Percepções sobre experiências religiosas na formação profissional de estudantes de graduação em psicologia (Salvador) na UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DA BAHIA

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the growing understanding that psychologists should receive training to differentiate religious experiences from mental disorders, no Brazilian studies on the training of psychologists for the development of this competence have been identified. General objective: To analyze the perceptions of psychology students related to the learning received for the clinical evaluation of religious experiences. Method: Integrative review of national studies on the differentiation between religious experiences and mental disorders. Application of a structured questionnaire about religiosity in clinical practice in thirty students at the Federal University of Bahia. The data produced through the questionnaire were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analyses. Main results: It was observed, in the 18 texts analyzed, the prevalence of a non-pathologizing perspective and a conception of health that takes little account of its social determinants. As for the responses of the participants, it was found that scientific knowledge, religious, subjective and/or aesthetic elements were present in their perceptions of religious experiences. It was also verified the learning that such experiences may not be pathological. However, they have not demonstrated sufficient technical knowledge to reliably identify non-pathological conditions. No elements were identified that allow us to affirm that the Psychology Course offered them training on the differential diagnosis between religious experiences and mental disorders, nonetheless most participants consider it relevant. The pathologization and “normalization” of such experiences among non-religious people stood out as topics to be debated at graduation. Conclusion: The national scientific production seems to contribute to the technical structure of Brazilian higher education and the training of psychologists stands out as a process that takes place in a space where languages and forms of knowledge meet. The formative gap identified raises the possibility of inadequate evaluation of elements related to religiosity, of “normalization” or pathologizing them.