Recognition of psychopathology with religious content by clergy members: a case vignette study

Clergy members (CMs) frequently offer support and counselling for people with
mental health problems. The current study aims to obtain insight into the ability
among CMs to recognise psychopathology and need for psychiatric treatment. A
random sample of CMs (N ¼ 143) and a control sample of mental health
professionals (MHPs, N ¼ 73), were compared as to their evaluations of four
vignettes. CMs considered the psychiatric states to be related to religious or
spiritual problems to a similar degree as they did for the non-psychiatric states.
Sensitivity of CMs with regard to the need of psychiatric care for the psychiatric
states was modest (66%) and differed significantly from MHPs (96%). Specificity
of the CMs was 89%, which was significantly lower than the MHPs (97%). The
CMs did recognise psychopathology with religious content but clearly to a lower
extent than MHPs. Requests by CMs for education about recognising psychopathology may be considered as justified.