title: Religiosity is a protective factor against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents: findings from a nationally representative survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 χ(2)=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 R(2)=0.164; likelihood ratio χ(2)=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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, PO Box 102, 4910002 Petah Tikva, Israel. Electronic address: Dr.ben.amit@gmail.com.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, PO Box 102, 4910002 Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krivoy
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mansbach-Kleinfeld
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, PO Box 102, 4910002 Petah Tikva, Israel; Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zalsman
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ponizovsky
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshen
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Farbstein
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apter
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, PO Box 102, 4910002 Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weizman
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, PO Box 102, 4910002 Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shoval
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D029181:Spirituality
keywords: Adolescent; Depression; Jewish; Religion; Self-injury; Suicide