Table 5.
Relative risk ratios of pastors’ agreement with definition and causes of depression by religious affiliation (n = 204)
| Questions asked | Agree (vs. disagree) | Occasionally (vs. disagree) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR | 95% CI | P value | RR | 95% CI | P value | |
| Spiritual definition: “Depression is hopelessness that happens when one does not trust God” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | 1.44 | (.36, 5.77) | .611 | 1.004 | (.42, 2.42) | .993 |
| Pentecostals | 2.33 | (.58, 9.39) | .234 | 1.36 | (.54, 3.43) | .513 |
| Non-denominational | 3.01 | (.74, 12.26) | .124 | 1.83 | (.71, 4.70) | .208 |
| Biological definition: “Depression is a biological mood disorder” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | .31 | (.07, 1.39) | .126 | .79 | (.17, 3.53) | .753 |
| Pentecostals | .37 | (.07, 2.01) | .252 | 1.67 | (.33, 8.50) | .535 |
| Non-denominational | .47 | (.09, 2.43) | .364 | 1.34 | (.26, 6.83) | .725 |
| Situational definition: “Depression is a moment of weakness when dealing with trials and tribulations” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | 2.85 | (.90, 9.05) | .075 | 1.75 | (.70, 4.38) | .233 |
| Pentecostals | 3.60 | (1.1, 11.74) | .034* | 1.75 | (.71, 4.94) | .207 |
| Non-denominational | 2.20 | (.67, 7.23) | .196 | 1.75 | (.45, 3.15) | .716 |
| Intrinsic definition: “Depression is due to a person feeling worthless or having low self-esteem” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | .76 | (.17, 3.36) | .720 | .66 | (.16, 2.83) | .581 |
| Pentecostals | 3.76 | (.38, 37.36) | .259 | 2.88 | (.29, 28.22) | .363 |
| Non-denominational | .51 | (.11, 2.34) | .390 | .61 | (.14, 2.60) | .500 |
| Moral cause: “Depression is due to a moral problem in one’s life” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | 2.58 | (.66, 10.05) | .173 | 2.19 | (.74, 6.42) | .155 |
| Pentecostals | 13.48 | (2.3, 78.73) | .004* | 6.03 | (1.21, 30.0) | .028* |
| Non-denominational | 3.61 | (.85, 15.22) | .081 | 2.43 | (.74, 7.97) | .143 |
| Medical cause: “Depression is due to a medical or biological condition” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | .28 | (.05, 1.67) | .161 | .67 | (.12, 3.91) | .659 |
| Pentecostals | .13 | (.02, .77) | .025* | .55 | (.10, 3.08) | .493 |
| Non-denominational | .17 | (.03, 1.04) | .055 | .61 | (.10, 3.53) | .578 |
| Spiritual cause: “Depression is due to a lack of faith in God” | ||||||
| Mainline protestants (base group) | 1.00 | – | – | 1.00 | – | – |
| Conservative protestants | 3.43 | (.63, 18.69) | .155 | 1.29 | (.55, 3.03) | .564 |
| Pentecostals | 11.70 | (2.2, 62.67) | .004* | 2.45 | (.94, 6.38) | .066 |
| Non-denominational | 5.84 | (1.03, 32.9) | .045* | 2.18 | (.87, 5.48) | .097 |
* P < .05