A study analyzed data from over 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students to investigate the relationship between religiousness, sexual orientation, and depression.

It found that religiousness was generally associated with lower odds of depression, particularly among Christian students. However, this protective effect was primarily observed among heterosexual students, with weaker associations for sexual minority students. The prevalence of depression was higher among sexual minority groups, highlighting the complexity of the association between religiousness and mental health for emerging adults in higher education.

Source: PLOS Mental Health