Changes in Depression Severity Following a Dhikr Therapy Program Among Hospitalized Older Adults: A One-Group Pretest–Posttest Study

Abstract

Depression is a prevalent mental health concern among older adults, particularly those requiring hospitalization, and may adversely affect psychological well-being, functional independence, and recovery. Dhikr therapy, a spiritual intervention involving the repetitive remembrance of Allah, has the potential to complement holistic nursing care in managing depressive symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression severity among hospitalized older adults following a dhikr therapy program. A quantitative pre-experimental study using a one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted among 32 older adult inpatients at Dr. Gondo Suwarno Regional General Hospital, Indonesia, in April 2026. Participants were recruited through total sampling. Depression severity was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Before the intervention, the largest proportion of participants experienced moderate depression (43.8%, n = 14). Following the intervention, mild depression was the most common category (40.6%, n = 13), while 31.3% (n = 10) had no depressive symptoms according to the GDS classification. The median GDS score decreased from 10.0 to 9.0, with 31 participants demonstrating reduced depression scores and one showing no change. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated a statistically significant reduction in depression scores following the intervention (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that dhikr therapy may be a promising complementary, non-pharmacological spiritual nursing intervention for alleviating depressive symptoms among hospitalized older adults. Further controlled studies are warranted to establish its effectiveness.