Reflections on the WPA position statement on spirituality and religion

ABSTRACT

The WPA position statement on Spirituality and Religion in Psychiatry is a tremendous achievement. This is a field of research which has developed greatly in the last 25 years with increasing sophistication of methodology within the biomedical paradigm. However, I will argue that the reductionism necessary for quantitative scientific research flattens out the very particularity which makes the religions potent and active. There is a need to increase the use of qualitative research methods to give a fuller account of the health impact of the deep and rich lived experience within a faith community.

KEYWORDS:

• Spirituality
• religion
• faith
• health care
• mental health
• psychiatry, qualitative research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

A. J. Gray http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1062-7942