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Cited by 65Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyWorkplace Spirituality and LeadershipPsychiatric care and mental health services

Understandings of spirituality and its role in illness recovery in persons with schizophrenia and mental-health professionals: a qualitative study

Open access
Ho, Rainbow Tin Hung, Chan, Caitlin Kar Pui, Lo, Phyllis Hau Yan, Wong, Ping Ho, Chan, Cecilia Lai Wan, Leung, Pamela Pui Yu, Chen, Eric Yu Hai·2016·BMC Psychiatry
DOI 10.1186/s12888-016-0796-7PMC PMC4818963
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Spirituality has received increased attention in the psychiatric literature; however, it remains underexplored on a global level. Knowledge about spirituality of persons with schizophrenia is often hampered by positive and negative symptoms, which limit their expression of spiritual needs and shift mental-health professionals' focus from spiritual care to symptom control. Differences in the ways that the two parties understand spirituality may create different expectations and further hinder the provision of high-quality holistic care. This study investigated the meaning and roles of spirituality from the perspectives of persons with schizophrenia and mental-health professionals. METHODS: A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews was adopted. The analysis was based on data collected from interviews with 18 clients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 19 mental-health professionals from public hospitals and mental-health community rehabilitation centres in Hong Kong. Data were collected and analysed based on grounded theory principles. RESULTS: Both clients and professionals regarded spirituality as an inherent part of a person's well-being, clients' rehabilitation, and their lives in general. At the personal level, the clients' descriptions were more factual, concrete, short term, and affective, whereas the professionals' descriptions were more abstract, complex, and cognitive. At the communal level, both parties had a similar understanding of spirituality but different interpretations of its role in recovery from mental illness. The clients regarded spirituality as a source of giving and receiving love and care, whereas the professionals regarded it as a means of receiving support and managing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Building a common understanding on the concept of spirituality and the significant role it plays in rehabilitation between clients and mental-health professionals is an essential first step to support clients' spiritual health. Clients tend to seek for stability, peace, and growth rather than an existential quest; while professionals hold a more pathological perspective, viewing spirituality as a means to relieve symptoms, increase social acceptance, and cope with illness experiences. The differential understanding of the two perspectives provides insight and perhaps a roadmap for developing spiritual assessments and holistic care in the psychiatric context.

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  • Many mental health professionals reported feeling uncomfortable discussing spiritual or religious issues with their clients and were more likely to avoid them.

    “A study of mental health professionals’ attitudes towards spirituality and religion in treatment found that many professionals reported feeling uncomfortable discussing spiritual or religious issues with their clients and were more likely to avoid them.16,17”

    From Religiosity & mental health seeking behaviors among U.S. adults (2024) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Background discusses possible barriers to addressing spirituality in clinical practice, and the Results describe professionals’ views of clients’ spirituality. Neither reports that many professionals felt uncomfortable discussing spiritual or religious issues with clients or were more likely to avoid those discussions. Searches for “uncomfortable” and “avoid discussing religion” found no passage establishing that claim; the supplied passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.73)

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  1. [48]Pearson V Yiu MY Public attitudes towards mental health facilities: A study in Hong Kong Soc Work Soc Sci Rev 1993 4 59 82

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Authors
Ho, R. T. H., Chan, C. K. P., Lo, P. H. Y., Wong, P. H., Chan, C. L. W., Leung, P. P. Y., & Chen, E. Y. H.
Affiliations
  • Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK)
  • Education University of Hong Kong (HK)
  • University of Hong Kong (HK)
ORCID
Venue
BMC Psychiatry
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-04-02
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
86-86
ISSN
1471-244X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12888-016-0796-7
PMC
PMC4818963
OpenAlex
W2329266286
Cited by
65
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
FWCI
4.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • BMC Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • University of Hong Kong
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Workplace Spirituality and Leadership
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
Keywords
spirituality, schizophrenia, recovery from illness, mental health professionals, spiritual health, holistic care, rehabilitation, symptom management, spiritual care, well-being
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Attitude of Health Personnel, Female, Health Personnel, Hong Kong, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Spirituality, Qualitative Research, Young Adult

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