Assessing problems with religious content: a comparison of rabbis and psychologists.
G Milstein, E Midlarsky, B G Link, P J Raue, M L Bruce
The Journal of nervous and mental disease September 1, 2000 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1097/00005053-200009000-00008 via PubMed
Summary
Rabbis and clinical psychologists distinguish between mental disorders, religious or spiritual problems, and pure religious problems in similar ways. A national random sample of 111 rabbis and 90 psychologists evaluated three vignettes: schizophrenia, mystical experience, and mourning. They agreed on the religious causes, helpfulness of psychiatric medication, and seriousness of each case. These findings support the validity of the DSM-IV category "religious or spiritual problem" (V62.89), enabling more precise distinctions and better collaboration between clergy and mental health professionals.
Study at a glance
| Design | observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 201 |
| Population | rabbis and clinical psychologists |
| Key finding | Rabbis and psychologists distinguished similarly among mental disorder, religious or spiritual problem, and pure religious problem, supporting the construct validity of the DSM-IV category V62.89. |
Abstract
This study measured distinctions made by a sample of clergy and mental health professionals in response to three categories of presenting problems with religious content: mental disorder, religious or spiritual problem, and "pure" religious problem. A national, random sample of rabbis (N = 111) and clinical psychologists (N = 90) provided evaluations of three vignettes: schizophrenia, mystical experience, and mourning. The participants evaluated the religious etiology, helpfulness of psychiatric medication, and seriousness of the presenting problems. The rabbis and psychologists distinguished between the three diverse categories of presenting problems and concurred in their distinctions. The results provide empirical evidence for the construct validity of the new DSM-IV category religious or spiritual problem (V62.89). Use of the V code allows for more subtle distinctions among the variety of problems that persons bring to clergy and mental health professionals. These distinctions may also provide a foundation for the initiation of co-professional consultation.