Cross-Cultural Considerations for Differentiating between Religiosity and Psychosis

This paper addresses the question of how to approach religiosity and psychosis within a clinical context. A clinician who is tasked with the differential diagnosis of a client who is apparently either experiencing normative religious phenomenon or psychotic symptoms faces a difficult situation—as clinicians are generally ill-prepared to address topics related to spirituality. It is important for a clinician to be culturally informed and culturally sensitive, and yet religiously-themed hallucinations and delusions are commonly observed among individuals experiencing psychosis. Recommendations are made to help inform culturally appropriate diagnosis and practice.