THE INFLUENCE OF FAITH IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED ILLNESSES: A SPIRITUAL AND SCIENTIFIC APPROACH.

Sarah Bernardes Chaves; Vinicius Eugenio Yokoy

Todos os Trabalhos

Trabalho

DOI

10.29327/9786527226840.1500623

Título do Trabalho

THE INFLUENCE OF FAITH IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED ILLNESSES: A SPIRITUAL AND SCIENTIFIC APPROACH.

Autores

Sarah Bernardes Chaves
Vinicius Eugenio Yokoy

Modalidade

Resumo

Área temática

Saúde e Espiritualidade

Data de Publicação

21/08/2026

País da Publicação

Brasil

Idioma da Publicação

pt-BR

Página do Trabalho

https://www.even3.com.br/anais/xxvii-fiamc-world-congress-for-catholic-physicians-abstract-session-688844/1500623-the-influence-of-faith-in-the-treatment-of-mental-health-related-illnesses--a-spiritual-and-scientific-approach

ISBN

978-65-272-2684-0

Palavras-Chave

Spirituality, Religiosity, Mental Disorders, Therapeutic Adherence, Psychological Well-being, Coping Mechanisms

Resumo

Introduction: The progressive increase in cases of mental disorders has driven interdisciplinary investigations in the fields of medicine and psychology, focusing not only on clinical aspects but also on subjective and sociocultural factors that influence the therapeutic process. In this context, spirituality and religiosity have been discussed as supportive resources in mental health care. Although evidence-based medicine prioritizes measurable factors, studies indicate that psychological and spiritual aspects may influence well-being and coping with disorders such as depression and anxiety, contributing to treatment adherence and patient recovery. General objective: To analyze the impact of religion on patients with mental disorders. Specific objectives: To evaluate the influence of religion on treatment adherence during and after the follow-up of patients with mental disorders. Method: This is a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study conducted through bibliographic research in scientific databases. This methodology was chosen because it allows a comprehensive analysis of the evidence available in the literature, enabling identification and evaluation of studies on the influence of religiosity in the treatment of mental disorders. The investigation used a search strategy structured according to the PICO methodology. Searches were performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using descriptors from the DeCS and MeSH systems combined with Boolean operators. The identified studies were screened by title, abstract, and full-text reading, considering inclusion criteria related to publication period (2019–2025), adult population, and the association between religiosity and mental health. Results: The analyzed studies indicate that spirituality and religiosity can significantly influence the mental health of individuals with mental disorders. Evidence shows that the positive use of religiosity as a coping strategy is associated with improved psychological well-being, increased hope, self-confidence, self-efficacy and quality of life, in addition to reducing symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. An association was also observed between addressing spiritual needs during treatment, better therapeutic adherence and stronger alliances between patients and health professionals. However, some results indicate that spiritual conflicts or certain religious practices may be related to worse mental health outcomes. A gap was also identified between the importance attributed to spirituality by patients and the way this dimension is addressed by health professionals. Conclusion: Spirituality and religiosity may play a relevant role in mental health care, influencing coping with illness, treatment adherence and psychological well-being. When experienced positively, these dimensions may contribute to symptom reduction and improved quality of life. However, the findings highlight the need for greater preparation of health professionals to address the spiritual dimension in an ethical, sensitive and integrated manner within clinical care.

Título do Evento: XXVII FIAMC World Congress for Catholic Physicians - ABSTRACT SESSION
Cidade do Evento: Brasília
Título dos Anais do Evento: Proceedings of the XXVII FIAMC World Congress of Catholic Physicians and VI Brazilian Congress of Catholic Physicians
Nome da Editora: Even3
Meio de Divulgação: Meio Digital
DOI

Como citar

CHAVES, Sarah Bernardes; YOKOY, Vinicius Eugenio. THE INFLUENCE OF FAITH IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED ILLNESSES: A SPIRITUAL AND SCIENTIFIC APPROACH... In: Proceedings of the XXVII FIAMC World Congress of Catholic Physicians and VI Brazilian Congress of Catholic Physicians. Anais...Brasília(DF) Casa Dom Luciano, 2026. Disponível em: https//www.even3.com.br/anais/xxvii-fiamc-world-congress-for-catholic-physicians-abstract-session-688844/1500623-THE-INFLUENCE-OF-FAITH-IN-THE-TREATMENT-OF-MENTAL-HEALTH-RELATED-ILLNESSES--A-SPIRITUAL-AND-SCIENTIFIC-APPROACH. Acesso em: 11/09/2026