The Role Of Religion And Spirituality In Chinese Torontonians' Mental Health

This paper qualitatively explored how religion and spirituality work for Chinese Torontonians with mental illness and their family members.The author employed ethnography as the main research method,which generated first-hand accounts of research targets1 in Greater Toronto Area.The paper also has textual analyses of two outstanding primary sources on the research topic.Research results show that religion and spirituality(especially Christianity)can shape the identity of Chinese Torontonians,help them fit in the mainstream society and culture,offer them physical places and interpersonal networks for comfort,provide positive ideologies for self-help,and serve as a unique way of communication between patients and family members.However,religion and spirituality(especially the former)can also significantly worsen patient's' mental state with some strict institutional doctrines and misuse from family members and patients themselves.