Spirituality and mental health

Read: Spirituality and mental health Links to an external site.

Note: In 2008 when this piece was published, the prevailing rules of style required the use of masculine pronouns, so please forgive this outdated approach. Fortunately, scholarly writing has evolved into non-sexist style. See, e.g., https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/gender Links to an external site.:

When referring to individuals whose identified pronouns are not known or when the gender of a generic or hypothetical person is irrelevant within the context, use the singular “they” Links to an external site. to avoid making assumptions about an individual’s gender. Use the forms “they,” “them,” “theirs,” and so forth. Sexist bias can occur when pronouns are used carelessly, as when the pronoun “he” is used to refer to all people, when a gendered pronoun is used exclusively to define roles by sex (e.g., “the nurse . . . she”), or when “he” and “she” are alternated as though these terms are generic. Pronouns associated with a specific gender have been found to induce readers to think of individuals of that gender even when the pronoun use is intended to be generic (Gastil, 1990; Moulton et al., 1978). In addition, exposure to gender-specific language in a professional context has been linked with a lower sense of belonging, reduced motivation, and professional disidentification for individuals who do not identify with that gender (Stout & Dasgupta, 2011). When writers use the singular “they,” it reduces bias in the way that readers perceive the individuals referred to in the text and thereby helps ensure that readers do not feel ostracized by that text.

Cite in your text as: (Verghese, 2008)

Cite in your full References as: Verghese A. (2008). Spirituality and mental health. Indian journal of psychiatry, 50(4), 233–237. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.44742