What is it about?
Religion is an important factor for consideration when working clinically with Latinx individuals. Understanding how religion may impact clinical functioning has been difficult in the past due to the overlap between religiosity (i.e., identification with and involvement in organized religion) and religious scrupulosity (i.e., a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder-like obsession with sin and God’s wrath). This study clarifies that the significant relationship between religiosity and clinically significant impairment disappears when religious scrupulosity is taken into account. As such, it is religious scrupulosity (rather than religiosity) that is related to poor mental health.
Featured Image
Photo by Noah Holm on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This study adds to the current literature by examining the relation between religiosity, religious scrupulosity, and clinically significant impairment specifically within Latinx individuals. Results suggest the importance of understanding the distinction between religiosity and religious scrupulosity in the Latinx community so as to not over-pathologize normal cultural ideals or miss evidence of psychopathology warranting clinical attention
Perspectives
I hope this article aids in reducing the misdiagnosis of Latinx individuals seeking mental health treatment. I enjoyed working with colleagues on this project and am thankful for continued collaboration with this group of mental health practitioners/researchers.
Cassandra Bailey
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Religiosity and religious scrupulosity as markers of poor mental health in the Latinx community: A mediation model., Practice Innovations, March 2023, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/pri0000208.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
