IMPACT OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY ON SOCIETY'S MENTAL HEALTH (BASED ON THE POPULATION SURVEY OF TBILISI, GEORGIA).

Research of mental health related factors has become increasingly important on a global scale. The study is intended to uncover the relationship between a depression and a religion (Orthodox Christianity) - case of Tbilisi population. The research objectives are screening and measurement of a depression using Beck Depression Inventory; describing general statistics with correlation to demographics; revealing factors carrying significant connections with depression, distinguishing their role and place in the forming process of depression general indicator; researching religiosity as one of the hypothetical factors; analyzing the results of relationships between depression and religiousness. General Population: 18+ Tbilisi inhabitants; sample size - 500 completed interviews; method of sampling - stratified cluster sampling. Despite hard socio-economic background of Tbilisi population, low depression level was observed. The central trend of depression gravity level is ranging between having no depression and light depression's upper threshold. It is worth to note that the difference between symptoms of psychological nature and depression specific behavioral revelations is not statistically significant - that means no general linkage to depression's psychological or behavioral symptoms. The main result of the research is the discovery of inversely proportional relationship between depression gravity level and religiousness degree.