Estudo prospectivo sobre o diagnóstico diferencial entre experiências mediúnicas e transtornos mentais de conteúdo religioso

Abstract

Introduction: Spiritual experiences that resemble psychotic and dissociative symptoms are common in several religions, and can bring doubts whether dealing with healthy or pathological experiences. Objectives: Investigating the sociodemographic profile of anomalous experiences and mental health ones of individuals with psychotic and dissociative experiences and seek help in Spiritist Centers; identifying phenomenological, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics which help in distinguishing between healthy spiritual experience and mental disorder. Methods: A Longitudinal Research with one-year follow-up of 115 individuals who have lived psychotic and dissociative experiences and sought Spiritist Centers of Juiz de Fora / MG. We used Sociodemographic interviews, of evaluation of anomalous experiences, and of the proposed criteria for identifying a healthy spiritual experience, the SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders), the DDIS (Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule) DES (Dissociative Experience Scale) and the WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF). Logistic and linear regression model, controlling for sociodemographic factors, were used to investigate associations between characteristics of anomalous and dissociative experiences and quality of life and psychiatric diagnoses. Results: The sample was composed of 70% women, with average age 39 years old and good schooling, profile similar to other studies with Spiritist mediums in Brazil. Five Qualitative Criteria of healthy spiritual experience were present in most of the sample at the first time of evaluation: Absence of social and occupational impairment, the experience is short and occurs only episodically, compatibility with a cultural context, the spiritual experience brings benefits to oneself and it can be focused on others. Four Qualitative Criteria were present in a minority: The absence of suffering, lack of co-morbidities, critical attitude and control over the experience. 93% of the sample had some mental disorder by SCID, mainly anxiety and depression disorders, 23.5% had some dissociative disorder by DDIS, but only one individual (0.9%) had dissociative identity disorder. The average scores of dissociation were high in DES (81.4 ± 54.8 SD) and in DES TAXON (18.8 ± 16.8). The dimensions of quality of life by the WHOQOL which were most affected were the psychological (61.15 ± 19.39) and social (63.41 ± 24.07), and the physical (67.13 ± 18.25) and environmental (63.89 ± 15.05) were better preserved. Higher scores of dissociation were related to more diagnoses of dissociative and mental disorders in general, as well as to lower levels of quality of life in all dimensions. The presence of Qualitative Criteria proposed for a healthy spiritual experience was associated with better quality of life in psychological and social dimensions both at the beginning and and after one-year follow-up. Conclusions: Individuals who have psychotic and dissociative experiences and seek help religious groups are a group that needs attention because of the risk for mental health disorders and quality of life. The potential protective effect of the religious involvement and the qualitative criteria should be further investigated.