'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness': A further look

Abstract

reviews the empirical relationship between aspects of religiosity (attitude, practice, and orientation) and measures of obsessionality (personality traits and obsessional symptoms) among non-clinical samples based on studies published between 1981 -96. Lewis (1998 draws three conclusions: (1) religious attitude is associated with obsessional personality traits, but not with obsessional symptoms; (2) religious practice is associated with obsessional personality traits, but not with obsessional symptoms; and (3) limited data on the relationship between religious orientation and obsessionality is presently contradictory. However, extrinsic orientation may be associated with obsessional personality traits and obsessional symptoms. The present aim was to examine if these conclusions are challenged by findings from more recent published studies. Nine new studies were identified from the literature. The results from these studies not only largely corroborate the earlier conclusions of , but also demonstrate the generalisability of the relationship between religiosity and obsessional personality traits across additional measures of both constructs and additional samples. Moreover, it is noted that this association is not 'contaminated' by social desirability. A suggestion for further research is given.

Psychological type, religion, and culture: Further empirical perspectives

“…From such research a number of conclusions can be drawn. First, the examination of the Freudian theory (1927/1961) that religion is an obsessional neurosis demonstrates that higher obsessional personality trait scores, rather than obsessional symptoms scores, are associated with greater religiosity (for a review see Lewis, 1998Lewis, , 2003. Second, the location of religiosity within Eysenck's Three-dimensional Model of Personality (e.g., Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985), demonstrates that lower Psychoticism scores (i.e., tendermindedness), rather than extraversion or neuroticism or Lie Scale scores, are associated with greater religiosity (for a review see Francis, 1992;Lewis & Francis, 2014).…”

Religion and obsessionality: obsessive actions and religious practices

“…The aim of this special issue, co-edited by Lewis and Loewenthal who have both published widely in the area of religion and obsessional neurosis (e.g., Al-Solaim & Loewenthal, 2011;Lewis, 1994Lewis, , 1996Lewis, , 1998Lewis, , 2001Lewis, , 2003Lewis & Joseph, 1994a, 1994bLewis & Maltby, 1992, 1994, 1995Loewenthal, 1995Loewenthal, , 2006Loewenthal, , 2009Yossifova & Loewenthal, 1999), was to provide a forum for the collection of pertinent papers, and thereby providing both an overview of the current state of the literature, as well as providing a possible stimulation for future research.…”

Working with patients with religious beliefs1

“…The relation between religiosity and obsessional illness has been discussed by a number of authors. A review by Lewis (1998) suggested that religiosity is associated with obsessional traits but not with obsessional neurosis. Similarly, Greenberg & Witztum (2001) pointed out that a review of the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in a variety of cultural backgrounds does not implicate religious background as a causative factor in this disorder.…”