Results
In this study, researchers examined the levels of depression that participants
experienced over the past week. The research variables consisted of nominal measures with a
total of 29 participants who participated in this study: 69% identifying as biological females
and 31% identifying as biological males. Figure 1 shows the relations between gender and
spirituality, and Figure 2 shows the relation between gender and feeling sad.
The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between
intrinsic spirituality and levels of depression. To determine this relationship between intrinsic
spirituality and depression, researchers used paired samples t-tests in spss, Figure 1. A paired
samples t-test was conducted to determine the correlation between “my spirituality” and “felt
sad”, df= 28, SD= 3.61, with a 95% confidence interval (1.00, 3.75), (mean= 2.38), one sided
p< .001 and two-sided p= .001. This was found to be statistically significant and reject the
null hypothesis. Looking at Table 1, you will see the information provided about the
relationship between, “My Spirituality” and “How Sad I Felt.”
Table 1 The Relationship Between My Spirituality and How Sad I Felt
Paired Samples Test
Pair 1
Mean SD SD error k k k k 95% CI k k k df k k k k k significance
My spirituality
Felt Sad k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k 2.38 k k k k 3.61 k k k k k k k .670 k k k k 1.00-3.75 k k k k 28 k <.001 - k .001
Note. This table demonstrates the relationship between intrinsic spirituality and one of the
lowest levels for the depression scale questions.
Figure 1 Relation between Gender and spirituality
Note. The above figure shows the relationship between females (1) and males (2) based on
intrinsic spirituality.
Figure 2.
Relation between gender and feeling sad.
Note. The above figure shows the relationship between females (1) and males (2) based on
how sad they felt on a scale of 0-6.
Discussion
The goal of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between intrinsic
spirituality and levels of depression. A paired samples t-test was conducted to determine the
correlation between “my spirituality” and “felt sad”, df= 28, SD= 3.61, with a 95% confidence
interval (1.00, 3.75), (mean= 2.38), one sided p< .001 and two-sided p= .001. Some of the
limitations of this study included there being a short amount of time to collect data and only
having self-reported data. Going forward, this study could allow for there to be more research into
how religion and spirituality may help to improve a person’s depression and may help to improve
their lifestyle. This could also help the general public to lean more towards spirituality as a way
of dealing and coping with depression, since therapy and taking prescribed medications are
typically the most common. This would be another way for people to be able to find themselves
again and could improve their happiness over time. For future studies being conducted similar to
this one, I would suggest that there would be more questions related to actions taken during the
week (such as activities they were involved in and how they felt while doing these activities).
This could also help to determine if the person was more depressed if they laid in bed more often
since they reported being sad or if they were more active after they went to church or prayed that
morning. This is important to the field of psychology since depression is such a highly known
mental health issues that such a large number of people struggle with. Allowing more research
between these two variables could possibly change psychology in general for those helping others
deal with depression. This study was similar to other research studies that have been previously
conducted.
Religion has been such a powerful contributor to mental and physical well-being over time.
The results of this study shown between mental health and religion found that there is a unique
role between the two variables which play a huge part in personality (Haney & Rollock, 2020).
The researchers found that there was a strong statistical significance between intrinsic and
extrinsic religion when it came to depression. However, there was found to be no significance
when it came to intrinsic and extrinsic religion for the satisfaction with life (Haney & Rollock,
2020). This research showed there was a huge significance between intrinsic spirituality and levels
of depression however this did not determine how satisfied the person was with their life. The
study had a target population of large public university students with about 580 total participants,
who ranged in ages from 18 to 29 years of age. What does no specific data about gender in this
research. Meaning that it contradicted the study that was conducted above.
Looking at may cause levels of depression can be a huge factor when it comes to the
outcome of the study. The awareness of a diagnosis for a terminally ill patient with cancer may
have a different outlook on life and there are levels of depression that come with this. There was
a total of 299 patients who are terminally ill with cancer that participated in the study (Lai et al.,
2016). This study did not include anything specific about. Researchers used the hospital anxiety
and depression scale to collect the necessary data. Based on the information collected the
researchers were able to determine if there was a statistical significance inpatient who were aware
of their diagnosis versus those who are not. The participants who were aware of their diagnosis
were also found to have statistical significance with Intrinsic spirituality. However, when it came
to the statistical significance found between spirituality and psychological symptoms such as
anxiety and depression, they were found to be no significance (Lai et al., 2016). In this case, they
were still found to be lower levels of depression and anxiety in terminally ill patient with cancer
who were aware of their diagnosis than those who were not.
Lastly, the correlation of spirituality and other women was conducted to look at mental health
and successful aging. The total of 3653 surveys sent out to participants, however, only 1942 that
were received were able to be used for the study (Vahia et al., 2010). Humane measures of the
study looked at spirituality and successful aging, meaning depression was not as much of a
concern as the other studies were. The study found that there was I statistical significance in
spirituality when it was associated with more demographic variables. The participants used were
from all around but recruited through San Diego clinical Center for women’s Health initiative
(Vahia et al., 2010). Since this study looked at older women and women only there was not much
for demographics and participant options related in the data.
References
Vahia, I. V., Depp, C. A., Palmer, B. W., Fellows, I., Golshan, S., Thompson, W., Allison,
M., & Jeste, D. V. (2010). Correlates of spirituality in older women. Aging & Mental
Health, 15(1), 97–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2010.501069
Lai, C., Luciani, M., Galli, F., Morelli, E., Del Prete, F., Ginobbi, P., Penco, I., Aceto, P., &
Lombardo, L. (2016). Spirituality and awareness of diagnoses in terminally ill patients
with cancer. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, 34(6), 505–509.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909116630985
Haney, A. M., & Rollock, D. (2020). A matter of faith: The role of religion, doubt, and
personality in emerging adult mental health. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality,
12(2), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000231
