Influences of Christian Belief on the Treatment of Schizophrenic Outpatients

Choi, Young Min; Lee, Jung Ho; Lee, Gi Chul; Chun, Sung Ill

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Many psychiatrists ignore the behavioral and attitudinal aspects of religious beliefs of patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, how the Christian belief affects the treatment of schizophrenia was investigated.
METHODS
The subjects of the study were 13 schizophrenic outpatients with protestant belief having partial or full insight. GAF score of each of the patients was above 41.
RESULTS
A. Positive effects; 1) Taking the patient's belief seriously without prejudice was helpful to therapeutic relation. 2) Faith fulfilled it's function of silencing the anxiety of the patients. 3) The factors which make schizophrenic patients develop self-identity and self-concept in their religious lives were as follows; social identity as a Christian, religious identity as a child of God, experiences of safe dyadic relationship with God, feelings of being always accepted by God, and experiences of being accepted safely by the church. 4) Faith experiences and spiritual enlightenment itself had a therapeutic impact on the patients as a guiding principle of their lives and blueprints for their actions. 5) Experiences of a safe dyadic relationship with God, feelings of being accepted by God, faith experiences, and spiritual enlightenment provided peculiar religious experiences which can not be found in everyday life. And these peculiar religious experiences seemed to have healing power. B. Negative effects; 1) The clergymen and the members of the church put the patients and their families into the confusion by compelling or recommending religious treatment methods like prayer retreats. 2) They interfered with patients getting insights by interpreting their symptoms religiously. 3) There was a risk of cognitive defect of grasping faith literally. 4) There was a tendency to direct punishment and blame inwards, on to the self with guilty feelings.
CONCLUSIONS
Christian belief exerted many influences both good and bad, on the treatment of the schizophrenic outpatients. We suggest that psychiatrists should consider the influence of the patient's faith upon the treatment.