Spirituality and Mental Health: A Review of Religion and Philosophy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55883/jipkis.v6i1.261Keywords:
spirituality and mental health, psychological mechanisms, spiritual assessment, clinical integration, systematic literature reviewAbstract
The relationship between spirituality and mental health is a vital interdisciplinary field that bridges medicine, psychology, theology, and philosophy. This field explores how beliefs, values, practices, and transcendent experiences influence psychological well-being to complement a holistic approach to mental health that meets human needs.
This study aims to develop and conduct a preliminary validity test of a brief Spiritual Assessment module for integration into psychological and psychiatric nursing practice in Indonesia. The module is designed to explore patients’ beliefs, practices, and spiritual communities, and to identify the role of spirituality as a source of strength or conflict.
The study employed a structured and systematic literature review (SLR) to identify, evaluate, and synthesize relevant empirical evidence, yielding comprehensive and objective conclusions based on critical review to provide a strong, transparent, replicable, and subjectively unbiased theoretical foundation.
First, empirical evidence establishes a significant positive correlation between spiritual engagement and reduced depression, anxiety, and stress as valid protective factors. Second, psychological mechanisms identify spirituality as a meaning-making system that fosters resilience, hope, and gratitude, and enhances self-agency through self-awareness and self-efficacy. Third, clinical applications emphasize the integration of spirituality into psychotherapy and biological psychiatry to improve adherence and coping. Fourth, a comprehensive review affirms the transformative nature of spirituality in fostering sustainable well-being beyond pharmacological interventions.
This study concludes that there is strong empirical evidence demonstrating a positive correlation between spirituality and better mental health. These positive effects are mediated by specific psychological mechanisms such as meaning-making and increased resilience. The integration of spirituality into clinical practice is essential for effective holistic care. Spirituality plays a sustained, transformative role in supporting overall mental health through a holistic approach
Downloads
References
-, T. K. (2024). Importance of Spirituality in Sustaining Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review. International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 6(5). https://doi.org/10.36948/IJFMR.2024.V06I05.28804
Alexandre, C. M. de A., Lopes Júnior, H. M. P., & Mendonça, F. C. (2024). ESPIRITUALIDADE E QUALIDADE DE VIDA: UMA REVISÃO DOS EFEITOS POSITIVOS NA SAÚDE MENTAL. Revista Ibero-Americana de Humanidades, Ciências e Educação, 10(11), 4805–4816. https://doi.org/10.51891/REASE.V10I11.16798
Faiza, A., & Immanuel, J. P. (2025). Unveiling Link Between Prayer and Wellbeing: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, AI and Innovation: Proceedings of the Applied Research in Humanities & Social Sciences (ARHSS 2023), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-2532-1_1
Kumar, Dr. V. (2023). Role of Spirituality in the Mental Health. Journal of Research in Social Science and Humanities, 2(4), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.56397/JRSSH.2023.04.01
Lucchetti, G., Koenig, H. G., & Lucchetti, A. L. G. (2021). Spirituality, religiousness, and mental health: A review of the current scientific evidence. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 9(26), 7620–7631. https://doi.org/10.12998/WJCC.V9.I26.7620
Miloš, M., Franjić, D., Ćurlin, M., Barbarić, R., & Babić, D. (2024). THE CONNECTION OF SPIRITUALITY AND MENTAL DISEASES. Zdravstveni Glasnik, 10(2), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-8616.2024.2.10.139
Minns, S., & Rosmarin, D. H. (2023). Spirituality, religion, and mental health. Encyclopedia of Mental Health, Third Edition: Volume 1-3, 3, V3-353-V3-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91497-0.00049-7
O’Sullivan, L., & Lindsay, N. (2023). The relationship between spiritual intelligence, resilience, and well-being in an Aotearoa New Zealand sample. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 25(4), 277–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/19349637.2022.2086840
Pant, N. (2023). The Relationship of Spirituality with Mental Health and Quality of Life: A Review. Spirituality, Mental Health and Quality of Life, 35–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2703-6_3
Rathore, L. N., & Kriplani, V. (2023). Integrating Spirituality into Psychotherapy Practice in Mental Health: Ethical Issues, Challenges and Possible Way Out. International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, 13(3), 167–173. https://doi.org/10.52403/IJHSR.20230316
Sawab, Rumambo Pandin, M. G., & Yusuf, A. (2022). Philosophy Spirituality and Recovery of Mental Health Nursing: Literatur Review. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.20.22281082
Shafranske, E. P. (2022). The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Mental Health. Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality, 345–358. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10274-5_22
Subagyo, R., Pratiwi, D., Ramadhani, D. E., Hasan, H., Diahlaksmi, S., & Urrachman, S. K. (2024). Schizophrenia, Spirituality, and Religion. MAGNA MEDICA Berkala Ilmiah Kedokteran Dan Kesehatan, 11(2), 240. https://doi.org/10.26714/MAGNAMED.11.2.2024.240-250
Van Denend, J., Ford, K., Berg, P., Edens, E. L., & Cooke, J. (2022). The Body, the Mind, and the Spirit: Including the Spiritual Domain in Mental Health Care. Journal of Religion and Health, 61(5), 3571–3588. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10943-022-01609-2
Zaidul Fikri Ismail, A., & Karimah, A. (2023). Exploring the Impact of Spirituality and Religiousity on Health Related Aspect : A Literature Review. International Journal of Research Publications, 140(1). https://doi.org/10.47119/IJRP1001401120245979
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Susi Puspita Sari, Fadhli Syam, Afriwes Afriwes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
