Associations Between Changing Childhood Religions and Adult Psychopathology: Results from a Multigenerational Sample of Individuals at High and Low Risk for Depression

We examined whether change in childhood religious affiliation (i.e., religious change) is associated with increased rates of adult psychopathology. Data were obtained from a three-generation study of families at high- and low-risk for major depressive disorder (MDD; N = 281). High-risk status was defined by diagnoses of MDD in Generation 1; low-risk by its absence. Diagnostic clinical interviews were collected over 40 years. Self-report measures on religiosity/spirituality were collected at Year 35. Lifetime patterns of religious affiliation were examined in relation to various psychopathologies across generations and risk groups using logistic regressions. Change in childhood religion was associated with higher rates of adult substance abuse (odds ratio (OR) = 2.72, p = 0.050) and, marginally, anxiety (OR = 4.90, p = 0.063). Psychopathology was observed primarily in the high-risk group: anxiety disorders (OR = 5.50, p = 0.026), substance abuse (OR = 4.70, p = 0.008), and MDD (OR = 2.40, p = 0.058), although formal tests of interaction were not statistically significant. For those who changed religions in the high-risk group, higher rates of substance abuse were observed in Generation 2 (OR = 7.19, p = 0.01), whereas higher rates of MDD were observed in Generation 3 (OR = 6.94, p = 0.03). There were no generational differences in rates of religious change (p > 0.05). Results suggest changes in childhood religious affiliation may be a risk factor for adult psychopathology.