Religious vs. conventional cognitive behavioral therapy for major depression in persons with chronic medical illness: a pilot randomized trial.

We examine the efficacy of conventional cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) versus religiously integrated CBT (RCBT) in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness. Participants were randomized to either CCBT (n = 67) or RCBT (n = 65). The intervention in both groups consisted of ten 50-minute sessions delivered remotely during 12 weeks (94% by telephone). Adherence to treatment was similar, except in more religious participants in whom adherence to RCBT was slightly greater (85.7% vs. 65.9%, p = 0.10). The intention-to-treat analysis at 12 weeks indicated no significant difference in outcome between the two groups (B = 0.33; SE, 1.80; p = 0.86). Response rates and remission rates were also similar. Overall religiosity interacted with treatment group (B = -0.10; SE, 0.05; p = 0.048), suggesting that RCBT was slightly more efficacious in the more religious participants. These preliminary findings suggest that CCBT and RCBT are equivalent treatments of major depression in persons with chronic medical illness. Efficacy, as well as adherence, may be affected by client religiosity.

Using the Persian-language version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II-Persian) for the screening of depression in students.

Early identification and treatment of depression can prevent the development of the full depressive episode and its consequences. Although the Beck Depression Inventory-II is among the most widely used tools for measuring depression, there are relatively few studies that empirically confirm any cutoff points for screening depression among university students. Our subjects were 400 students from Ilam University (Iran). On the basis of a diagnostic interview checklist, the subjects were differentiated whether they were major depressive syndrome positive (MDS+) (i.e., fulfill criteria A and C of major depressive episode Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria) or significant depression positive (SD+) (having depressed mood or anhedonia that caused significant distress or dysfunction). According to receiver operating characteristic curves obtained, the cutoff point of 22 or greater was the most suitable to screen MDS, whereas for screening milder but clinically significant depression (i.e., having depressed mood or anhedonia that caused significant distress or dysfunction), the cutoff point of 14 or greater was the best.

Religious and spiritual factors in depression: review and integration of the research.

Depressive symptoms and religious/spiritual (R/S) practices are widespread around the world, but their intersection has received relatively little attention from mainstream mental health professionals. This paper reviews and synthesizes quantitative research examining relationships between R/S involvement and depressive symptoms or disorders during the last 50 years (1962 to 2011). At least 444 studies have now quantitatively examined these relationships. Of those, over 60% report less depression and faster remission from depression in those more R/S or a reduction in depression severity in response to an R/S intervention. In contrast, only 6% report greater depression. Of the 178 most methodologically rigorous studies, 119 (67%) find inverse relationships between R/S and depression. Religious beliefs and practices may help people to cope better with stressful life circumstances, give meaning and hope, and surround depressed persons with a supportive community. In some populations or individuals, however, religious beliefs may increase guilt and lead to discouragement as people fail to live up to the high standards of their religious tradition. Understanding the role that R/S factors play in preventing depression, facilitating its resolution, or leading to greater depression will help clinicians determine whether this is a resource or a liability for individual patients.

Religiosity, anxiety, and depression among a sample of Iranian medical students.

OBJECTIVE: There are many studies of religion and mental health in a Christian context, but studies in Islamic countries are few. Most previous studies used only a single question for measuring religion, and several of them showed negative associations between religion and indexes of anxiety or depression among older people. This study preliminary assesses the associations between religious variables, anxiety, and depression in a sample of Muslim students. METHOD: This cross-sectional study examines a sample of medical students (N = 285) for association(s) between religiosity, anxiety, and depression. The subjects completed a Muslim religiosity questionnaire including religious beliefs, emotions, and behaviors subscales and the Beck anxiety and depression inventories during their psychiatry rotation at Roozbeh psychiatric hospital, Tehran, Iran. RESULTS: all the three religious subscales were negatively associated with and negatively predicted depression and anxiety; but only prediction of anxiety by the religious beliefs score was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide further evidence for a protective role of religion against anxiety and depression but more studies are required.