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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Research article

Patterns of religiosity and spirituality of psychiatrists in Brazil and the implications for clinical practice: a latent profile analysis

Authors: Maria Cecilia Menegatti-Chequini, Alexandre A. Loch, Frederico C. Leão, Mario F. P. Peres, Homero Vallada

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Although there is consensus, in psychiatry, over the inclusion of religious and spiritual aspects when evaluating and treating the patient, investigation of these dimensions is rare. There is evidence as to the relationship between psychiatrists’ religious/spiritual beliefs and their willingness to discuss a patient’s religion and spirituality (R/S). Due to the lack of information about how psychiatrists in Brazil deal with R/S in patient care, the aim of the present study is to analyze the religious/spiritual profile of these professionals and to ascertain its influence on attitudes and behavior in clinical practice.

Methods

Five hundred and ninety-two psychiatrists from Brazil answered a questionnaire about R/S in clinical practice. The latent profile analysis was used to search for differences of religious/spiritual profiles. The ANOVA and Pearson’s chi-square tests were employed to identify any correlation between clinical opinion and behaviors according to the different profiles.

Results

Two religious/spiritual profiles were identified (entropy value > 0,96): the so called “less religious” group (n = 245), comprised predominantly by men, professionally more experienced, with a higher level of academic education (Master or PhD degrees) and were the ones who least enquired about their patients’ R/S; and the “more religious” psychiatrists (n = 347) those who had higher consideration for R/S on health, and who more often addressed R/S with their patients and therefore usually ascribed importance to include R/S in their professional training.

Conclusion

The latent profile analysis produced two distinct classes between the Brazilian psychiatrists according to their R/S views: the more religious professionals, who investigate the patient’s R/S in a more detailed manner, and the less religious, who tend to disregard this aspect.
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Metadata
Title
Patterns of religiosity and spirituality of psychiatrists in Brazil and the implications for clinical practice: a latent profile analysis
Authors
Maria Cecilia Menegatti-Chequini
Alexandre A. Loch
Frederico C. Leão
Mario F. P. Peres
Homero Vallada
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02929-x

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