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 l l l l l 95% CI l l l df l l l l l significance
My spirituality
Felt Sad l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l 2.38 l l l l 3.61 l l l l l l l l .670 l l l l 1.00-3.75 l l l l 28 l l <.001 - l .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
