[The role of spirituality in psychiatry: important but still unclear].

BACKGROUND There is an increasing interest in spirituality in relation to psychiatry. AIM: Exploring the place and meaning of spirituality in mental healthcare. METHOD: A narrative review of recent developments and results of scientific studies. RESULTS: Spirituality is related to better (mental) health, wellbeing and longevity, but definitions and conceptualisation are still unclear. Clinical attention is recommended, including awareness of certain risks, but these are not systematically investigated in psychiatry. CONCLUSION: Spirituality seems to be an important lifestyle factor, that correlates positively with (mental) health, but there is a need for better definitions, conceptualisation and recommendations based on scientific research. A multidisciplinary guideline for psychiatry seems desirable.