How Spirituality Affects Mental Health: From Religious to Secular Spirituality

 According to statistics, 99.4% of Iranian people are Muslims. The frequency of mental disorders is 29.7%, while the tendency to extra-religious spirituality is 25% among high school students and 72% among university students. This study was conducted with the aim of explaining the effect of spirituality, from religious spirituality to secular spirituality,on mental health.

 This combined study was based on the Sound Heart modeland discovery-explanatory approach ofCreswell et al.’s model (2003). Qualitative data were gatheredfrom non-systematic review and contractual content analysis of the concept, structure, purpose, feature, foundations of trans-religious and secular spirituality, the religious spirituality of Islam. Quantitative data from the clinical applications of the model were integrated. The validity of meta-inferences of research were measuredviainternal-external validity for quantitative data, and "reliability" or "capability index" for qualitative data.

 Kirkpatrick considers attachment to God, a product of attachment to parents. But God has a positive image in the Quran (a kind creator who gives security, a powerful caregiver). Safe attachment to God is a product of knowledge, positive image of God, and love for God. Trusting and delegating life's problems to God brings aboutmental health and spiritual vitality of believers. Despite the different definitions of God by spiritualists (pantheistic and monotheistic ideologies), the negative image of God has caused insecure attachment to God, which affects mental health.

 Spirituality of Islam is based on secure attachment to God, and also belief in the presence and sufficiency of God (the most powerful other), which help improve mental health. Secular spirituality is based on esoterism and consecration of nature. Their followers seek inner peace, contentment and happiness in a "personal style" through spirituality residing in nature.