title: [Recognition of psychiatric disorders with a religious content by members of the clergy     of different denominations in the Netherlands].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clergy members (CMS) frequently provide support and counselling for people with psychological and psychiatric disorders. There is evidence in the literature that CMS consider themselves to be inadequately trained to recognise psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate to what extent CMS are able to recognise psychiatric symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  CMS were recruited in the south-west of the Netherlands among various denominations (Roman Catholic, strict (orthodox) Protestant, moderate Protestant and Evangelical; n = 143) by means of a regional sampling method. The participating CMS (n = 143) and a control group consisting of mental health care professionals MPHS; n = 73) evaluated four vignettes of psychiatric problems with a religious content: two were about a psychiatric disorder (a psychotic state and a psychotic depression/melancholic state), and two concerned non-psychiatric states (a spiritual/religious experience and a mourning reaction with a religious dilemma). For each vignette the respondents scored the suitability of psychiatric medication, the desirability of mental health care, the severity of the disorder and whether there was a religious or spiritual aetiology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some CMS were able to recognise psychiatric problems almost as well as the MHPS, but among the CMS the degree of recognition varied according to the denomination. Recognition was relatively poor among Evangelical CMS, but was best among the strict Protestant CMS. Evangelical pastors and strict Protestant CMS tended to interpret the non-psychiatric states as pathological.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study emphasise the need for collaboration between MHPS and CMS and stress the importance of consultation.
authors.affiliation: Research, Development & Opleideingen, Rotterdam.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noort
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Braam
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: van Gool
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: A T F
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Beekman
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011361:Professional Competence; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents