ABSTRACT
Religious belief and practices have been associated with lower levels of depression in persons dealing with stressful situations. In this study, researchers examined this relationship in 271 persons diagnosed with clinical depression. It was hypothesized that religious belief and practices would be associated with lower depression and that this relationship would be mediated by hopelessness. Religious belief, but not religious behavior, was a significant predictor of lower levels of hopelessness and depression beyond demographic variables. Through the relation of religious belief to lower levels of hopelessness, religious belief was indirectly related to less depression. There was also a small direct positive association of belief with depression, pointing to the complexity of the role belief plays for religious persons. Further study is needed for a better understanding of different ways religion affects depressed persons.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder, Major/psychology , Motivation , Religion and Psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Personality InventoryABSTRACT
Previously published studies of MMPI characteristics of pathological gamblers have failed to control for the possible confounding influence of co-existing alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders. This limits the generalizability of such studies since gamblers' MMPI profiles closely resemble profiles of alcoholics. The current study compares MMPI scores for 96 alcoholics with 136 pathological gamblers of which 81 had co-existing alcohol dependence or abuse and 55 had no substance abuse disorder. All were hospitalized male inpatients in a private psychiatric dual diagnosis program (treating addiction and a co-morbid psychiatric disorder). Gamblers had significantly higher mean scores than alcoholics alone on education level and socioeconomic status. Otherwise, no differences on MMPI scores emerged for pathological gamblers in comparison to alcoholics. Nor did differences emerge when non-alcoholic gamblers were compared to either alcoholic gamblers or alcoholics alone. Results are discussed in terms of treatment implications, as well as indicating a need for exploring personality measures which might differentiate more sharply the clinically construed personality differences of pathological gamblers.
