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Types of prayer and depressive symptoms among cancer patients: the mediating role of rumination and social support

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An Erratum to this article was published on 30 June 2011

Abstract

We examined the association between different types of prayer and depressive symptoms—with rumination and social support as potential mediators—in a sample of predominantly White, Christian, and female ambulatory cancer patients. In a cross-sectional design, 179 adult cancer outpatients completed measures of prayer, rumination, social support, depressive symptoms, and demographic variables. Type and stage of cancer were collected from electronic medical charts. Depressive symptoms were negatively correlated with adoration prayer (r = −.15), reception prayer (r = −.17), thanksgiving prayer (r = −.29), and prayer for the well-being of others (r = −.26). In the path analysis, rumination fully mediated the link between thanksgiving prayer and depressive symptoms (β for indirect effect = −.05), whereas social support partially mediated the link between prayer for others and depressive symptoms (β for indirect effect = −.05). These findings suggest that unique mechanisms may link different prayer types to lower depressive symptoms among cancer patients.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a National Cancer Institute U56 Comprehensive Cancer Partnership Program Grant (U56 CA118635). We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Sarah Ahmad, Esteban Barreto, Laurel Radwin, Geraldine Sanon, Max Stewart, and the participants in this research. We especially thank Karen Emmons and Adan Colon-Carmona for their support and skillful leadership of the DF/HCC-UMass Boston U56 collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA, 94117, USA

    John E. Pérez

  2. Department of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Amy Rex Smith

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Rebecca L. Norris & Katia M. Canenguez

  4. Hospice Care of Southwestern Connecticut, Stamford, CT, USA

    Elizabeth F. Tracey

  5. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Elizabeth F. Tracey & Susan B. DeCristofaro

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  1. John E. Pérez
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  2. Amy Rex Smith
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  4. Katia M. Canenguez
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Correspondence to John E. Pérez.

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An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10865-011-9365-1

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Pérez, J.E., Rex Smith, A., Norris, R.L. et al. Types of prayer and depressive symptoms among cancer patients: the mediating role of rumination and social support. J Behav Med 34, 519–530 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-011-9333-9

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