Spiritual Well-Being and Mental Health Outcomes in Adolescents With or Without Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this study was to a) describe spiritual well-being (existential and religious well-being) in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus healthy peers, b) examine associations of spiritual well-being with mental health outcomes (emotional functioning and depressive symptoms), and c) assess the differential impact of existential versus religious well-being on mental health.Methods-One-hundred fifty-five adolescents ages 11-19 from a children's hospital and a university hospital filled out questionnaires including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Covariates in multivariable models included demographics, disease status, and interactions.Results-Participant's mean (SD) age was 15.1 (2.0) years; 80 (52%) were male; and 121 (78%) were White. Levels of existential and religious well-being were similar between adolescents with IBD and healthy peers. In multivariable analyses, existential well-being was associated with mental health (partial R 2 change = .08-.11, p < .01) above and beyond other characteristics (total R 2 = .23, p < .01). Presence of disease moderated both the relationship between existential well-being and emotional functioning, and between religious well-being and depressive symptoms -that is, the relationships were stronger in adolescents with IBD as compared to healthy peers. Religious wellbeing was only marginally significantly associated with mental health after controlling for other factors.REPRINTS AND CORRESPONDENCE: Sian Cotton, PhD, Department of Family Medicine and the Center for the Study of Health, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, P.O. Box 670840, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0840; Fax: 513-558-2744; E-mail: E-mail: sian.cotton@uc.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Conclusions-While both healthy adolescents and those with IBD had high levels of spiritual well-being, having IBD moderated the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health. Meaning/purpose was related to mental health more so than connectedness to the sacred. NIH Public AccessAdolescents with a chronic illness often face numerous psychosocial and medical issues [1][2][3][4][5]. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is characterized by chronic and relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and its manifestations may include abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and/or nausea and vomiting. Approximately 15-25% of cases of IBD are present by 20 years of age, with an ...

Study of the Spiritual Intelligence Role in Predicting University Students’ Quality of Life

“…Likewise, the spiritual intelligence dimensions play a significant role in predicting the quality of life of students. The findings of this research were coherent with similar studies on spiritual intelligence that is an effective factor in predicting the quality of life (Ahmad et al 2011;Bolghan-Abadi et al 2009Chamratrithirong et al 2010;Cotton et al 2009;Jafari et al 2010;Kliewer and Murrelle 2007;Moalemi et al 2010a, b;Park et al 2011;Rasic et al 2011;Shaw 2008;Wallace et al 2007). Shaw (2008) has studied the spirituality place in mental health and happiness.…”

“…He noted that the spiritual activities can lead to happiness. Cotton et al (2009) in their research revealed that both healthy adolescents and others who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) had high levels of spiritual well-being. Having IBD moderates the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health.…”

Spirituality Moderates Hopelessness, Depression, and Suicidal Behavior among Malaysian Adolescents

“…This adds support to Rasic et al (2011), further suggesting that spirituality is a protective factor from suicidal thinking. The negative association between spirituality and hopelessness suggests that individuals who have a closer perceived relationship with a higher power experience higher mental health (Cotton et al 2009;Tuncay 2007), experience lesser psychological stress (Carmody et al 2008), experience lower levels of suicidal ideation (Rasic et al 2011), and provide a sense of hope in extremely hopeless situations (Rasic et al 2011). The findings of the current study are consistent with those who found that individuals who have a close relationship with a higher power reported less symptoms of anxiety and depression.…”

“…Spirituality can alleviate physical and psychological problems and even social problems (Luquis et al 2012). Spirituality can provide a sense of hope in extremely hopeless situations, increase a sense of intimacy in individuals, be a source of comfort and relief from stress, provide meaning and a useful goal in life, and help in finding effective solutions to problems (Cotton et al 2009). Psychologists believe that spirituality plays an important role in generating a positive coping style against stressful life events (Abdollahi and Talib 2015).…”

Health-Related Quality of Life and Cognitive Functioning from the Perspective of Parents of School-Aged Children with Asperger’s Syndrome Utilizing the PedsQL™

“…The PedsQL TM 4.0 Generic Core Scales has been utilized in pediatric psychiatric disorders, demonstrating significant impairments in HRQOL (Storch et al 2007; and significant correlations with the Child Behavior Checklist (Bastiaansen et al 2004a;Felder-Puig et al 2008) and measures of emotional distress including the Children's Depression Inventory (Cotton et al 2009;Varni et al 1999) and Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children and Short Mood and Feeling Questionnaire (Reinfjell et al 2008). One study (Bastiaansen et al 2004b) that utilized the PedsQL TM 4.0 Generic Core Scales to assess the HRQOL of children with psychiatric disorders included a small sample (n = 28) of children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders.…”