Use of religious and spiritual complementary practices among Chinese patients with schizophrenia: prevalence, perceived helpfulness, and associated factors
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- 2Department of Psychiatry, Wuhan Mental Health Center
Abstract
Background: Religious and spiritual practices are increasingly recognised as complementary approaches for managing severe mental illnesses, but their use among patients with schizophrenia in China remains poorly understood.
Objectives: To investigate religious affiliation, religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices, perceived helpfulness, and associated factors among Chinese patients with schizophrenia.
Methods: A total of 299 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia were consecutively recruited from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Wuhan, China. A standardised questionnaire assessed religious affiliation, use of religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices for managing mental illness, and perceived helpfulness. Classification tree analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with practice use and perceived helpfulness.
Results: Overall, 36.5% of participants reported a religious affiliation, with Buddhism being the most common. More than half of participants (57.2%) had used religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices to manage their illness. Among users, 69.6% perceived these practices as helpful. The most commonly reported practices were Zen meditation (44.8%) and scripture chanting and religious rituals (24.1%). Classification tree analyses identified several factors associated with practice use, including belief in reincarnation and karma, non-conventional health beliefs, educational level, age, occupation, and family members’ supernatural beliefs. Religious affiliation and family members’ supernatural beliefs were additionally associated with perceived helpfulness.
Conclusion: Religious and spiritual complementary practices were common among Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia and were often perceived as helpful. These findings highlight the relevance of considering patients’ religious and spiritual practices in culturally sensitive psychiatric assessment and care.
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BibTeX
@article{tang2026religious,
title = {{Use of religious and spiritual complementary practices among Chinese patients with schizophrenia: prevalence, perceived helpfulness, and associated factors}},
author = {Mao Tang and Hong Liu and Bao-Liang Zhong},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1948994},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1948994/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Use of religious and spiritual complementary practices among Chinese patients with schizophrenia: prevalence, perceived helpfulness, and associated factors
AU - Mao Tang
AU - Hong Liu
AU - Bao-Liang Zhong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry
DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1948994
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1948994/full
AB - Background: Religious and spiritual practices are increasingly recognised as complementary approaches for managing severe mental illnesses, but their use among patients with schizophrenia in China remains poorly understood. Objectives: To investigate religious affiliation, religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices, perceived helpfulness, and associated factors among Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 299 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia were consecutively recruited from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Wuhan, China. A standardised questionnaire assessed religious affiliation, use of religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices for managing mental illness, and perceived helpfulness. Classification tree analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with practice use and perceived helpfulness. Results: Overall, 36.5% of participants reported a religious affiliation, with Buddhism being the most common. More than half of participants (57.2%) had used religious, spiritual, or folk healing practices to manage their illness. Among users, 69.6% perceived these practices as helpful. The most commonly reported practices were Zen meditation (44.8%) and scripture chanting and religious rituals (24.1%). Classification tree analyses identified several factors associated with practice use, including belief in reincarnation and karma, non-conventional health beliefs, educational level, age, occupation, and family members’ supernatural beliefs. Religious affiliation and family members’ supernatural beliefs were additionally associated with perceived helpfulness. Conclusion: Religious and spiritual complementary practices were common among Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia and were often perceived as helpful. These findings highlight the relevance of considering patients’ religious and spiritual practices in culturally sensitive psychiatric assessment and care.
SN - 1664-0640
ER -