Religious Psychopathology: Overview of Clinical, Cultural, and Neurobiological Perspectives
Emmanouil Synadinakis, A. Delis, Anastasia Doska, Stamatis Mourtakos, Elias Tzavellas, Triantafyllos Doskas
Religions June 16, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/rel17060719 via OpenAlex
Summary
Religious psychopathology sits at the intersection of psychiatry, theology, and culture, addressing mental health disorders expressed through religious content, ideation, or behavior. Distinguishing culturally normative religious experiences from pathological symptoms is non-trivial for clinicians, researchers, and religious leaders. This integrative narrative review examines historical perspectives, diagnostic challenges, clinical manifestations, cultural considerations, therapeutic interventions, neurobiological models, ethical issues, and future directions. It focuses on literature from 2013 to 2025, with selected foundational sources, emphasizing culturally informed and interdisciplinary approaches that respect spiritual frameworks while promoting evidence-based mental health care.
Study at a glance
| Design | narrative review |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Religious psychopathology challenges clinicians, researchers, and religious leaders because distinguishing culturally normative religious experiences from pathological symptoms is non-trivial. |
Abstract
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.