Arabic speakers rarely seek the help of professional mental health providers while they heavily rely on religious leaders. However, little is known about the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of clerics regarding mental illness. A standardized questionnaire was administered to 115 Christian religious men. Clerics appeared to have an informed, scientifically based understanding of the causes of mental disorders and of the importance of medications in effective treatment. However, several stigmatizing attitudes were identified. Contact with the patients significantly reduced the discrimination. Fear of the unpredictable highlights the need to develop and implement targeted approaches that outreach clergy.
Keywords: Attitude; Beliefs; Clerics; Knowledge; Lebanon; Mental illness.