Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T20:15:45.424Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spiritual well-being in psychiatric patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Deborah Ann Mountain  and
Walter J Muir
Deborah Ann Mountain
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Scotland
Walter J Muir
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: Some patients with mental illness have said that religion (whether institutional or private) provides them with resources to cope with their illness. The aim of the study was to examine the spiritual well-being and religious practices, beliefs and psychological morbidity of psychiatric patients (n = 41) compared to control groups of patients with chronic medical conditions (n = 40) and community controls attending their GP (n = 39).

Method: The study was a cross sectional survey. The study group were identified in psychiatric rehabilitation and day unit settings, the medical controls from a physical rehabilitation hospital and rheumatology outpatient department and the community controls from a GPs surgery. General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (consisting of religious and existential well-being subscales) and an open-ended Religious Survey Questionnaire were personally administered to the groups and information supplemented by casenote data.

Results: Although there were no differences between the groups on the measure of overall Spiritual Weil-Being or on the subscale of Religious Well-Being, the psychiatric group scored lower on the Existential Well-Being subscale (p < 0.001) and had higher scores on the GHQ-28 (p < 0.001). The psychiatric group had increased frequency of private religious behaviour (p < 0.05) (praying and reading the Bible) which were thought to be coping strategies. Existential Well-Being of the whole sample was positively correlated to religious beliefs (feeling close to God (F = 6,337, p < 0.001); believing everything is according to God's plan (F = 2,709, p < 0.05) and having a mission in life (F = 3,563, p < 0.05)) and to religious practice (attending church) (F = 3,489, p < 0.05). Regression analysis of the whole sample showed that 49.5% of the variance in Existential Well-Being could be predicted by the severe depression subscale of the GHQ, but an additional 9.6% of the variance in Existential Well-Being could be predicted by religious beliefs.

Conclusions: The psychiatric group expressed lower life satisfaction and purpose, and were more likely to be single and unemployed. Religious belief does impact on life satisfaction and could be considered as an adjunct in the management of some psychiatric patients.

Keywords

Spiritual well-beingReligious well-beingExistential well-beingBeliefsReligion.
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , December 2000 , pp. 123 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Me Guire, MReligion: the social context. Belmont, California: Wadsworth 1981.Google Scholar
2.Jarvis, G. Religion and differences in morbidity and mortality. Soc Sci Med 1987; 25(7): 813–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Peterson, L. Religiosity, anxiety and meaning and purpose:religious consequences for psychological wellbeing. Review Religious Research 1985; 27(1): 49–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Vanderpool, . Is religion therapeutically significant? J Religion Health 1977; 16(4): 255–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Oleckno, W. Relationship of religiosity to wellness and other health related behaviours and outcomes. Psychological Reports 1991; 68: 819–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Larson, DB. Systematic analysis of research on religious variables in four major psychiatric journals, 1978-1982. Am J Psychiat 1986; 143(3): 329–34.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Kroll, J. Religious beliefs and practices among 52 psychiatric inpatients in Minnesota. Am J Psychiat 1989; 146(1): 67–72.Google ScholarPubMed
8.Cox, J. Psychiatry and religion: a general psychiatrists perspective. Psychiatric Bulletin 1994; 18: 673–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Goldberg, PA. User's Guide to the General Health Questionnaire. 1988.Google Scholar
10.Ellison, C. Spiritual wellbeing: a conceptualisation and measurement. J Psychol Theology 1983; 11(4): 330–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Scarnati, R. Religious beliefs and practices among most dangerous psychiatric inmates. Forensic Reports 1991; 4: 1–16.Google Scholar
12.Hall, T. Assessment of religious dimensions in Christian clients: a review of selected instruments for research and clinical use. J Psychol Theology 1994; 22(4): 395–421.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Bufford, R. Norms for the Spiritual Well-being Scale. J Psychol Theology 1991; 19: 56–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Miller, J. Assessment of loneliness and spiritual wellbeing in chronically ill and healthy adults. J Professional Nursing 1985; 79–85.Google Scholar
15.Bergin, AE. Religiosity and mental health – a critical reevaluation and meta-analysis. Professional Psychology. Research Practice 1983; 14(2): 170–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Neeleman, J. Religious identity and comfort beliefs in three groups of psychiatric patients and a group of medical controls. Int J Social Psychiat 1994; 40(2): 124–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Lindenthal, J. Mental status and religious behaviour. Scientific Study of Religion 1970; 9(2): 143–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Regier, D. One month prevalence of mental disorders in the US. Archives of General Psychiatry 1988; 45:977.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Witter, R. Religion and subjective wellbeing in adulthood: a quantitative synthesis. Review Religious Research 1985; 26(4): 332–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Simms, A. Psyche – spirit as well as mind? Br J Psychiat 1993; 5: 441–6.Google Scholar