Integrating spirituality in the approach to psychiatric practice

A B R Janse Van Rensburg

doi:10.7196/sajp.594

Abstract

Interest in spirituality and psychiatry has grown significantly over the past two decades. Since the 1990s, interest groups have been formed by several professional associations in the USA, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Brazil and Australia. Interest in spirituality, religion and culture has, however, always existed in Africa and has recently in a South African (SA) context also emerged more publicly in secular areas such as health and mental health, where the need to be ‘culturally competent’ has extended to competence regarding the multireligious and spiritually diverse contexts of local medical practice. Locally, in SA, a Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group (S&PSIG) of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) was established with the objectives, among others, to promote, maintain and protect the discipline of psychiatry as a medical speciality as far as it relates to spirituality as an additional dimension to the biopsychosocial model, and to provide a forum to clarify concepts and professional boundaries. It also became important to develop local guidelines, which was initiated by the S&PSIG, undertaken in view of the extent of local and worldwide religious affiliation, rapid growth of academic

Highlights

Integrating spirituality in the approach to psychiatric practiceInterest in spirituality and psychiatry has grown significantly over the past two decades
Undergraduate medical curricula in the USA have focused on including the development of skills in the human dimensions of clinical practice, including understanding the meaning of patients’ stories in the context of their beliefs and cultural values.[7]
Incorporating spirituality in the approach to psychiatric practice and training, especially in a SA context, offers a rich field of exploration and inquiry and has become a legitimate component of the consideration given by mainstream scientific endeavour and evidence-based practice

Summary

Integrating spirituality in the approach to psychiatric practice

Interest in spirituality and psychiatry has grown significantly over the past two decades. In SA, a Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group (S&PSIG) of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) was established with the objectives, among others, to promote, maintain and protect the discipline of psychiatry as a medical speciality as far as it relates to spirituality as an additional dimension to the biopsychosocial model, and to provide a forum to clarify concepts and professional boundaries. It became important to develop local guidelines, which was initiated by the S&PSIG, undertaken in view of the extent of local and worldwide religious affiliation, rapid growth of academic investigation,[1] guidelines by other associations (e.g. Royal College of Psychiatrists),[2] and SASOP’s own position statement on culture, mental health and psychiatry.[3]

South African studies

Conclusion