Use and perception of complementary and alternative medicine among Iranian psychologists

Hadi Tehrani; Mahbobeh Nejatian; Alireza Jafari

doi:10.1515/jcim-2021-0285

Article

Use and perception of complementary and alternative medicine among Iranian psychologists

Hadi Tehrani , Mahbobeh Nejatian and Alireza Jafari

Published/Copyright: October 14, 2021

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From the journal Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine Volume 20 Issue 1

Abstract

Objectives

The seeking and use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) modalities by people to treat mental disorders has increased and it is necessary for psychologists to have the necessary information in this field. This study aims to evaluate the use and perception of CAM by Iranian psychologists.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 psychologists selected by the census in 2019. Data collection tools consisted of four sections of the demographic section, the CAM questionnaire for psychologists, awareness of CAM, and use of CAM. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were confirmed.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) scores of attitude and educational needs were 40.45 (11.36) and 33.93 (5.96), respectively. Only 19.25% of psychologists had sufficient knowledge of CAM, and most of them (56.34%) reported that there is an educational need for CAM. In this study, 64% of psychologists used CAM for themselves. There was a significant relationship between the attitude toward CAM modalities and the suggestion of CAM to the clients (p=0.025). There was also a significant relationship between the use of CAM by psychologists and the suggestion of these modalities to their clients (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Psychologists had not sufficient awareness about CAM and had a moderate attitude. Most of the psychologists reported that there is educational need for CAM. Therefore, it is necessary to design and implement appropriate training courses for psychologists toward CAM modalities.

Keywords: attitude; awareness; behavior; CAM; mental health

Corresponding author: Alireza Jafari, Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran, Phone: +98 51 38413007, Fax: +98 51 38413006, E-mail: Jafari.ar94@gmail.com

Funding source: Mashhad University of Medical

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Student Research Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Research project code: 980201) and all psychologists who assisted the authors to run this research project.

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflicts of interest.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Ethical approval: This study is based on a research project approved by Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with the code of ethics IR.MUMS.REC.1398.105. All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Received: 2021-07-02

Accepted: 2021-10-05

Published Online: 2021-10-14

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2021-0285

Keywords for this article

attitude; awareness; behavior; CAM; mental health