The Effects of Fasting on Mental Health: An Experimental Research

Abstract

In this study, by moving from the effects of fasting on mental health, it is assumed that there could be a rise or decrease in the symptoms of mental health during one month,after Ramadan comparing to conditions before Ramadan. In this sense, the aim of this study is to determine the effects of fasting on mental health. In addition, it is also analysed whether the mental health levels of the participants differ according to gender. The research was designed according to one group pre-test post-test design, which is one of the models among pre-experimental designs. In this model, which is also known as a weak experimental design, an independent variable is applied to a randomly chosen group. Evaluations are made both before the experiment (pre-test) and after the experiment (post-test). In this study, likewise, to determine the effects of fasting on mental health, Brief Symptom Inventory was applied as pre-test one week before the fasting started. Just after the fasting ended, it was also applied as the post-test. As such, we aim to understan whether there is a significant difference in two mental health scores obtained as a result of these two tests. To become a participant in the research the following criteria were considered: (1) not having a physical disability, (2) not having a mental disability, (3) not using psychiatric medicine, (4) not being addicted to alcohol or drugs and (5) being an adult. In addition, those who do not fast at least for three weeks were not included in the study. In thise research, Demographic Data Form and Brief Symptom Inventory were used as data collection forms. When the distribution based on gender is considered, 38 (55,9%) of the participants are female, and 30 (44,1%) are males with a total of 68 people. For the analysis of the research data, SPSS 23.00 package program was used. Before starting analyses, it was checked whether the scales show a normal distribution or not. For the scales to fulfil the normal contribution conditions, the skewness and kurtosis values to determine normality must be between +1.5 and -1.5. As the research data showed a normal distribution, (the related values are provided) parametrical tests were used. Within this context, independent groups t test was used to determine whether mental health differentiates at a meaningful level based on gender or not. In order to determine whether the pre-test and post-test scores for mental health show a statistically significant difference in the general and sub-levels of the scale, dependent groups t test was applied. The impact values were calculated using online websites. In this e-study, it was concluded that participants showed statistically significant difference between the average pre-test and post-test scores they had for negative ego (t 67=3,776; p<.05) and hostility (t 67=2,360; p<.05) subscales of mental health. In other words, it was found out that the participants showed a statistically significant decrease in their negative ego and hostility levels after the experiment. Cohen's d statistics refers to an influence quantity of fasting at a low level on the negative ego (d=0.45) and hostility (d=0.28) sub-dimensions of mental health. In this case, it was concluded that fasting has positive effects on negative ego and hostility sub-dimensions of mental health. Moreover, according to gender differences, when the differences in pre-test and post-test average scores are taken into consideration, while no statistically significant difference was found in male participants' scores in pre-test and post-test average scores (p>.05), statistically significant differences were found in pre-test and post-test scores in female participants in sub-dimensions of overall mental health (t 37=2,541; p<.05) and depression (t 37=2,988; p<.05), negative ego (t 37=3,978; p<.05), hostility (t 37=2,330; p<.05). It was confirmed that in female participants, post-test average scores are significantly lower compared to pre-test average scores in terms of overall mental health, depression and, negative ego and hostility sub-dimensions. Using Cohen d statistics, it was found out that the effects of fasting on female participants' decreasing mental health indications are at a low level in general (d= 0.41), at a low level in depression sub-dimension (d=0.48), at a low level, for negative ego (d= 0.64) at a medium level, and for hostility (d=0.37) at a low level. The fact that fasting shows significant differences on mental health for women, while it does not show any significant differences in men reveals that the effects of fasting on the indications of mental health can change depending on the gender.