Frequency and severity of religious delusions in Christian patients with psychosis

The influence of religious activity on the severity of religious delusions is unclear. This study examined whether Catholic and Protestant patients ex perienced more religious delusions than non-religiously affiliated patients . We also explored whether the severity of religious delusions, according t o the Religious Delusions item on the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), was associated with the amount of religious activity. The Protestants experienced more religious delusions than Catholics and those w ithout religious affiliation. Although when the groups were combined, patie nts who were more religiously active experienced more severe religious delu sions (n = 133), there was no difference in the severity of religious delus ions across the non-religious, Catholic and Protestant groups. Religious af filiation may influence the frequency of religious delusions, particularly in Protestant individuals, but religious affiliation appears to be independ ent of religious delusion severity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.