Religiosity is a protective factor against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents: Findings from a nationally representative survey

• Published in: European psychiatry Vol. 29; no. 8; pp. 509 - 513
• Main Authors: Amit, B.H, Krivoy, A, Mansbach-Kleinfeld, I, Zalsman, G, Ponizovsky, A.M, Hoshen, M, Farbstein, I, Apter, A, Weizman, A, Shoval, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01-10-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Depression; Depression - psychology; Female; Humans; Internal Medicine; Interview, Psychological; Israel - epidemiology; Jewish; Jews - psychology; Jews - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Multivariate Analysis; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Religion; Risk Factors; Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology; Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology; Self-injury; Sex Factors; Spirituality; Suicide; Israel; Religion; Depression; Self-injury; Suicide; Adolescent; Jewish; Human; Mood disorder; Religious attitude; Self injury; Protective factor; Thought; Survey; Behavior; Jew
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2014.04.005

Abstract Purpose Few studies have investigated the association between religiosity and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors specifically in adolescents, yielding inconsistent results. To date, no study has examined this relationship in a Jewish adolescent cohort. Methods Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, as well as depression, were assessed in a nationally representative sample of Jewish adolescents ( n = 620) and their mothers, using the Development and Well-Being Assessment Inventory (DAWBA) structured interview. Degree of religiosity was obtained by a self-report measure. Results Using multivariate analysis, level of religiosity was inversely associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (Wald χ2 = 3.95, P = 0.047), decreasing the likelihood of occurrence by 55% (OR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.2–0.99), after adjusting for depression and socio-demographic factors. This model (adjusted R2 = 0.164; likelihood ratio χ2 = 7.59; df = 1; P < 0.047) was able to correctly classify 95.6% of the patients as belonging either to the high or low risk groups. Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating religiosity to have a direct independent protective effect against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents. This finding has clinical implications regarding risk assessment and suicide prevention. Further research can potentially elucidate the complex relationship between religiosity, self-injury and suicide in this population.