Explaining the Process of effectiveness of Religious Holistic Therapy on the Reduction of Girl Students: Depression

The study was conducted in order to explain the process of effectiveness of religious holistic therapy on the reduction of girl student›s depression. The grounded theory was applied in this study and the data were analyzed by Strauss and Corbin›s coding methodology. The sample included 11 girl students from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz who were selected by purposeful sampling. They participated in eight sessions on the religious holistic therapy and after that, they were interviewed about the process of effectiveness of this therapy. According to the results, the topics of therapy content in the sessions and the effect of presence in the group were identified as the causal topics. The reinforcement strategy consisted of biological, social, mental, and spiritual aspects as well as therapist›s interest and faith, the encouragement of participants to be confident and speak in the group. The context conditions included environmental, structural, family, cultural, and individual factors and the moderate conditions also consisted of the weakness of spiritual beliefs and non-confidence. The religious holistic therapy led to the increase of reliance, faith and hope, the feeling of being active, the change of attitude towards to life, and performance improvement. Based on the study results, the effect of religion and the way the religion affects the process of therapy can be understood.