Study of psychiatrists’ attitudes in Esfahan City towards cognitive and psychological effects of depressed patients participated in religious mourning

Nowadays, 121 million people all around the world suffer from depression and they are about 11% of all patients. Mourning is a behavioral process which changes bereavement affected by culture as well as spiritual and religious beliefs. Although the mourning is an appropriate alternative to face insights and values, it might be a threat for people’s health in dealing with new challenges. In answering to this question, the current study evaluated the psychiatrists’ views regarding to clinical treatment with patients and awareness of the physiopathology of depression on the effects of mourning ceremony in symptoms of the disease dimension as well as cognitive, spiritual and adaptive dimensions.

In this descriptive-survey study, the population was 104 psychiatrists of Esfahan City, selected through purposive and convenience methods. Considering the pandemic conditions of COVID-19, through virtual mode, the valid questionnaire was sent to the participants and the responses were received. After entering the data into the computers, it was analyzed using SPSS 21 via statistical methods like X2 (chi-square test) and T-test.

The attitudes of the participants about the general effects of religious mourning ceremonies on patients with depression were positive. Totally, 53.9% of psychiatrists believed that religious mourning ceremony had good effects on symptoms of depressed patients. Moreover, 64.4, 71.7 and 58.9% agreed on its positive spiritual, cognitive and adaptive effects in patients. The difference in scores between male and female psychiatrists on the effects of religious mourning was not significant.

According to the findings of this and related studies, it seems that generally, concern about patients’ participation in spiritual-political program is not in accordance with their culture and it is not necessary to forbid them to participate.