title: [Religious and spiritual attitudes of patients with schizophrenic or affective disorders].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In psychiatry and psychotherapy religion and spirituality were for a long time mainly considered as a pathological and neurotic phenomenon. Nowadays they are increasingly accepted as an independent dimension and resource.
  
  
  METHODS
  By means of a questionnaire, inpatients of 3 hospitals with schizophrenic (F2) or affective (F3) disorders were interviewed shortly before discharge about their religious and spiritual attitude with regard to therapy, coping with psychiatric disorder and hospital based pastoral care. General religiousness of the participants was measured using the centrality scale of the Structure of Religiosity Test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 216 participants 25% rated themselves as not religious, 61% as religious, and 14% as highly religious. Diagnosis, education, sex, duration of illness and self-evaluation of current mental health status had no significant statistical impact on the importance of religion. Higher age and importance of religion were positively correlated. Hospital based pastoral services were perceived as very helpful. Results indicate positive effects of religiousness on coping with the psychiatric disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For three of four patients religion and spirituality play a more or less important role in their life. In a clinical as well as in a scientific context this dimension should be paid more regard in psychiatry and psychotherapy.
authors: LWL Klinik Münster, Germany. t.reker@wkp-lwl.org
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Reker
authors: Ralph
authors: R
authors: Menke
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires