Religious aspects in psychiatry and psychotherapy

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of religion in psychiatry and psychotherapy and it introduces a context-oriented approach to religion. Design/methodology/approach The paper opted for a selective literature review to highlight significant issues with regard to mainstream psychology. Findings It provides a short summary on the historical neglect and exclusion from clinical practice and shows how religion was integrated into the mainstream of psychotherapy and psychiatry. A quantitative and universalistic approach to religion is dominant. The widespread approach to religious coping by Pargament is presented as well as related findings with regard to religion and mental health. Research limitations/implications The paper includes implications for the development of a context-oriented inclusion of religion and encourages for associated empirical research. Originality/value With a critical inclusion of contexts, professionals may stay alerted to the issue that health and disorders are not ontological facts but contain moral codes of a current society. It takes the social context and unequal power relations as the starting point for a partisan cooperation with the affected persons.