The Mediating Role of Meaninglessness in the Relationship Between Religiosity and Depression

Year 2021, Issue: 55, 379 - 395, 30.06.2021

Muhammet Enes Vural , Ali Ayten

https://doi.org/10.29288/ilted.890131

Abstract

The research focuses on the relationship and interaction between religiosity, depression, and the sense of meaninglessness. Accordingly, the study aims to determine whether meaninglessness has a mediating role in the effect of religiosity on depression. The research sample consists of 1007 people whose ages range from 18 to 78 (SD=11.33) and who reside in different provinces of Turkey. In order to test the hypotheses developed before the research, a questionnaire form consisting of personal information form, religiosity scale, depression scale, and meaninglessness scale was applied to the participants. The findings of the study revealed that there is a negative relationship among religiosity, depression, and meaninglessness. On the other hand, in the study, positive significant relationships and interactions were found between depression and meaninglessness. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that meaninglessness is ascertained as a full mediator in the effect of religiosity on depression. The findings obtained as a result of the research were discussed in the light of the literature and some suggestions were made.

Keywords

Psychology of Religion, Religiosity, Depression, Mental Health, Meaninglessness, Meaning in Life

Dindarlık ve Depresyon İlişkisinde Anlamsızlığın Aracı Rolü

Abstract

Araştırma, dindarlık, depresyon ve anlamsızlık duygusu arasındaki ilişki ve etkileşimi konu edinmektedir. Buna bağlı olarak araştırmanın amacı, dindarlığın depresyon üzerindeki etkisinde anlamsızlığın aracılık etkisinin olup olmadığını tespit etmektir. Araştırmanın örneklemi Türkiye’nin farklı illerinde ikamet eden ve yaşları 18 ile 78 arasında değişen 1007 kişiden oluşmaktadır (SD=11.33). Araştırmada hipotezlerin test edilmesi için katılımcılara kişisel bilgi formu, dindarlık ölçeği, depresyon ölçeği ve anlamsızlık ölçeğinden oluşan anket formu uygulanmıştır. Araştırma bulguları, dindarlık ile depresyon ve anlamsızlık arasında negatif yönde; depresyon ile anlamsızlık arasında ise pozitif yönde anlamlı ilişki ve etkileşimler olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca araştırmanın temel problemine yönelik yapılan aracılık analizinde, dindarlığın depresyon üzerindeki etkisinde anlamsızlığın tam aracı etken olarak rol oynadığı görülmüştür. Araştırma sonucunda elde edilen bulgular alanyazın eşliğinde tartışılmış ve bazı önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

Din Psikolojisi, Dindarlık, Depresyon, Ruh Sağlığı, Anlamsızlık, Hayatın Anlamı

References

• Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M. “Happiness, Health, and Religiosity: Significant Relations.” Mental Health, Religion & Culture 9/1 (Mart 2006), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/13694670500040625
• Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M. vd. “The Relationship Between Religiosity and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Religion and Health 58/5 (Ekim 2019), 1847–1856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00881-z
• Abu-Hilal, Maher vd. “Can Religiosity Boost Meaning in Life and Suppress Stress for Muslim College Students?” Mental Health, Religion & Culture 20/3 (Mart 2017), 203–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2017.1324835
• Allison, Paul D. Multiple Regression: A Primer. Pine Forge Press, 1999.
• Aydın, Cüneyd vd. “Hayatın Anlam ve Amacı Ölçeği: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması.” Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 38 (2015), 39–55.
• Ayten, Ali. Din ve Sağlık. İstanbul: Marmara Akademi Yayınları, 2020.
• Ayten, Ali. Erdeme Dönüş Psikoloji ve Mutluluk Yolu. İstanbul: İz Yayıncılık, 2014.
• Ayten, Ali. Prososyal Davranışlarda Dindarlık ve Empatinin Rolü. İstanbul: Marmara Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Doktora Tezi, 2009.
• Ayten, Ali - Yıldız, Refik. “Dindarlık, Hayat Memnuniyeti İlişkisinde Dinî Başa Çıkmanın Rolü Nedir? Emekliler Üzerine Bir Araştırma.” Dinbilimleri Akademik Araştırma Dergisi 16/1 (2016), 281–308.
• Bayram, Nuran - Bilgel, Nazan. “The Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlations of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among a Group of University Students.” Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 43/8 (2008), 667–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0345-x
• Blackburn, Laura - Owens, Gina P. “The Effect of Self Efficacy and Meaning in Life on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Severity among Veterans.” Journal of Clinical Psychology 71/3 (2015), 219–228. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22133
• Braam, Arjan W. - Koenig, Harold G. “Religion, Spirituality and Depression in Prospective Studies: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Affective Disorders 257/ (Ekim 2019), 428–438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.06.063
• Davis, Timothy L. vd. “Meaning, Purpose, and Religiosity in at-Risk Youth: The Relationship between Anxiety and Spirituality.” Journal of Psychology and Theology 31/4 (2003), 356–365.
• Francis, Benedict vd. “Religious Coping, Religiosity, Depression and Anxiety among Medical Students in a Multi- Religious Setting.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16/2 (Ocak 2019), 259. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020259
• Gebauer, Jochen E. vd. “Religiosity, Social Self-Esteem, and Psychological Adjustment.” Psychological Science 23/2 (Şubat 2012), 158–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611427045
• Hackney, Charles H. - Sanders, Glenn S. “Religiosity and Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis of Recent Studies.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 42/1 (Mart 2003), 43–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5906.t01-1-00160
• Hu, Lietze - Bentler, Peter M. “Cutoff Criteria for Fit Indexes in Covariance Structure Analysis: Conventional Criteria versus New Alternatives.” Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal 6/1 (Ocak 1999), 1– 55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
• Jones, James W. “Religion, Health, and the Psychology of Religion: How the Research on Religion and Health Helps Us Understand Religion.” Journal of Religion and Health 43/4 (Aralık 2004), 317–328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-004-4299-3
• Karagöz, Yalçın. SPSS ve AMOS Uygulamalı Nicel-Nitel Karma Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri ve Yayın Etiği. İstanbul: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık, 2017.
• Karslı, Necmi. “Dindarlık ve Öfke Kontrolü Ilişkisi Üzerine Tecrübî Bir Araştırma.” EKEV Akademi Dergisi 16 (2012), 57–70.
• Koenig, Harold G. “Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications.” ISRN Psychiatry, 1– 33. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/278730
• Koenig, Harold G. Religion and Mental Health: Research and Clinical Applications. Academic Press, 2018.
• Koenig, Harold G. vd. “Religiosity and Remission of Depression in Medically Ill Older Patients.” American Journal of Psychiatry 155/4 (Nisan 1998), 536–542. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.155.4.536
• Koenig, Harold G vd. “Hope, Religiosity, and Mental Health in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military with PTSD Symptoms.” Military Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz146
• Krause, N. “Religiosity and Self-Esteem among Older Adults.” The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 50B/5 (Eylül 1995), 236–246. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/50B.5.P236
• Leondari, Angeliki - Gialamas, Vasilios. “Religiosity and Psychological Well‐being.” International Journal of Psychology 44/4 (Ağustos 2009), 241–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207590701700529
• Lovibond, P. F. - Lovibond, S. H. Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Sydney, Australia: Pychology Foundation of Australia, 2nd Ed., 1995a.
• Lovibond, P. F. - Lovibond, S. H. “The Structure of Negative Emotional States: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories.” Behaviour Research and Therapy 33/3 (1995b), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U
• Maryam Hedayati, M.A. - Mahmoud Khazaei, M.A. “An Investigation of the Relationship between Depression, Meaning in Life and Adult Hope.” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 114/ (2014), 598–601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.753
• McCullough, Michael E - Larson, David B. “Religion and Depression: A Review of the Literature.” Twin Research and Human Genetics 2/2 (1999), 126–136.
• Miller, Lisa vd. “Religiosity and Major Depression in Adults at High Risk: A Ten-Year Prospective Study.” American Journal of Psychiatry 169/1 (Ocak 2012), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10121823
• O’Connor, Daryl B vd. “Religiosity, Stress and Psychological Distress: No Evidence for an Association among Undergraduate Students.” Personality and Individual Differences 34/2 (Şubat 2003), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00035-1
• Öztürk, Abdullah Harun. Varoluşçu Bakışa Göre Hayatın Anlamı ve Amacının Depresyon ve Umutsuzlukla Ilişkisi. İstanbul: Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2018.
• Paloutzian, Raymond F. Invitation to the Psychology of Religion. Guilford Publications, 2016.
• Park, Crystal L. “Religion as a Meaning-Making Framework in Coping with Life Stress.” Journal of Social Issues 61/4 (2005), 707–729. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00428.x
• Park, Crystal L. “Religiousness/Spirituality and Health: A Meaning Systems Perspective.” Journal of Behavioral Medicine 30/4 (Ağustos 2007), 319–328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-007-9111-x
• Parra, Mireya Romero. “Depression and the Meaning of Life in University Students in Times of Pandemic.” International Journal of Educational Psychology 9/3 (Ekim 2020), 223–242. https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2020.6784
• Paukert, Amber L. vd. “Systematic Review of the Effects of Religion-Accommodative Psychotherapy for Depression and Anxiety.” Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 41/2 (Temmuz 2011), 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-010-9154-0
• Sarıçam, Hakan. “Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in Health Control and Clinical Samples.” Journal of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and Research 7/1 (2018), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1442558
• Smith, T. B. vd. “Religiousness and Depression: Evidence for a Main Effect and the Moderating Influence of Stressful Life Events.” Psychological Bulletin 116 (2003), 614–636.
• Son, Joonmo - Wilson, John. “Religiosity, Psychological Resources, and Physical Health.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 50/3 (Eylül 2011), 588–603. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01588.x
• Steger, Michael F. - Frazier, Patricia. “Meaning in Life: One Link in the Chain from Religiousness to Well-Being.” Journal of Counseling Psychology 52/4 (2005), 574–582. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.574
• Stuart, Jaimee - Ward, Colleen. “The Relationships between Religiosity, Stress, and Mental Health for Muslim Immigrant Youth.” Mental Health, Religion&Culture 21/3 (Mart 2018), 246–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2018.1462781
• Tabachnick, Barbara G - Fidell, Linda S. Using Multivariate Statistics: International Edition. Pearson, 2012.
• Vasegh, Sasan - Mohammadi, Mohammad-Reza. “Religiosity, Anxiety, and Depression among a Sample of Iranian Medical Students.” The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 37/2 (June 2007), 213–227. https://doi.org/10.2190/J3V5-L316-0U13-7000
• Vehling, Sigrun vd. “Global Meaning and Meaning-Related Life Attitudes: Exploring Their Role in Predicting Depression, Anxiety, and Demoralization in Cancer Patients.” Supportive Care in Cancer 19/4 (2011), 513–520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-0845-6
• Yapıcı, Asım - Koçak, Ali. “Türkiye’de Ruh Sağlığı, Maneviyat ve Dindarlık: Meta-Analitik Bir Değerlendirme.” Din, Değerler ve Sağlık. ed. Hayati Hökelekli. İstanbul: Değerler Eğitimi Merkezi Yayınları, 2017.