Attitudes of Christian leaders and congregants in South Africa towards mental illness and the mentally ill

Abstract

Background: Mental illness and substance use disorders significantly contribute to the global disease burden, and limited access to mental health services exacerbates this problem. Initially, many individuals seek help from religious leaders and traditional healers. Given that 80% of South Africa’s (SA) population identifies as Christian, churches may influence mental health help-seeking behaviour.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the attitudes of Christian leaders and congregants towards the mentally ill using the Community Attitudes Towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale.

Setting: The study was conducted in Soweto, a diverse peri-urban settlement in Johannesburg.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey where participants completed a demographics questionnaire and the CAMI scale, which measures attitudes across four sub-scales: Authoritarianism (AU), Benevolence (BE), Social Restrictiveness (SR), and Community Mental Health Ideology (CMHI). Low AU and SR scores and high BE and CMHI scores indicated low stigma towards mental illness.

Results: There were 51 participants, predominantly female (80.4%), aged 25–35 years (58.8%) and possessing tertiary education (82.4%). No significant differences emerged between leaders and congregants. Participants with a personal history of mental illness exhibited more positive attitudes, while familiarity with affected individuals did not significantly influence attitudes.

Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of collaboration between mental healthcare providers and the Christian community in South Africa, emphasising the need for cross-denominational engagement and further research to improve culturally relevant mental healthcare.

Contribution: These findings underscore the church’s potential role in promoting mental health support.