Search Results (128)

Mental health is shaped by multiple psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors. This narrative review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the relationship between spirituality, religiosity, and mental health across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on psychological well-being, coping, resilience, and help-seeking behaviors, while considering both beneficial and potentially adverse associations. A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Studies published between 2000 and 2026 were screened according to predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 52 publications, including quantitative and qualitative studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and narrative reviews, were included. The evidence was synthesized according to three life stages (childhood and adolescence, adulthood, and older adulthood), with an additional section examining help-seeking behaviors and access to mental health care across the lifespan. The reviewed evidence identified both beneficial and adverse mental health outcomes in relation to spirituality and religiosity. Beneficial outcomes included lower levels of depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidal behaviors, as well as higher levels of resilience, emotional support, and life satisfaction. In contrast, negative religious coping and spiritual struggles were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety, as well as delayed help-seeking behavior. Overall, the findings varied across study designs, populations, and cultural contexts. Spirituality and religiosity can influence mental health in both positive and negative ways throughout life. Understanding these relationships may help support more sensitive and individualized approaches to mental health care. Full article

Context: Previous studies and reviews in adult patients have shown that hope is an important coping mechanism in patients with serious health problems. Although there are individual studies in pediatric patients, there is a lack of a systematic review of how hope manifests and how it can be supported in children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Objectives: This systematic review aims to identify the key factors that are associated with the experience of hope in pediatric palliative care. It examines how hope is fostered or diminished in children with life-limiting illnesses, their parents, and other family members. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across major medical databases for studies published between 1990 and 2024. Thematic analysis was used to identify factors associated with hope. The quality of the included studies was critically appraised. Results: Out of 1373 identified records, 105 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were qualitative in design and met a high proportion of the applicable criteria in their respective design-specific appraisal tools. Factors associated with increased hope included open and empathetic communication, trusting relationships with healthcare providers, strong social and family support, spiritual and religious faith, effective symptom management, involvement in care decisions, and access to practical resources. Conversely, reduced hope was associated with poor communication, social isolation, uncontrolled symptoms, uncertainty, caregiver distress, financial strain, and negative healthcare experiences. These factors were consistent across cultural and diagnostic contexts, with some variation in emphasis. Conclusions: Hope in pediatric palliative care is associated with relational, psychological, spiritual, and systemic factors. Many of these are modifiable. A family-centered and multidisciplinary approach is essential to sustaining hope in pediatric palliative contexts. Full article

Background: Heart failure is a chronic and progressive condition that substantially affects patients’ physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Although the clinical burden of heart failure is well documented, limited qualitative evidence exists regarding how Saudi adults experience and interpret the condition within their cultural, familial, and religious contexts. This study explored the experiences of Saudi adults living with heart failure and their perceptions of its impact on health-related quality of life. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study informed by an interpretivist perspective was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 25 Saudi adults diagnosed with heart failure. Participants were recruited from specialized heart failure and cardiac outpatient clinics within a tertiary medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were identified: (1) emotional distress and fear, (2) loss of independence and increased dependency, (3) social role disruption, and (4) coping and adaptation strategies. Participants described significant psychological burden, reduced autonomy, and changes in family and social roles following their diagnosis. Conclusions: Heart failure was experienced as more than a physical illness, affecting participants’ emotional well-being, social identity, family relationships, and spiritual life. The findings underscore the importance of holistic and culturally responsive care that addresses psychological, social, spiritual, and family-related needs alongside symptom management. Full article

Background: Religious coping is an important psychosocial resource that may influence how individuals adapt to chronic illnesses and engage in health-related behaviors. While studies have associated religion with the effective management of diabetes, the involvement of religious coping, both positive and negative, in the self-care of diabetic patients has been underexplored. The aim of this study was to quantify the association of religious coping with diabetes self-care among adults in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We used a cross-sectional study among 413 adults with diabetes. Positive and negative religious coping were assessed using the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), and diabetes self-care was measured using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between religious coping and diabetes self-care after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We also used quantile regression to assess whether associations varied across the distribution of diabetes self-care scores. Results: The finding showed that positive religious coping was significantly and positively associated with diabetes self-care (β = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.70), while negative religious coping did not show significant association (β = 0.04, 95% CI: −0.13 to 0.22). Quantile regression analyses demonstrated significant positive associations between positive religious coping and diabetes self-care at the 25th percentile (β = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.73), 50th percentile (β = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.89), and 75th percentile (β = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.92), with the strongest association observed at the 90th percentile (β = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.42 to 1.48). Negative religious coping was not significantly associated with self-care at any quantile. Conclusions: Our finding showed significant association between positive religious coping and diabetes self-care, whereas negative religious coping showed no significant association. The findings suggest that positive religious coping may represent an important psychosocial resource associated with diabetes self-care. Future longitudinal studies incorporating objective clinical outcomes are needed to further examine the role of religious coping in diabetes management. Full article

This article examines developmental communication as one of the key factors influencing health and the overall functioning of the family. The aim of the study is to highlight the importance of interpersonal communication and religious values in fostering family bonds, shaping health-promoting attitudes, and enhancing the psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of family members. The article is theoretical and analytical in nature and is based on a literature review spanning family studies, pedagogy, sociology, psychology, and the psychology of religion. The findings indicate that open, dialogue-oriented communication supports the development of strong emotional bonds, a sense of security, and family resilience in the face of crisis situations. The importance of marital relationships, parent–child communication, and intergenerational relations for the psychosocial health of family members is emphasized. The study also highlights the role of religion and spiritual values as factors that strengthen family cohesion, foster a sense of meaning in life, and enhance coping with adversity. The conclusions suggest that developmental communication, supported by moral and spiritual values, is a key element in building a healthy and sustainable family system. Full article

Spirituality and religiosity are increasingly recognized as important factors influencing mental health, particularly among women exposed to diverse vulnerabilities such as interpersonal violence, trauma, HIV infection, homelessness, and socioeconomic disadvantage. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the associations between spiritual or religious resources and mental health outcomes in these populations. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science to identify studies examining the association between spirituality, religiosity, and mental health outcomes in vulnerable women. A total of 28 studies were identified, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and mixed-methods designs, which measured spirituality and religiosity using validated instruments such as SWBS, DUREL, FACIT-Sp-12, and Brief RCOPE, alongside standardized mental health measures. Narrative synthesis revealed that the majority of studies (n = 15) reported that higher spiritual well-being, intrinsic religiosity, and adaptive religious coping were associated with lower depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, and with higher resilience, quality of life, and post-traumatic growth. These associations appeared to be shaped by contextual factors, including the type and severity of trauma, cultural and religious frameworks, and the lived experiences of the populations studied. Negative associations were primarily linked to negative religious coping (n = 5 studies), rather than religiosity per se. Additional factors that attenuated or reversed the expected positive effects included higher trauma severity or ongoing adversity (n = 4), reactive patterns in which greater psychological distress was associated with increased use of religious coping (n = 3), maladaptive religious beliefs such as interpretations of trauma as divine punishment (n = 2), and cultural or contextual influences (n = 3). Overall, the evidence suggests that spirituality and specific dimensions of religiosity (e.g., intrinsic religiosity, religious coping) can support mental health among vulnerable women, though personal, cultural, and situational factors shape their impact. These findings suggest the potential value of integrating spiritual resources into interventions and the need for further longitudinal and culturally sensitive research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Previous literature has linked nutrition with both psychological distress and well-being. However, less is known about how psychological and spiritual resources cluster within individuals or whether distinct psychospiritual profiles are associated with dietary and lifestyle behaviors. This study examined these associations using a person-centered approach. Methods: A community sample of 522 adults from the United States completed measures of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, coping self-efficacy, gratitude, forgiveness, religiousness/spirituality, daily spiritual experiences, religious/spiritual meaning and beliefs, and dietary and lifestyle behaviors. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify psychospiritual profiles. Results: Four profiles were identified: Moderate (n = 195), Flourishing (n = 199), Vulnerable (n = 70), and Maladaptive (n = 58). The Flourishing profile demonstrated the most adaptive psychological functioning and was associated with healthier dietary behaviors, including lower breakfast skipping and fast-food consumption, greater whole-grain and vegetable intake, lower salt use, and lower sweets and dessert intake. The Vulnerable profile demonstrated the highest levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms together with relatively elevated religiousness/spirituality, whereas the Maladaptive profile was characterized by elevated distress and consistently low levels of psychological and spiritual resources. Overall, the Vulnerable and Maladaptive profiles demonstrated less favorable dietary patterns relative to the Flourishing and Moderate profiles. However, the observed effects were generally modest and selective. Conclusions: Dietary and lifestyle behaviors may be associated with broader psychospiritual configurations rather than isolated psychological characteristics alone. The findings additionally highlight the heterogeneous nature of religiousness and spirituality within psychological functioning. Full article

Religious psychopathology as a field lies at the intersection of psychiatry, theology, and culture. It addresses scientific discoveries and questions relating to the manifestation of mental health disorders that are expressed through religious content, ideation, and/or behavior. Religious psychopathology, being a multifaceted phenomenon, challenges clinicians, researchers, and religious leaders because it is non-trivial to distinguish between culturally normative religious experiences and pathological symptoms. The present integrative narrative review examines historical perspectives, diagnostic challenges, clinical manifestations, cultural considerations, therapeutic interventions, neurobiological models, ethical issues, and future directions in the field of religious psychopathology. It focuses primarily on literature from 2013 to 2025, while also incorporating selected foundational historical, theoretical, and clinical sources necessary for conceptual clarification. A special emphasis is placed on culturally informed and interdisciplinary approaches. Particular focus is given to approaches that respect spiritual frameworks while concurrently promoting evidence-based mental health care. Full article

Background: Black Sub-Saharan African immigrants are among the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States, and their mental health needs, particularly with respect to depression, remain understudied. Cultural beliefs, linguistic frameworks, and coping practices in this population often diverge from Western psychiatric models, suggesting that conventional approaches may fail to capture how distress is experienced and expressed. Objective: This scoping review mapped literature on how Black Sub-Saharan African immigrant adults in the United States perceive, report, and respond to depression. Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six electronic databases were systematically searched for empirical studies published between 2000 and 2026. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data using a standardized form. Data were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach combining deductive thematic categorization across three predefined review domains with inductive identification of subthemes through iterative team discussion and consensus, with sociocultural, religious, linguistic, and structural factors examined as cross-cutting themes. Findings were synthesized narratively across three domains: perceptions of depression, reporting and communication, and responses to depression. Results: A total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria (7 quantitative, 10 qualitative, 2 mixed methods; total N ≈ 1900), generating 24 themes. Perception themes highlighted cultural non-recognition of depression (12 of 19 studies), absence of equivalent terms in African languages (7 studies), spiritual explanatory models, and profound stigma. Reporting patterns showed predominant somatic symptom expression and very low disclosure to providers (2.6–4.2%), with depression prevalence ranging from 8.1% to 100% and no validated screening instrument identified for this population. Response themes emphasized religion and social support as primary coping strategies, with formal mental health utilization virtually absent due to structural, cultural, and intersectional barriers. Conclusions: Depression among Black Sub-Saharan African immigrants is widely experienced yet rendered invisible through interlocking cultural, linguistic, somatic, and institutional mechanisms, which this review terms an architecture of invisibility, leaving it largely unaddressed by formal mental health systems. The identification of only one intervention study underscores a substantial gap between documenting the burden of depression and advancing evidence-informed solutions. Culturally validated measures, faith-based intervention models, longitudinal designs, and attention to structural determinants are urgently needed. Full article

Background: Mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly prevalent among university students and contribute to long-term cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) risk. However, limited research has examined the interplay between mental health, CCVD risk factors, and religiosity/spirituality within Southeast Asia’s multicultural context. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated these relationships among 484 undergraduate students enrolled in medical and health sciences programs across Peninsular Malaysia. Mental health status was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Self-reported clinical indicators associated with early CCVD vulnerability were also assessed. Religiosity and spirituality were measured using the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), Brief Religious Coping (RCOPE), Spirituality Scale (SS), and Spiritual Coping Questionnaire (SCQ). Results: High prevalence rates of severe anxiety (50.4%), depression (29.3%), and stress (21.1%) were observed, with significant associations across ethnicity, religion, and academic programs. Higher religiosity and spirituality were generally associated with better mental health outcomes. However, coping style emerged as a key modifier of the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and mental health outcomes, with negative religious coping associated with greater psychological distress, whereas positive coping demonstrated mixed associations and partial mediating effects. Students with poorer mental health also exhibited higher CCVD risk burden. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of culturally and spiritually sensitive strategies in promoting student well-being. Full article

Spirituality and religiosity (S/R) are significant dimensions in mental health care and provide an important foundation for spiritual care, particularly in sociocultural contexts where religious beliefs are deeply embedded in personal and collective life. This study investigates the role of S/R in the treatment of psychiatric patients hospitalized in a private mental health clinic in southern Brazil. Using validated instruments—the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS-10BR), the Brief-RCOPE-14, and the Inventory of Attachment to God (IAD-Br)—the study assessed religious centrality, coping strategies, and attachment styles to God among 100 participants. Based on CRS parameters, the sample was classified as predominantly “religious.” The findings revealed that most patients identified with some form of religion or belief in God, reported moderate to high levels of positive religious coping, and predominantly exhibited secure attachment patterns. Statistically significant correlations were observed between higher religiosity, greater use of positive coping strategies, and lower avoidance in the relationship with God. Despite these findings, spiritual and religious aspects were rarely addressed in clinical interactions. The findings are discussed through the lens of clinical bioethics, emphasizing the ethical relevance of spirituality and religiosity in psychiatric care and highlighting the relevance of developing practical approaches to spiritual care within a whole-person, patient-centered model. Full article

In contemporary scholarship, pilgrimage is increasingly analysed as a practice associated with personal transformation, spiritual reflection, and psychological well-being. Among the most popular contemporary pilgrimage routes, the Camino de Santiago attracts hundreds of thousands of participants each year, many of whom describe their journey in explicitly therapeutic terms. This article examines the Camino experience through the theological category of penance understood as a form of spiritual therapy within the Christian tradition. The main argument of the study is that the early Christian understanding of penance as spiritual medicine provides a meaningful interpretative framework for analysing the therapeutic experiences reported by contemporary pilgrims. Early Christian authors such as Hermas, Tertullian, and Cyprian described sin as a spiritual illness and penance as a process of healing and restoration. Within this perspective, practices involving physical effort, repentance, prayer, and moral transformation functioned as forms of spiritual therapy (gr. θεραπεία). The article combines theological and empirical approaches. Analyses the concept of penance as spiritual healing in early Christian sources and traces its historical connection with penitential pilgrimage. Presents qualitative research based on semi-structured interviews conducted with pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. While the participants rarely framed their experiences explicitly in penitential terms, their testimonies reveal recurring themes of inner purification, emotional reconciliation, coping with illness or personal crisis, and the search for meaning. The findings suggest that these experiences can be meaningfully interpreted through the lens of the Christian understanding of penitential practice, particularly as a process of transformation and restoration. Rather than demonstrating a direct continuity, the study proposes an interpretative perspective that highlights structural similarities between historical theological models and contemporary experiential narratives. By integrating theological reflection with empirical data, the article contributes to debates on how historical religious concepts can illuminate contemporary experiences of healing, meaning, and well-being. Full article

Cancer caregiving is increasingly recognized as a major psychosocial challenge, yet the mental health needs of caregivers remain insufficiently addressed in oncology research and practice. This narrative review examines the experiences of cancer caregivers within the context of rising cancer incidence and prolonged survival, conditions frequently accompanied by sustained psychological burden and anticipatory grief, with particular attention to depressive symptoms. Relevant qualitative and quantitative studies were identified through targeted searches of major databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar), including studies published up to January 2026. Study selection was guided by conceptual relevance and applied significance to the intersection between religiosity, spirituality, caregiving, and mental health outcomes. The reviewed literature highlights substantial psychological burden among caregivers, with depression affecting approximately 20–40% of cancer caregivers and identifies religiosity and spirituality as potentially supportive resources. Across studies, recurrent themes include meaning-making, hope maintenance, emotional regulation, moral orientation, and perceived social support as mechanisms through which these dimensions are associated with lower levels of depression and improved psychological adjustment. Evidence suggests that both religiosity, understood as the lived engagement with religious values, and spirituality, defined as a broader existential orientation toward meaning and purpose, contribute to coping in caregiving contexts; however, findings remain heterogeneous and largely based on cross-sectional analyses. Notable gaps persist, including limited caregiver-specific research, conceptual imprecision, and a lack of longitudinal designs. By integrating conceptual clarification with empirical synthesis, this review outlines potential psychological pathways linking religiosity and spirituality to caregiver mental health outcomes. In summary, religiosity and spirituality are considered adjunctive, non-exclusive resources that complement conventional psychological and psychiatric care within comprehensive models of caregiver support. Full article

Introduction: Religious practices can shape lifestyles, influence health choices, and help individuals cope with illness and suffering. Understanding which aspects of religiosity support health-promoting attitudes is particularly important. This study explores how belonging to a religious community affects health and well-being among religious sisters. Materials and Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted among 463 women from international, apostolic Catholic congregations in Poland and 33 other countries. The questionnaire included questions on lifestyle, physical health (including diet, physical activity, sleep, chronic conditions, and medication use), and perceptions of how community life influences health and encourages health-conscious behaviors. Results: Overall, 57% of participants reported following a healthy lifestyle, most commonly sisters aged 65 and older (73%). Non-Polish sisters and those living outside Poland were more likely to report healthy habits. Among sisters who saw their community as beneficial for health, 69% led a healthy lifestyle. Retreats, a sense of belonging, communal prayers, and vacations were consistently rated as having the most positive impact on well-being, particularly among older sisters and missionaries. Conclusions: Life in a religious community appears to support health both directly, through structured daily routines and shared responsibilities, and indirectly, by providing social support and fostering a sense of purpose. Spiritual practices, rest, and close interpersonal relationships emerge as the most influential factors for well-being, while formal obligations such as wearing religious attire or attending formation meetings were rated as less impactful. These findings highlight the important role of communal life in promoting both physical and spiritual health among religious sisters. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dementia represents a complex syndrome in which biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions intersect. While its clinical features are well documented, less is known about how lived experiences, caregiving contexts, and cultural beliefs shape the trajectory of illness. This study explored clinical, behavioral, and socio-cultural dimensions related to the quality of life of people living with dementia from an anthropological perspective, focusing on the interaction between comorbidities, cognition, lifestyle, and caregiving environments as reported by their informal caregivers. Methods: We conducted a single-center, observational cross-sectional study including 73 family caregivers of patients with clinically diagnosed dementia who accessed care at the Neurology–Psychiatry Department of the C.F.2 Clinical Hospital (Bucharest, Romania) between November 2023 and April 2024. Caregivers provided socio-demographic, behavioral, lifestyle, and cultural information using a newly developed anthropological questionnaire. Descriptive and exploratory inferential analyses were performed to examine relationships between cognitive performance, comorbidities, lifestyle factors, and socio-cultural variables. Results: People with dementia had a mean age of 79.2 ± 7.5 years (range 66–95) and were predominantly female (71.2%). Multimorbidity was common, averaging 2.22 ± 1.03 chronic conditions, mainly neurological (84.9%) and cardiovascular (68.5%). The mean BMI was 26.1 ± 3.8 kg/m². Cognitive impairment was substantial (MMSE mean 11.47 ± 7), with descriptively lower scores among older individuals and those with lower education or income, although inferential tests were underpowered. Appetite and sleep disturbances were frequent and tended to co-occur with lower activity levels. Disclosure of diagnosis occurred in 74% of cases; reactions varied widely, ranging from acceptance to denial, confusion, anxiety, and sadness. Family responses likewise reflected a heterogeneous and often ambivalent adjustment process. Cultural beliefs and spirituality played a salient role in shaping explanatory models and coping strategies, with many caregivers attributing importance to religious practices and, to a lesser extent, alternative treatments. Conclusions: In this Romanian cohort, dementia was shaped not only by age-related multimorbidity and cognitive decline but also by caregiving practices, socioeconomic constraints and culturally grounded interpretations of illness. These findings highlight the relevance of integrative approaches to dementia care that consider medical, behavioral, and socio-cultural dimensions and that incorporate caregiver perspectives to improve the quality of life of both patients and families. Full article