With all the consciousness-raising about religion and child abuse going on, a brand new study caught my eye:

People who were abused and neglected during childhood have a higher risk of major depression when they become young adults, according to a report in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

"The current results show that childhood physical abuse was associated with increased risk for lifetime MDD," the authors write. "We also provide new evidence that neglected children are at increased risk for depression as well."

Not only was there a correlation with child abuse and adult depression, but even child neglect is correlated. This does make sense, as a child's brain is hard-wired to seek attachment to its parents, and if the parents do not reciprocate sufficiently, the brain may not develop properly.

Of course, if religion is strongly associated with child abuse, it too should be correlated with depression. Yet the research not only fails to show this, it actually shows the opposite. Here is just a sample:

Adolescent risk behaviors and religion: Findings from a national study.
J Adolesc. 2006 May 3
Sinha JW, Cnaan RA, Gelles RJ.

Too few studies have assessed the relationship between youth risk behaviors and religiosity using measures which captured the varied extent to which youth are engaged in religion. This study applied three measures of religiosity and risk behaviors. In addition, this study ascertained information about youths' participation in religious activities from a parent or caretaker. Based on a national random sample of 2004 teens (ages 11-18), this study indicates that youth perceive religion as important, are active in religious worship and activities, and further shows that perceived importance of religion as well as participation in religious activities are associated with decreased risk behaviors. Looking at ten risk behaviors, religiosity variables were consistently associated with reduced risk behaviors in the areas of: smoking, alcohol use, truancy, sexual activity, marijuana use, and depression. In the case of these six risk variables, religiosity variables were significantly associated with reduced risk behaviors when controlling for family background variables and self-esteem. The study highlights the importance of further understanding the relationship between religious variables, background variables, self-esteem, and youth risk behaviors.

Alcohol-use problems in young black adults: effects of religiosity, social resources, and mental health.
J Stud Alcohol. 2006 Jan;67(1):44-53.
Bowie JV, Ensminger ME, Robertson JA.

OBJECTIVE: Problems with alcohol remain a serious public health concern despite decreased use among some populations. Here we examine the relationship between alcohol problems and religiosity, hypothesizing that social resources may mediate this relationship. METHOD: Using data from a longitudinal cohort study of a black community population (N=1242) followed from age 6 to 32, analysis of moment structures (AMOS) multiple regression analyses were used to examine the association of religious involvement and alcohol-use problems, taking into account mediators, moderators, or both. RESULTS: Findings from this study support and extend the current literature that being male, having a major depressive disorder, completing fewer years of education, being unemployed, moving more frequently, and not attending church at least monthly are associated with serious problems with alcohol use in blacks. Those who were depressed and attended church frequently were no more likely to have alcohol problems than those who were not depressed. However, depression was strongly associated with alcohol problems for those who did not attend church frequently. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of church attendance was associated with fewer alcohol problems, and this relationship was moderated by depression. Other measures of religiosity were not significantly related to alcohol problems, and social resources did not mediate the relationship between alcohol problems and religiosity.

Religiousness and mental health: a review.
Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2006 Sep;28(3):242-50.
Moreira-Almeida A, Neto FL, Koenig HG.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between religiosity and mental health has been a perennial source of controversy. This paper reviews the scientific evidence available for the relationship between religion and mental health. METHOD: The authors present the main studies and conclusions of a larger systematic review of 850 studies on the religion-mental health relationship published during the 20th Century identified through several databases. The present paper also includes an update on the papers published since 2000, including researches performed in Brazil and a brief historical and methodological background. DISCUSSION: The majority of well-conducted studies found that higher levels of religious involvement are positively associated with indicators of psychological well-being (life satisfaction, happiness, positive affect, and higher morale) and with less depression, suicidal thoughts and behavior, drug/alcohol use/abuse. Usually the positive impact of religious involvement on mental health is more robust among people under stressful circumstances (the elderly, and those with disability and medical illness). Theoretical pathways of the religiousness-mental health connection and clinical implications of these findings are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that religious involvement is usually associated with better mental health. We need to improve our understanding of the mediating factors of this association and its use in clinical practice.

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