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Longitudinal study of religiosity and mental health of adolescents with psychiatric problems. The TRAILS study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

W. van der Jagt-Jelsma ,
M. de Vries-Schot ,
P. Scheepers ,
P.A.M. van Deurzen ,
H. Klip  and
J.K. Buitelaar
W. van der Jagt-Jelsma*
Affiliation:
Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Zwolle, The Netherlands
M. de Vries-Schot
Affiliation:
GGZ Christoph, Mental Health Care, Deventer, The Netherlands
P. Scheepers
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Sociology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
P.A.M. van Deurzen
Affiliation:
Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
H. Klip
Affiliation:
Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
J.K. Buitelaar
Affiliation:
Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author. Dr. Eeftinckschattenkerkweg 1, 8025 BW Zwolle, Postbus 40244, 8004 DE, Zwolle, The Netherlands. Fax: +31 6 38 4561111. E-mail address:w.vanderjagt@karakter.com (W. van der Jagt-Jelsma).
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Abstract

Purpose:

This study used longitudinal data to examine the influence of the religiosity of pre-adolescents with psychiatric problems on the course of mental health during adolescence.

Methods:

In the TRAILS clinical cohort of 543 pre-adolescents (10–12 years), mental health problems were assessed using self-report at baseline, T2 (12–14 years), T3 (14–17 years), and T4 (17–21 years). The Youth Self Report (YSR) was used at baseline, T2, and T3, and the Adult Self Report (ASR) was used at T4. Religiosity was assessed at baseline using self-report and information from mothers and fathers, resulting in three categorical religiosity variables and six SOCON (Social Cultural Developments Questionnaire) religiosity scales that assess religiosity in greater detail. Repeated measure ANOVA analyses were performed for each independent religiosity variable with internalizing and externalizing problem behavior as dependent variables, gender as a factor and time (T1, T2, T3 and T4) as within factor. Results were adjusted for marital status of parents and socioeconomic status and corrected for multiple testing.

Results:

There were main effects of the self-report SOCON scale “Humanistic beliefs” and gender and gender “by Humanistic beliefs” interaction effect on internalizing problems. Follow-up tests revealed that among females “high” scores on “Humanistic beliefs” were associated with increased internalizing problems.

Conclusions:

There were hardly any associations between religiosity and mental health in a clinical cohort of pre-adolescents up to adolescence. The exception being that among females strong humanistic beliefs were associated with internalizing problems. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords

Mental healthPre-adolescentsReligionReligiosityPsychiatric problemsLongitudinal study
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 45 , September 2017 , pp. 65 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

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Footnotes

Abbreviations: TRAILS, TRAcking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey; YSR, Youth Self Report; ASR, Adult Self Report

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