Integration of Psychology and Mental Health in the Work of Religious Leaders

Abstract

Religious leaders are often first responders to mental health concerns in their religious communities. The current study examined the extent to which religious leaders (a) integrate information from psychology/mental health into their religious work and (b) encourage congregants who are struggling with mental illness to seek treatment. Participants were 1,600 religious leaders (primarily Christian) recruited from a nationwide sample of religious leaders. Participants completed measures assessing demographic information, political orientation, integration behavior (e.g., incorporating mental health into religious teachings), and likelihood to encourage a hypothetical congregational member to seek mental health treatment and comply with prescribed medication. Overall levels of integration behaviors were low; however, participants were likely to encourage a congregant struggling with mental illness to receive mental health treatment. Higher levels of education were related to higher levels of integration and encouragement for treatment, and more conservative political values were related to lower levels of integration and encouragement for treatment. Levels of explicit integration behaviors were low, but encouragement to receive mental health treatment was common. There were several important predictors of integration behavior. We discuss implications, limitations, and future directions of these research findings.