Spirituality/religious diversity in personal recovery and the interactions between service users and mental health services: a critical literature review of service users’ perspectives

This critical review aimed to explore the meaning and roles of spirituality/religion in mental health recovery, focusing on service users’ perspectives. Using criteria of peer-reviewed literature, 2012–2021, inclusive of mental health service users’ outcomes and perspectives, 12 studies were found. Emerging evidence demonstrates that spirituality/religion promotes mental health recovery and appears to have an important role for service users, especially for those with trauma or migration experiences from ethnically diverse backgrounds. This review suggests that social workers and other mental health professionals should aim to be inclusive and adopt a spiritual/religious strength-based perspective regarding spirituality/religion with service users in practice.