RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION AND DEPRESSION IN OLDER DUTCH CITIZENS - PATTERNS AND MODELS

This study describes the distribution of depressive symptoms in older Dutch citizens (N = 3,020) across religious denominations. Reformed Ca lvinists had the lowest depressive scores (CES-D); Protestants from li beral denominations the highest; Roman Catholics, Dutch Reformed, and nonchurch members were in between. Two types of explanatory mechanisms are examined: (a) social integration and (b) positive self-perception s, which both help to prevent depression. Alternatively strict Calvini st doctrines are hypothesized to enforce negative self-perceptions, fa cilitating depression. For 2,509 respondents, complete data were avail able on social integration and serf-perceptions, as well as on the par ental religious denomination. Explanatory effects were tested using hi erarchic regression models. The negative association between Calvinist background and depressive symptoms was partly explained by size of so cial network, and between Roman Catholic background and depressive sym ptoms by self-esteem. Leaving church had a positive association with d epressive symptoms. This depressogenic effect remained after controlli ng for explanatory variables.