Spirituality and Mental Health Across Cultures

Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) represent a very important factor of daily life for many individuals across different cultures and contexts. It is associated with lower rates of depression, suicide, mortality, and substance abuse, and is positively correlated with well-being and quality of life. Despite growing academic recognition and scientific literature on these connections this knowledge has not been translated into clinical practice.

Part of the expanding Oxford Cultural Psychiatry series, Spirituality and Mental Health Across Cultures is a timely exploration of the implications of R/S on mental health. Written and edited by 38 experts in the fields of spirituality and mental health from 11 countries, covering a wide range of cultural and geographical perspectives, this unique resource assesses how mental health relates to world religions, agnosticism, atheism, and spiritualism unaffiliated with organised religion, with a practical touch.

Across 25 chapters, this resource provides readers with a succinct and trustworthy review of the latest research and how this can be applied to clinical care. The first section covers the principles and fundamental questions that relate science, history, philosophy, neuroscience, religion, and spirituality with mental health. The second section discusses the main beliefs and practices related to world religions and their implications to mental health. The third reviews the impact of R/S on specific clinical situations and offers practical guidance on how to handle these appropriately, such as practical suggestions for assessing and integrating R/S in personal history anamnesis or psychotherapy.


Author: Alexander Moreira-Almeida
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 10/02/2021
Pages: 496
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.92lbs
Size: 9.35h x 6.36w x 1.26d
ISBN: 9780198846833


Review Citation(s):
Choice 08/01/2022

About the Author

Alexander Moreira-Almeida, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Research Center in Spirituality and Health (NUPES), School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Brazil, Bruno Paz Mosqueiro, Psychiatrist, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, Dinesh
Bhugra, Professor Emeritus of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Kings College, UK

Alexander Moreira-Almeida, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry, founder and director of NUPES, the Research Center in Spirituality and Health, at the School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Brazil. Chair of and coordinator of the section on spirituality of the
Brazilian Psychiatric Association. Chair of the Sections on Spirituality of the Latin American (APAL) and the Brazilian (ABP) Psychiatric Associations. Former chair of the WPA (World Psychiatric Association) Section on Religion, Spirituality and Psychiatry (2014-17 and 2017-2020) where he
coordinated the proposal and approval of the WPA Position Statement on Spirituality and Religion in Psychiatry that has been translated into Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dutch, Chinese, Hindi, and Arabic.

Bruno Paz Mosqueiro is a Psychiatrist at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil

Professor Dinesh Bhugra is Emeritus Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity at King's College, London. He was Dean (Lead Educational Officer) of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2003-2008) and then President of the Royal College (2008-2011). He was Vice-Chair of the Academy of Medical
Royal Colleges with remit for education for doctors of all grades and specialities. During this period he led on College's campaign for Fair Deal for people with mental illness. He established strategy for public mental health. As President of the BMA (2018-2019) he led on a large survey of mental
health and well-being of medical students globally, a campaign for equity between physical and mental health and Medicine's social contract.