The relation of religious belief and practices, depression, and hopelessness in persons with clinical depression

Religious belief and practices have been associated with lower levels of de pression in persons dealing with stressful situations. In this study, resea rchers examined this relationship in 271 persons diagnosed with clinical de pression. It was hypothesized that religious belief and practices would be associated with lower depression and that this relationship would be mediat ed by hopelessness. Religious belief, but not religious behavior, was a sig nificant predictor of lower levels of hopelessness and depression beyond de mographic variables. Through the relation of religious belief to lower leve ls of hopelessness, religious belief was indirectly related to less depress ion. There was also a small direct positive association of belief with depr ession, pointing to the complexity of the role belief plays for religious p ersons. Further study is needed for a better understanding of different way s religion affects depressed persons.