Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry

334 Elizabeth S. BowmanSecond, if we teach this topic to trainees,some of them can become the next generationof researchers on religion-spirituality in mentalheath. All vibrant fields need to mentor their nextgeneration of researchers while they are young.My interest in this topic blossomed in my firstyear of residency after I attended a conference onpsychiatry and religion-spirituality where I wasexposed to academicians working in this field.My interest grew into an academic career, yearsof educating residents, and mentoring at leastone to an academic career in religion-psychiatry.Third, this chapter focuses on teaching psychiatricand psychological trainees because thatis already occurring in increasing numbers ofprograms with success. Grant funding,( 18) a curriculum,(19) and ample research data ( 20 , 21 ) areavailable to support evidence-based education inreligion-spirituality. Religion-spirituality is nowa viable academic option for psychiatric and psychologicalfaculty.most curricula, it emphasizes teaching attitudes,skills, and knowledge. This curriculum includesreligion-spirituality relevant objectives of integrating“humanistic, scientific and technologicalaspects of knowledge of psychiatry,” teaching “thecontext of an integrated biological, psychologicaland social approach,” and teaching the “skill toevaluate the role of personal and social factors inthe patient’s behaviour.”( 1)The medical student curriculum also expectsmedical students to communicate with “nonmedicalagencies involved in the care of patients,”learn “teamwork skills necessary for the doctorto … work in conjunction with non-medicalstaff,” and learn the “principles of psychiatric carein non-psychiatric settings and in the community.”(1) In many countries, these agencies wouldinclude religious groups or clergy. These requirementsimplicitly include teaching of the religiousspiritualaspects of psychological sciences tomedical students.2. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FORTEACHING RELIGION-SPIRITUALITY2.1. International Standards forPsychiatric Education of Medical StudentsThe World Psychiatric Association’s (WPA) (22)psychiatry curriculum for medical students (1)grew out of the 1988 Edinburgh World Conferenceon Medical Education. (23) This curriculumdescribes the minimum requirements in psychiatryfor medical students who will enter furthertraining in either primary care or any medicalspecialty. It emphasizes that medical educationthat concentrates on curative medicine is nolonger enough; disease prevention and healthpromotion must also be taught. (1 , 24–25) Thiscurriculum is directed primarily at medicalschool teaching of psychiatry.The WPA-World Federation for Medical Education(WMFE) medical student curriculumdoes not explicitly mention teaching aboutreligion-spirituality, but renders it necessaryvia numerous expectations regarding educationon the social setting of mental illness. Like2.2. Standards for Educationof PsychiatristsTh e WPA also has produced a Core Curriculumfor Postgraduate Training in Psychiatry. (26)Unlike the medical student curriculum, the residencytraining curriculum explicitly includes arecommendation to teach “religion and spirituality”as one of seventeen areas of “special aspects”of curricular knowledge (p. 10). (26) Anotherrecommended special aspect is “ cross-culturalpsychiatry.” This curriculum is general enough tobe applied to training in the WPA’s 104 membercountries, so further details are not offered. Whatis important is this: The world’s foremost psychiatricauthority has recommended all psychiatryresidents be taught religion and spirituality.2.2.1. Guidelines for American PsychiatristsAmerican guidelines mandate or encourageteaching of religion and spirituality in thetraining of psychiatrists. The most influentialAmerican guideline encouraging teaching of religionand spirituality in psychiatry residencies isthe 1994 training requirements for accreditation