SynthesisEpidemiology and psychiatric sciences2019
The experiences of spirituality among adults with mental health difficulties: a qualitative systematic review.
Synthesis in Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression of Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Worldviews on evidence-based nursing · 2025Pooled it
- Uses and Misuses of Recorded Mental Health Lived Experience Narratives in Healthcare and Community Settings: Systematic Review.Schizophrenia bulletin · 2022Pooled it
- Personal Recovery in People With a Psychotic Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Associated Factors.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Spiritual interventions and self-stigma in the family of person who use drugs: a clinical trial study.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Spiritual Care and Trauma REBOOT: An Interview Study of U.S. Course Graduates.Journal of religion and health · 2026Article
- "So Much Comes Up": Emotion Regulation in Psychotherapy Addressing Existential, Spiritual and Religious Themes.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The mediating role of earthquake fear in the relationship between spiritual well-being and frailty in older adult earthquake survivors.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- "Did I look at the blackness, or did I look at the stars?" Meaning making in stories of spirituality, mental health and recovery.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Discussing spiritual health in primary care and the HOPE tool - a survey of social prescribers.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- The development of an online intellectual humility intervention for religious or spiritual conflict.Internet interventions · 2025Article
- Exploration of Roles and Contribution of Spiritual Care Practitioners in Mental Health: An Australian Study.Journal of religion and health · 2025Article
- Existential concerns among young adults with psychotic vulnerability in mental health care: a qualitative study in the Netherlands.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- Personal Explanations for Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.Schizophrenia bulletin open · 2025Review
- The Confluence Between Spiritual and Mental Health: A Phenomenological Approach to the Study of Healthcare Professionals' Experiences.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- What Should Personalised Mental Health Support Involve? Views of Young People with Lived Experience and Professionals from Eight Countries.Administration and policy in mental health · 2024Article
- Spiritual Diversity in Personal Recovery from Mental Health Challenges: A Qualitative Study from Chinese-Australian Service Users' Perspectives.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- "More Spiritual Health Professionals Provide Different Care": A Qualitative Study in the Field of Mental Health.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Systematic review and citation content analysis of the CHIME framework for mental health recovery processes: recommendations for developing influential conceptual frameworks.Journal of recovery in mental health · 2023Article
- Can Fear of COVID-19 Be Predicted by Religiosity and Trust in Institutions among Young Adults? A Prospective Cross-National Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsDespite an increasing awareness of the importance of spirituality in mental health contexts, a 'religiosity gap' exists in the difference in the value placed on spirituality and religion by professionals compared with service users. This may be due to a lack of understanding about the complex ways people connect with spirituality within contemporary society and mental health contexts, and can result in people's spiritual needs being neglected, dismissed or pathologised within clinical practice. The aim of this qualitative systematic review is to characterise the experiences of spirituality among adults with mental health difficulties in published qualitative research.
methodsAn electronic search of seven databases was conducted along with forward and backward citation searching, expert consultation and hand-searching of journals. Thirty-eight studies were included from 4944 reviewed papers. The review protocol was pre-registered (PROSPERO:CRD42017080566).
resultsA thematic synthesis identified six key themes: Meaning-making (sub-themes: Multiple explanations; Developmental journey; Destiny v. autonomy), Identity, Service-provision, Talk about it, Interaction with symptoms (sub-themes: Interactive meaning-making; Spiritual disruption) and Coping (sub-themes: Spiritual practices; Spiritual relationship; Spiritual struggles; Preventing suicide), giving the acronym MISTIC.
conclusionsThis qualitative systematic review provides evidence of the significant role spirituality plays in the lives of many people who experience mental health difficulties. It indicates the importance of mental health professionals being aware of and prepared to support the spiritual dimension of people using services. The production of a theory-based framework can inform efforts by health providers to understand and address people's spiritual needs as part of an integrated holistic approach towards care.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.