Religion, spirituality, and mental health: Setting the scene

2021 ◽  
pp. 11-26
Author(s):  
Alexander Moreira-Almeida ◽  
Dinesh Bhugra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Ethical Duty

This chapter starts defining spirituality as a transcendent realm of reality, which is considered sacred, and religion as the institutional or communal aspect of that spirituality. Then, it explores whether and how issues relating to religion and spirituality (R/S) are relevant to the mental health of individuals. A large body of evidence is presented and discussed showing that R/S remain and probably will continue to be relevant in the contemporary world, and that R/S have marked and usually positive effects on mental health. Ethical concerns regarding approaching R/S in clinical care are addressed, arguing that this approach must be patient-centred. An evidence-based, and ethically sound, bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach is proposed. In summary, in respect to the evidence available and the R/S beliefs, behaviours and values of most of the world’s population, it is not only appropriate but a scientific and ethical duty to integrate R/S into mental health research, training, prevention, and clinical practice.

scholarly journals A Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Primer for Mental Health Researchers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher C Conway ◽  
Miriam K. Forbes ◽  
Susan Carol South
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Psychological Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Research Paradigm ◽  
Research Programs ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
Research Questions

Mental health research is at an important crossroads as the field seeks more reliable and valid phenotypes to study. Dimensional approaches to quantifying mental illness operate outside the confines of traditional categorical diagnoses, and they are gaining traction as a way to advance research on the causes and consequences of mental illness. The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) is a leading dimensional research paradigm that synthesizes decades of investigation into evidence-based dimensions of psychological disorders. This article aims to make the application of dimensional approaches in mental health research more accessible through tutorials that demonstrate how to use the HiTOP model to formulate and test research questions. Data and annotated code (written for R and Mplus software programs) for each example are included (https://osf.io/8myzw). We outline how investigators can use these ideas and tools to generate new insights in their own substantive research programs.

scholarly journals Identifying barriers to evidence-based care for sickle cell disease: results from the Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium cross-sectional survey of healthcare providers in the USA

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. e050880
Author(s):  
Matthew P Smeltzer ◽  
Kristen E Howell ◽  
Marsha Treadwell ◽  
Liliana Preiss ◽  
Allison A King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Medical Needs ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Evidence Based Care

ObjectivesSickle cell disease (SCD) leads to chronic and acute complications that require specialised care to manage symptoms and optimise clinical results. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) evidence-based guidelines assist providers in caring for individuals with SCD, but adoption of these guidelines by providers has not been optimal. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to treating individuals with SCD.MethodsThe SCD Implementation Consortium aimed to investigate the perception and level of comfort of providers regarding evidence-based care by surveying providers in the regions of six clinical centres across the USA, focusing on non-emergency care from the providers’ perspective.ResultsRespondents included 105 providers delivering clinical care for individuals with SCD. Areas of practice were most frequently paediatrics (24%) or haematology/SCD specialist (24%). The majority (77%) reported that they were comfortable managing acute pain episodes while 63% expressed comfort with managing chronic pain. Haematologists and SCD specialists showed higher comfort levels prescribing opioids (100% vs 67%, p=0.004) and managing care with hydroxyurea (90% vs 51%, p=0.005) compared with non-haematology providers. Approximately 33% of providers were unaware of the 2014 NHLBI guidelines. Nearly 63% of providers felt patients’ medical needs were addressed while only 22% felt their mental health needs were met.ConclusionsA substantial number of providers did not know about NHLBI’s SCD care guidelines. Barriers to providing care for patients with SCD were influenced by providers’ specialty, training and practice setting. Increasing provider knowledge could improve hydroxyurea utilisation, pain management and mental health support.

scholarly journals Building capacity for global mental health research: challenges to balancing clinical and research training

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 612-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A Oquendo ◽  
Cristiane Duarte ◽  
Lidia Gouveia ◽  
Jair J Mari ◽  
Marcelo F Mello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Research Challenges

scholarly journals Occupational Therapy and Clinical Research in Mental Health Rehabilitation

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Lloyd ◽  
Robert King ◽  
Hazel Bassett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Collaborative Partnership ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Health Rehabilitation ◽  
Mental Health Rehabilitation

Practitioners working in Australian mental health services are faced with the challenge of providing appropriate evidence-based interventions that lead to measurable improvement and good outcomes. Current government policy is committed to the development of strategic mental health research. One focus has been on under-researched practice areas, which include the development of psychosocial rehabilitation systems and models that facilitate recovery. To meet this challenge, an Australian rehabilitation service formed a collaborative partnership with a university. The purposes of the collaboration were to implement new forms of service delivery based on consumer need and evidence and to design research projects to evaluate components of the rehabilitation programme. This article examines the process of developing the collaboration and provides examples of how research projects have been used to inform practice and improve the effectiveness of service delivery. Challenges to the sustainability of this kind of collaboration are considered.

scholarly journals Youth and Provider Perspectives on Behavior-Tracking Mobile Apps: Qualitative Analysis (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney C Armstrong ◽  
Erica J Odukoya ◽  
Keerthi Sundaramurthy ◽  
Sabrina M Darrow
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Behavior Tracking

BACKGROUND Mobile health apps stand as one possible means of improving evidence-based mental health interventions for youth. However, a better understanding of youth and provider perspectives is necessary to support widespread implementation. OBJECTIVE The objective of this research was to explore both youth and provider perspectives on using mobile apps to enhance evidence-based clinical care, with an emphasis on gathering perspectives on behavior-tracking apps. METHODS Inductive qualitative analysis was conducted on data obtained from semistructured interviews held with 10 youths who received psychotherapy and 12 mental health care providers who conducted therapy with youths aged 13-26 years. Interviews were independently coded by multiple coders and consensus meetings were held to establish reliability. RESULTS During the interviews, the youths and providers broadly agreed on the benefits of behavior tracking and believed that tracking via app could be more enjoyable and accessible. Providers and youths also shared similar concerns that negative emotions and user burden could limit app usage. Participants also suggested potential app features that, if implemented, would help meet the clinical needs of providers and support long-term use among youth. Such features included having a pleasant user interface, reminders for clients, and graphical output of data to clients and providers. CONCLUSIONS Youths and providers explained that the integration of mobile health into psychotherapy has the potential to make treatment, particularly behavior tracking, easy and more accessible. However, both groups had concerns about the increased burden that could be placed on the clients and providers.

scholarly journals Against the Stream: religion and mental health – the case for the inclusion of religion and spirituality into psychiatric care

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Dein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Religious Coping ◽  
Religious Experience ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Critical Overview

This paper argues for the inclusion of religion and spirituality in psychiatric care. After discussing the antagonism of psychiatrists and psychologists to religion, I present a critical overview of studies examining the relationships between spirituality, religion and diverse aspects of mental health: depression, suicide, anxiety, delinquency, drug abuse and schizophrenia. The need to assesses the impact of religion in different faith groups is discussed. Measures of religious coping, both positive and negative, may provide a more accurate portrayal as to how individuals deploy religion in their lives than global measures such as belief and attendance. I highlight the fact that there is a dearth of research on ritual, prayer and other aspects of religious experience. While many studies demonstrate positive effects of religion on mental health, others find detrimental effects. Finally I examine the clinical implications of these findings.Declaration of interestNone.

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