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Religious Participation and DSM IV Major Depressive Disorder Among Black Caribbeans in the United States

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Abstract

This study examines the relationship between religious involvement and 12-month and lifetime DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) within a nationally representative sample of Black Caribbean adults. MDD was assessed using the DSM-IV World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI). Religious involvement included measures of religious coping, organizational and nonorganizational involvement, and subjective religiosity. Study findings indicate that religious involvement is associated with 12-month and lifetime prevalence of MDD. Multivariate relationships between religious involvement and MDD indicate lower prevalence of 12-month and lifetime MDD among persons who use religious coping and characterize themselves as being religious (for lifetime prevalence only); persons who frequently listen to religious radio programs report higher lifetime MDD. Lower rates of 12-month and lifetime MDD are noted for persons who attend religious services at least once a week (as compared to both higher and lower levels of attendance), indicating a curvilinear relationship. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research on religion and mental health concerns, conceptual models of the role of religion in mental health (e.g., prevention, resource mobilization) that specify multiple and often divergent pathways and mechanisms of religious effects on health outcomes, and the role of religion among Caribbean Blacks.

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Acknowledgments

The data collection on which this study is based was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; U01-MH57716) with supplemental support from the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Michigan. The preparation of this manuscript was supported by grants from the National Institute on Institute of Mental Health to Drs. Chatters and Taylor (R01-MH082807), R01-MH084963 to Dr. Chatters, and from the National Aging for Dr. Taylor (P30-AG15281).

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest with any of the authors with this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 1080 South, University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Robert Joseph Taylor & Linda M. Chatters

  2. School of Public Health, School of Social Work, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Linda M. Chatters

  3. School of Social Work, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Ann W. Nguyen

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  1. Robert Joseph Taylor
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  2. Linda M. Chatters
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  3. Ann W. Nguyen
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Correspondence to Robert Joseph Taylor.

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Taylor, R.J., Chatters, L.M. & Nguyen, A.W. Religious Participation and DSM IV Major Depressive Disorder Among Black Caribbeans in the United States. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 903–909 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9693-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9693-4

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