Relationship between Religious Orientation, Anxiety, and  Depression among College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sedighe   FOROUHARI; Saeed  HOSSEINI TESHNIZI; Mohammad Hasan    EHRAMPOUSH; Seyed Saeed  MAZLOOMY MAHMOODABAD; Hossein     FALLAHZADEH; Seyed Ziaeddin   TABEI; Mohammad   NAMI; Masoud  MIRZAEI; Bahia   NAMAVAR JAHROMI; Seyyed Mehrdad HOSSEINI   TESHNIZI; Jalil GHANI   DEHKORDI; Maryamsadat  KAZEMITABAEE

doi:10.18502/ijph.v48i1.781

Sedighe FOROUHARI
Saeed HOSSEINI TESHNIZI
Mohammad Hasan EHRAMPOUSH
Seyed Saeed MAZLOOMY MAHMOODABAD
Hossein FALLAHZADEH
Seyed Ziaeddin TABEI
Mohammad NAMI
Masoud MIRZAEI
Bahia NAMAVAR JAHROMI
Seyyed Mehrdad HOSSEINI TESHNIZI
Jalil GHANI DEHKORDI
Maryamsadat KAZEMITABAEE

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v48i1.781

Abstract

Background: Religious obligation helps people to develop mental health by creating internal commitment to special rules. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the relationship between religious orientation and anxiety among college students.

Methods: Major scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, EBSCO, ProQuest and PsycINFO were searched for original research articles published 1987-2016. A random effect model was used to combine Correlation coefficient. All analyses were performed using Stata MP.

Results: After screening of 7235 documents, 13 articles including 5620 participants met inclusion criteria in this meta-analysis. Correlation coefficient was -0.08 (95% CI= -0.19, -0.03) which indicated with increasing religious orientation, anxiety and depression reduced (P<0.001). Characteristics such as sex, geographic region, and type of religions were potential sources of heterogeneity. Based on fill-and-trim method the adjusted pooled r was obtained, -0.06 (95% CI= -0.16, -0.04).

Conclusion: There was a weakness relationship between religious orientation and mental anxiety and depression. Therefore, it needs to improve knowledge of student about advantages of religious orientation.