Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med uppsatsen var att belysa eventuella skillnader i upplevd psykisk hälsa hos två grupper med skiftande trosuppfattning. Studien ville undersöka om trosuppfattning hade inflytande på angivna svar i depressionsenkäten PHQ-9 och hur det i så fall samvarierade med vikten av fysisk aktivitet. Hur stor är prevalensen av depression inom de undersökta grupperna? På vilket sätt samvarierar tro på en högre makt med upplevd psykisk hälsa hos de två undersökta grupperna? Hur ser korrelationen ut mellan trosuppfattning och psykisk hälsa i förhållande till den mellan fysisk aktivitet och psykisk hälsa? Metod Studien är en tvärsnittsstudie som har utförts med hjälp av enkäter för att studera sambandet mellan religiositet och upplevd psykisk hälsa i två grupper bestående av troende och ateister. Enkäten innehöll bland annat PHQ-9, ett validerat instrument för att upptäcka symtom för depression. 52 kristna församlingar i Stockholms län kontaktades via e-post varav fyra besöktes. Utöver detta kontaktades en organisation som tar ställning för sekulär humanism och en organisation som har som syfte att främja folkbildning om vetenskapliga metoder och är obunden i religiösa frågor, detta för att få respondenter med skiftande trosuppfattning. För att utöka antalet respondenter användes även en webbversion av enkäten som komplement till den ursprungliga pappersversionen. Sammanlagt besvarade 188 respondenter enkäten. Bearbetning av data gjordes med hjälp av IBM SPSS Statistics 19 samt Microsoft Excel 2007. Signifikansnivå sattes till p≤0,05 Resultat Antalet respondenter som fick fem poäng eller mer på PHQ-9, och därmed skulle vara i behov av en utredning av den psykiska hälsan, var fler hos de troende (n=41) gentemot hos ateisterna (n=23), (p=0,003). Skillnaden i den psykiska hälsan berodde inte på skiftande trosuppfattning utan på faktorer som fysisk aktivitet, hög utbildning, värk, kön och låg inkomst. Slutsats Denna studie visade ingen signifikant skillnad mellan troendes och ateisters psykiska hälsa efter kontroll för confounders. Studien visade att fysisk aktivitet, hög utbildning, värk, kön och inkomst predicerar den psykiska hälsan. / Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to shed light on any possible differences in perceived mental health in two groups with different religious belief. The study wanted to examine whether religious belief influenced the answers given in the Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9, and if it covariated with the influence of physical activity. What is the prevalence of depression in the studied groups? In what way does belief in a higher power covariate with the perceived mental health in the two studied groups? What is the correlation between religious belief and mental health in relation to the one between physical activity and mental health? Method This study is a cross-sectional study performed using questionnaires to study the covariation between religiousness and perceived mental health in two groups of believers and atheists. The survey included the PHQ-9, a validated questionnaire to detect symptoms of depression. 52 christian parishes in Stockholm county were contacted by e-mail of which 4 was visited. In addition one organization which takes a stand for secular humanism and one organization that aims to promote public education on scientific methods and is independent in religious matters, this to get respondents with diverse beliefs. To extend the respondent group a web-questionnaire was used in addition to the original paper version. In total 188 respondents answered the questionnaire. Data was processed in IBM SPSS Statistics 19 and Microsoft Excel 2007. The level of significance was set to p≤0,05 Results The number of respondents who received five points or more on the PHQ-9, and thus would be in need of an investigation of their mental health, was greater in the group of believers (n=41) in relation to the group of atheists (n=23), (p=0,003). The difference in mental health was not due to difference in belief but due to factors such as physical activity, high education, pain, sex and low-income. Conclusions This study showed no significant difference in the mental health between believers and atheists after controlling for confounders. The study showed that physical activity, high education, pain, sex and low-income predicts the mental health.

The overall aim of this bachelor thesis is to discover the portrayal of atheism in eight textbooks, published by established publishers and authors. And through that see if there is a secularist norm in the textbooks. The eight textbooks are written in accordance with the curriculum for the mandatory, non-confessional school subject Religious education, used in upper secondary schools. The result of this thesis is tied in to the four different themes of the analysis:  Atheism as Marxism, existentialism?  A secularist norm?  A religious norm?  The textbooks discussion and factual issues? Related to the keywords  The findings of this bachelor thesis indicate that there can be a secularist norm as well a religious norm. This has been presented through the textbooks description of atheism and the relevant keywords. The thesis has also demonstrated that the portrayal of atheism is linked to the description of Marxism and existentialism among other non-religious worldviews, such as humanism and secular humanism.  The result of this bachelor thesis is also linked to Karin Kittelmann Flensners thesis Religious Education in Contemporary Pluralistic Sweden, especially her secular discourse.

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