Transpersonal Psychology Research Review - Psychoreligious Dimensions Of Healing

After extensive literature review related to developing a diagnostic category, "Psychoreligious or Psychospiritual Problem" for the forthcoming DSM-IV, the authors offer a three-part report based on their review. The first part, reported here, focuses on psychoreligious research, with psychospiritual and anomalous research topics planned for future research reviews. Psychoreligious is defined as experiences that a person finds troubling or distressing and that involve the belief and practices of an organized church or religious institution. Twenty-one research studies are abstracted and discussed, categorized as, 1) religiosity in the general public and mental health professions, 2) training, 3) religion and mental health, 4) treatment, 5) addiction, 6) ethnic perspectives. The authors conclude that greater attention of psychoreligious dimensions of psychological healing would improve clinical practice in areas involving research, diagnostic assessment, iatrogenesis, treatment and training.