Evocative

摘要

IN 2006, two Dutch psychiatric residents and their residency training director reported on a small qualitative survey among 13 psychiatrists working in their mental health institution. The psychiatrists were interviewed about their attitude toward religion and spirituality. The interviewers were especially interested in the role religion plays according to the psychiatrists in the relationship between psychiatrists and patient (Fiselier et al. 2006). The theme is not new, and it still evokes a lot of controversy, considering the turmoil the well-known authority and opinion leader in this field of inquiry Koenig recently provoked with his editorial in Psychiatric Bulletin (Koenig 2008; Correspondence 2008). Reporting on counter-transference, the interviewers quote a few, in their view, rather typical statements: "If one learns that a patient is a believer, that patient's estimated IQ will actually be rated 20 IQ points lower" (p. 384). It seems that around half of these 13 psychiatrists attribute negative qualities to the religious patient. Nevertheless, these psychiatrists claim to be on the alert for their negative countertransference; a likely statement, indeed! In fact, the whole idea was to get more information about the basic assumptions as part of the self-view and professionalism of these psychiatrists, and the possible religious origin of their basic assumptions like trust, hope, related-ness, validation, and responsibility. Seventy-five percent said that the therapeutic relationship was partly founded on religious ideas and principles.