Complications related to preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) are leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality. Prenatal depression is a hypothesized psychosocial risk factor for both birth outcomes. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine evidence published between 1977 and 2013 on prenatal depression and risks of these primary adverse birth outcomes. A systematic search of the PUBMED and PsycINFO databases was conducted to identify studies testing the associations between prenatal depressive symptoms, or diagnoses of depression, and risk of PTB or LBW. We systematically selected 50 published reports on PTB and length of gestation, and 33 reports on LBW and BW. Results were reviewed by two independent reviewers and we evaluated the quality of the evidence with an established systematic review method, the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. We then undertook a narrative synthesis of the results following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Less than a quarter of 50 published reports found that prenatal depression was significantly associated with PTB or gestational age. In contrast, slightly more than half of the 33 reports found that prenatal depression was associated with LBW or BW. When weighing methodological features, we determined that the effects of prenatal depression on LBW are more consistent than effects on length of gestation or PTB. Although the evidence may not be strong enough to support routine depression screening for risk of adverse outcomes, screening to enable detection and timely treatment to reduce risk of postpartum depression is warranted. Further rigorous research on prenatal depression and adverse birth outcomes is needed.

This study examined multiple types of forgiveness as predictors of mortality and potential psychosocial, spiritual, and health mechanisms of the effects of forgiveness on longevity. Data from a nationally representative sample of United States adults ages 66 and older assessed forgiveness, health, religiousness/spirituality, and socio-demographics (N = 1,232). God's unconditional forgiveness and conditional forgiveness of others initially emerged as statistically significant predictors of mortality risk. However, only conditional forgiveness of others remained a significant predictor of mortality after controlling for religious, socio-demographic, and health behavior variables. Mediators of the association between conditional forgiveness of others and mortality were examined, and a statistically significant indirect effect was identified involving physical health. These findings suggest that conditional forgiveness of others is associated with risk for all-cause mortality, and that the mortality risk of conditional forgiveness may be conferred by its influences on physical health.

Religious and spiritual beliefs and behaviors are powerful influences in the everyday lives of people worldwide and are especially salient for women and families around the birth of a child. A growing body of research indicates that aspects of religiousness and spirituality are associated with mental health including lower risk of postpartum depression, a disorder that affects as many as 1 in 5 women after birth. The mechanisms, however, are not well understood. In this study, psychosocial resources (mastery, self-esteem, and optimism) was tested as a mechanism linking religiousness and spirituality with depressive symptoms in 2399 postpartum women from the Community Child Health Network. Results indicated that religiousness and spirituality each predicted lower depressive symptoms throughout the first year postpartum. Psychosocial resources mediated these associations. Our findings contribute to existing knowledge by establishing psychological resources as mechanisms explaining how religiousness and spirituality influence mental health in women postpartum.

These results confirm cross-sectional findings suggesting that unforgiveness is related to health. The present study also suggests that unforgiveness has a prospective, but not reciprocal, association with self-reported physical health. Unforgiveness may have its association with self-reported physical health through its interruption of other positive traits that typically confer health benefits.

Religion and spirituality are major forces in the lives of Americans. A large and growing body of research indicates that specific aspects of religiousness and spirituality are associated with better physical and mental health. In this article, we differentiate some hypothesized mechanisms involving social, behavioral, psychological, and biological processes, and summarize some of the evidence pertaining to these pathways. This endeavor generates testable hypotheses for future research. Interdisciplinary research is especially well suited to examining these potential pathways, and social psychology can play a pivotal role in this future research agenda.