Objective: It is unclear why some individuals reporting psychotic experiences have balanced lives while others go on to develop mental health problems. The objective of this study was to test if the personality traits of harm avoidance, self-directedness, and self-transcendence can be used as criteria to differentiate healthy from unhealthy schizotypal individuals. Conclusion: Personality features are important criteria to distinguish between pathology and mental health in individuals presenting high levels of anomalous experiences (AEs). While self-directedness is a protective factor, both harm avoidance and novelty seeking were predictors of negative mental health outcomes. We suggest that the impact of AEs on mental health is moderated by personality factors.

Belief in the healing power of prayer is found in various religious traditions. Spiritually grounded clinical interventions, such as intercessory prayer (IP), need to be understood in a broader sense. This essay features the IP trials, observing the controversial relationship between inconsistent results and allegedly inadequate methods and theoretical hypothesis. A survey of the literature was conducted including publications indexed until September 2013, focusing on the trials developed in the field and on the critics about the methodological design. Recent meta-analyses and multicenter studies found inconclusive results in the investigation of IP. Clinical trials on IP present some methodological difficulties: The intervention is not fully controlled; the primary outcome is not properly defined; and the theoretical models seem inconsistent. The "non-local consciousness" model may be appropriate for studies of IP. Directions for future research: greater emphasis on the evaluation of the effectiveness of this intervention in animal models; selection of subjects and healers who have previous connection; considering the hypothesis of non-local consciousness in the study design.

Background: Non-pathological psychotic and dissociative experiences are frequent in the general population, particularly in religious groups. There are few studies on the profile of non-clinical populations with these experiences, and on criteria for differential diagnosis. Objectives: To identify the sociodemographic profile and anomalous experiences (AE) among people who sought help in spiritualist groups. Methods: We interviewed 115 people who sought assistance in six spiritualist groups in the city of Juiz de Fora/MG due to psychotic and/or dissociative experiences. Semi-structured interviews investigated sociodemographic data, AEs reported and presence of criteria that have been proposed to identify non-pathological spiritual experiences. Results: sample was mostly composed by women (70%), middle age, high educational level, whose AEs started in childhood (65%) and adolescence (23%). The most frequent AEs were visual (63%) and auditory (54%) hallucinations, "spiritual perception" (53%), "paranormal dreams" (38%) and out-of-body experiences (31%). Most of the sample reported that these AEs were not related to socio-occupational impairments, were short, episodic, and beneficial; however, reported emotional distress and lack of control over the experiences. Discussion: The high frequency and diversity of AEs reported, as well as their theoretical, clinical, and public health implications point to the urgency need of more attention to this topic.

rESUMo introdução: Há alta prevalência de Experiências Anômalas (EAs), como as vivências chamadas de psicóticas, na população geral. Existe pouca informação a respeito das caraterísticas de pessoas que apresentam EAs de caráter não patológico e que buscam auxílio em instituições religiosas. objetivos: Investigar os perfis de personalidade, a qualidade de vida (QV) e a religiosidade em pessoas que apresentam EAs. Métodos: Cento e quinze sujeitos que procuraram centros espíritas de Juiz de Fora/MG e que apresentavam EAs foram entrevistados: dados sociodemográficos; ITC-R (140) -(Inventário de Temperamento e Caráter, revisado e reduzido); DUREL-P (Duke University Religious Index, versão em português), e WHOQOL--BREF (Avaliação da Qualidade de Vida da Organização Mundial da Saúde -versão brasileira abreviada). resultados: Cooperatividade foi a dimensão de personalidade que obteve a maior média (77,0 ± 11,2); Religiosidade Não Organizacional obteve médias altas em 77% da amostra; 58,9% dos sujeitos eram Espíritas; QV psicológica obteve a média mais baixa (61,1 ± 19,4) e a mais alta foi QV física (67,1 ± 18,2). Conclusões: Os indivíduos com EAs que buscam auxílio parecem constituir uma população de risco para transtornos mentais ou problemas emocionais em geral, sendo preciso desenvolver abordagens adequadas e mais estudos sobre o tema. aBStraCt introduction: There is a high prevalence of Anomalous Experiences (AEs), as psychotic experiences, in the general population. There is little information about characteristics of people with non-pathological AEs seeking religious institutions. objectives: To investigate personality profiles, quality of life (QoL) and religiosity in people with EAs. Methods: One hundred and fifteen subjects who sought Spiritist Centers in Juiz de Fora/MG, Brazil, and who had AEs were interviewed: sociodemographic data; ITC-R (140) -(Temperament and Character Inventory, revised), Durel-P (Duke Religious Index, Portuguese version), and WHOQOL-BREF (Assessment of Quality of Life of the World Health Organization-Brazilian

Resumo Diante do crescente número de pesquisas sobre Religiosidade e Espiritualidade (R/E), este artigo objetiva analisar a percepção de profissionais da saúde em relação a esses temas. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, coletadas nos locais de trabalho de seis profissionais liberais, utilizando a Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin, na abordagem qualitativa. Seis categorias emergiram das análises qualitativas: 1. R/E: fusão de conceitos e conexão com o transcendente; 2. Espiritualidade como facilitadora; 3. Demanda aparece informalmente; 4. Falta de treinamento; 5. Na prática é diferente; 6. A temática nos currículos acadêmicos. Os resultados indicaram que os profissionais observam a relevância da temática, embora ela apareça apenas de forma implícita. Como um círculo vicioso, a ausência de treinamento adequado pode levar à falta de inserção do tema na formação acadêmica. Futuros profissionais precisam receber treinamento para saber como acolher a religiosidade e a espiritualidade de pacientes/clientes de forma ética, visando a promoção de saúde.

ResumoContexto: Embora existam muitos estudos relacionando o contexto religioso com a saúde física e mental, há poucas pesquisas sobre a interface entre religiosidade/espiritualidade (R/E) e personalidade. Objetivos: O objetivo principal foi revisar as evidências empíricas de investigações sobre a relação entre religiosidade, espiritualidade e personalidade. Métodos: Foi realizado um levantamento da produção acadêmica por meio das bases de dados virtuais: PubMed e PsychInfo, com artigos indexados até janeiro de 2008 e utilizando as combinações: "personality and spiritu*" e "personality and religio*" Além disso, foram pesquisados os artigos presentes em uma metanálise sobre o tema. Resultados: Alta Religiosidade está associada a baixo Psicoticismo e a alta Amabilidade e Conscienciosidade. Conscienciosidade em adolescentes pode ser um preditor significante para a maior religiosidade na adultez jovem. E a dimensão de Religiosidade é mais provável candidata a residir além dos cinco grandes fatores de personalidade. Conclusão: A crença em uma dimensão de Religiosidade, em uma realidade transcendente ou em um Deus pessoal, em alguns casos, parece não possuir correspondências entre quaisquer dos cinco fatores de personalidade. Isso parece indicar que a R/E seja um potencial sexto fator de personalidade que não está presente nos modelos de personalidade atuais. Alminhana LO, Moreira-Almeida A / Rev Psiq Clín. 2009;36(4):153-61Palavras-chave: Personalidade, religiosidade/espiritualidade, psicoticismo, amabilidade e conscienciosidade. AbstractBackground: Although there are many studies linking the religious context with fisical and mental health, there is little research on the interface between religiousness/spirituality and personality. Objectives: The main goal was to review the empirical research on the relationship between religiosity, spirituality and personality. Methods: A survey of the academic production through virtual databases: PubMed and PsychInfo, published until January of 2008 and using the combinations: "personality and spiritu*" and "personality and religio*" was conducted, in addition to articles presented in a meta-analysis about the subject. Results: High Religiousness is associated with low Psychoticism and high Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Conscientiousness in adolescents can be a significant predictor for the higher religiosity in the early adulthood. And the dimension of Religiosity seems to be a potentially candidate to be beyond the Big Five. Discussion: The belief in a dimension of Religiosity, in a transcendent reality or in a personal God, in some cases, does not seem to show associations between any of the five factors of personality. This can indicate that the R/E is a potential sixth factor of personality that is not present in the current models of personality.

There is a high prevalence of psychotic-like experiences in nonclinical patient cohorts from Brazil. This study aimed to test whether personality dimensions, as well as schizotypy, are important predictors of quality of life (QoL) in individuals with psychotic experiences (PE). Method: 115 participants were recruited from Spiritist Centers in Brazil. At the 1-year follow up, 90 participants (78%) were reassessed. Instruments were the SCID-I (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV), TCI-R 140 (Revised Temperament and Character Inventory), OLIFE-R (Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences), and WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization QoL Instrument). Results: Mean age (±SD) was 36.8 (±12.5) years; 70% were female. Participants reported 74.4% of PE at time 1 and 72.3% at time 2. At time 1, temperament and character explained 47% of the psychological QoL variance; self-directedness was the strongest predictor of higher QoL, while harm avoidance and introverted anhedonia predicted worse QoL. At the 1-year follow-up, self-directedness remained the most important predictor of psychological QoL. Conclusion: Individuals reporting PE can show psychological QoL when they are high on self-directedness. Those with high levels of introverted anhedonia and cognitive disorganization can have a lower QoL and may be at risk for mental health problems.

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