Integrating spiritual assessment into a psychiatric inpatient unit.

Abstract

This paper describes a successful effort to quantitatively assess and address different domains of spirituality as part of a "biopsychosocialspiritual" treatment model on an inpatient psychiatry unit. A "spiritual health profile" can be easily obtained and integrated into the treatment planning, actual treatment, and discharge planning processes. Spiritual functioning varies in meaningful ways that correlate with psychiatric impairment. Addressing spiritual health status holds promise as a way of enhancing psychiatric outcomes.