Spiritual History Assessment in Health Professionals and Students: A Narrative Literature Review

Objective. This narrative literature review aimed to explore how spiritual history (SH) has been implemented among professionals and students in psychology, medicine, and nursing, as well as to identify barriers that hinder its adequate application. Methods. To ensure methodological rigor, specific eligibility criteria guided the selection of articles. Studies had to be: (1) published in peer-reviewed professional journals; (2) have a title and abstract in English; (3) primarily focus on SH among health professionals or students in psychology, medicine, or nursing; (4) be empirical research studies involving human participants and (5) published from 2014 onward. The search strategy included five databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, PsychInfo, PsychArticles, and the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Selected articles were then analyzed for design, sample size, data collection tools, and analytical approach. Results. Sixteen studies that met the criteria were identified: 11 including professionals and five including students. Results highlight the importance of SH in providing holistic care. Barriers such as lack of training, time constraints, and discomfort in addressing SH in clinical settings were identified. However, despite the recognition of the value of SH, its consistent implementation was limited. We also noted limited research within the field of psychology, highlighting the need to investigate and promote the integration of HS into psychological training and practice. Conclusions. Thus, we recommend developing targeted interventions that integrate SH training into both professional development and academic programs among the health sciences.