Religiosity and severity of symptoms in Croatian patients with major depressive disorder or schizophrenia

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Lana Kos
• Author: Marina Šagud
• Author: Alma Mihaljević-Peleš
• Author: Mislav Kutleša
• Author: Tomislav Kovač
• Author: Vladimir Trkulja
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

We examined and compared the relationship between religiosity and symptom severity in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) rated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) and schizophrenia (rated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale). The Duke University Religion Index, the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith (SCSORF) questionnaire, and the Brief Religious Coping scale scores were similar between patients with MDD (n = 50) and patients with schizophrenia (n = 50). In patients with MDD, higher organizational religious activity (ORA) (estimate = 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.37-4.19; p = 0.020) and higher negative religious coping (estimate = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.03-0.84; p = 0.037) were independently associated with more severe symptoms. In patients with schizophrenia, higher ORA was associated with lower negative symptoms (estimate = -1.99, 95% CI = -3.94 to -0.03; p = 0.046). Higher SCSORF was associated with lower ORA in both patient subsets, and thus indirectly with milder symptoms in patients with MDD and with more severe negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. The relationship between religiosity and symptom severity apparently differs in patients with MDD and those with schizophrenia.

• Keywords (english): Adaptation, Psychological / physiology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Croatia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder, Major / physiopathology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Religion and Psychology; Schizophrenia / physiopathology; Severity of Illness Index; Young Adult
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Accepted version
• Journal title: The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
• Numbering: vol. 207, no. 6, pp. 515-522
• p-ISSN: 0022-3018
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001003
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:283094
• Publication: 2019-06
• Document URL: https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001003
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-28 10:42:16