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Abstract
The present study examined messages about mental illness in 14 contemporary Christian self-help bestsellers. Content analysis revealed that most texts focused upon depression. Categories of textual units included Underlying Assumptions Regarding Depression, Representations of Depression, Roots/Causes/Reasons for Depression, and Christian Responses to Depression. Demonic influence was the most frequently cited reason for depression. Other reasons included negative cognitions, failure as a Christian, and negative emotions. Christian responses to depression included trusting God, religious activity, and individual willpower. Discussion of these results focused upon the problematic impact of these messages upon individuals with depression, and upon suggestions for reducing mental illness stigma in religious communities.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their gratitude for the support provided for this study. The Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development at Seattle Pacific University offered a Faculty Research Grant for study resources. Financial support was also provided through the Living Well Initiative at Seattle Pacific University. The Living Well Initiative is an ongoing program for community awareness, education, and research regarding severe and persistent mental illnesses.
