. Patients who had religious attachments had better mental wellbeing. On the other hand, mental well being was negatively correlated with depression showing that the more the respondent was depressed the less were the scores on mental wellbeing scale. The R2 value of 0.14 indicates 14% variance in outcome variable with F(1, 49)=8.19, p<0.01. Findings reveal that religiosity was a significant positive predictor mental wellbeing (B=0.23, p<0.01. Results reveal the moderating role of religiosity for the relationship between depression and mental wellbeing. Results revealed that depression significantly negatively predicted mental wellbeing (i.e. B=- 1.76, p<0.01) explaining a total of 35% variance in mental wellbeing.
Conclusion: Results revealed a strong negative relation between depression and mental wellbeing; however, religiosity significantly moderated the relationship between depression and mental wellbeing.