Religiosity is a protective factor against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents: Findings from a nationally representative survey

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the association between religiosity and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors specifically in adolescents, yielding inconsistent results. To date, no study has examined this relationship in a Jewish adolescent cohort. Methods: Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, as well as depression, were assessed in a nationally representative sample of Jewish adolescents (n= 620) and their mothers, using the Development and Well-Being Assessment Inventory (DAWBA) structured interview. Degree of religiosity was obtained by a self-report measure. Results: Using multivariate analysis, level of religiosity was inversely associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (Wald χ²=3.95, P=0.047), decreasing the likelihood of occurrence by 55% (OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.2-0.99), after adjusting for depression and socio-demographic factors. This model (adjusted R²=0.164; likelihood ratio χ²=7.59; df=1; P<0.047) was able to correctly classify 95.6% of the patients as belonging either to the high or low risk groups. Conclusion: This is the first study demonstrating religiosity to have a direct independent protective effect against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents. This finding has clinical implications regarding risk assessment and suicide prevention. Further research can potentially elucidate the complex relationship between religiosity, self-injury and suicide in this population.