Spirituality and Mental Health Care in a Religiously Homogeneous Country: Definitions, Opinions, and Practices Among Polish Mental Health Professionals

This qualitative study involved a sample of 121 Polish mental health professionals who were interviewed about their definitions of spirituality and their opinions and practices concerning the inclusion of clients' spirituality in therapy. Using inductive content analysis, we identified seven ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health 2020-02, Vol.59 (1), p.113-134
Main Authors: Charzyńska, Edyta, Heszen-Celińska, Irena
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Clinical Psychology
Community Health Services
Content analysis
Female
Health Personnel - psychology
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Medical personnel
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental Disorders - psychology
Mental Disorders - therapy
Mental Health
Original Paper
Poland
Public Health
Qualitative Research
Religion
Religious Studies
Spirituality
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Summary:This qualitative study involved a sample of 121 Polish mental health professionals who were interviewed about their definitions of spirituality and their opinions and practices concerning the inclusion of clients' spirituality in therapy. Using inductive content analysis, we identified seven categories regarding the definitions of spirituality: (1) relationship, (2) transcendence, (3) dimension of functioning, (4) a specific human characteristic, (5) searching for the meaning of life, (6) value-based lifestyle, and (7) elusiveness and indefinability. The majority of respondents claimed to include elements of spirituality in therapy. However, some participants included spirituality only under certain circumstances or conditions, or did not include it at all, citing lack of need, lack of a clear definition of spirituality, their own insufficient knowledge, lack of experience, fear, or concern over ethical inappropriateness. Implicit techniques were primarily used when working on clients' spirituality. This article deepens the knowledge on including spirituality in mental health care, with special consideration for a specific context of a highly religious and religiously homogenous culture.
ISSN:0022-4197
1573-6571
DOI:10.1007/s10943-019-00911-w