The authors conducted a systematic analysis of quantitative research on
religious variables found in four psychiatric journals between 1978 and
1982. Of the 2,348 psychiatric articles reviewed, 59 included a quantified
religious variable. In this research, the religious variable chosen was
most often a single static measure of religion rather than multiple dynamic
measures. In addition, other available religious research was seldom cited.
Comparison with systematic analyses of religious research in psychology and
sociology suggests that psychiatric research lacks conceptual and
methodological sophistication. The data suggest that the academic knowledge
and skills needed to evaluate religion have not been absorbed into the
psychiatric domain.Abstract Teaser