Religiosity as deviance: Negative religious bias in and misuse of the DSM‐III

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and more recently the third edition revised (DSM‐III and DSM‐III‐R, respectively) serve as the “Bible” for the psychiatric community, which includes psychological counselors, marriage counselors, and social workers as well as psychiatrists. These clinical professionals define mental disorders in the general population using DSM‐III categories. This diagnostic tool has been used to “medicalize” participation in certain types of religious groups and experiences, because both versions include negative religious stereotyping and ambivalence toward religion. That observation is apparent in the glossary of technical terms and especially in the application of some diagnostic categories to certain types of religious participation. This article argues that the reliability and validity of the DSM‐III can be improved by eliminating negative religious examples, resulting in a more objective diagnostic instrument and less tendency to treat religious activities as deviant. Ideological questions about the use of DSM‐III in diagnosis are discussed as well, with emphasis on the consequences for individuals and society of the clinical professions using the DSM‐III. A major point is made that if antireligious biases are removed from the DSM‐III, then individuals exhibiting religiosity will be less likely to be defined as deviant.