Religious Hallucinations and Religious Delusions among Older Adults in Treatment for Psychoses in the Netherlands

Annemarie Noort,Aartjan T F Beekman,Arjan W Braam

doi:10.3390/rel11100522

Annemarie Noort, Aartjan T F Beekman + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11100522

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Journal: Religions	Publication Date: Oct 12, 2020
Citations: 6	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Altrecht GGZ, University of Humanistic Studies

Abstract

Background. Although religious delusions (RDs) are common in geriatric psychiatry, we know little about their frequency and content. Our study examines the prevalence and content of religious hallucinations (RHs) and RDs and how they relate to the diagnosis and the patients’ denominational background and other aspects of religiousness. Methods. Semi-structured diagnostic interviews were conducted with inpatients and outpatients (N = 155, mean age 76.5) at a geriatric psychiatry department in the Netherlands. We used the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry 2.1. Results. The prevalences of RHs and RDs were 19% and 32%, respectively. RHs were mostly auditory. There was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of RHs in schizophrenia (17.5%) and in psychotic depression (9.4%). Compared to non-affiliated patients and mainline Protestants, RDs were significantly more prevalent in raised and current strict Protestants, especially in those with psychotic depression. RHs were more prevalent in Evangelical (e.g., Pentecostal) and strict Protestant patients. The presence of RDs was associated with several measures of religiousness (e.g., dogmatism, religious coping). Conclusions. Religion is likely to act as a symptom-formation factor for psychotic symptoms in strict Protestant older adults. More detailed research might lead to a fuller understanding of how strict religious beliefs may affect the content of psychotic symptoms and unintentionally add a component of existential suffering. It is important for mental health professionals, especially the predominantly secular professionals in the Netherlands, to recognize and address religious themes.

Highlights

Religious delusions (RDs) and religious hallucinations (RHs) may be common and important features of psychosis, little is known about their prevalence and content and how they are related to affective or non-affective psychoses
Hallucinations can be a core symptom of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, and affective psychoses (Galleti et al 2017; Lim et al 2016; Okutate and Jones 2003)
Our study aimed to describe (1) the frequency and content of RHs in older mental health care patients diagnosed with affective or non-affective psychotic disorders, (2) the relation between religious delusions (RDs) and RHs and the main diagnosis, and (3) how RDs and RHs relate to denominational background, whether possible associations are related to the main diagnosis, and (4) how RDs and RHs are linked to other aspects of religiousness

Summary

Introduction

Religious delusions (RDs) and religious hallucinations (RHs) may be common and important features of psychosis, little is known about their prevalence and content and how they are related to affective or non-affective psychoses. In his review of 55 quantitative empirical studies on RDs and RHs, Cook (2015) noted that the lack of critical criteria for defining and classifying them makes comparison difficult. Their prevalence clearly varies with time and place, and probably with personal religiousness. In an overview study on schizophrenia inpatients and outpatients, Waters et al (2014) observed a mean prevalence of auditory hallucinations of 59% (range 25–86%) and of visual hallucinations of 27%. The prevalences of RHs and RDs were 19% and 32%, respectively

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