Relationship Between Spiritual Beliefs and Perceptions of Mental Health Stigma: A Case Study of Employees at Pinnacle Business Group, Ethiopia
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Date
2026-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study aims to explore the relationship between spiritual beliefs and perceptions of mental health stigma among employees at Pinnacle Business Group, a holding company in Ethiopia, and examined how spiritual interpretations of mental illness influence workplace attitudes toward mental health. A mixed-methods cross-sectional convergent design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. Quantitative data were collected from all 30 employees through a structured questionnaire using a census sampling approach, while qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 10 purposively selected participants using a semi-structured interview guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns and perspectives. The findings revealed that employees held moderately high levels of spiritual beliefs regarding mental illness and moderate levels of mental health stigma. Correlation analysis indicated a statistically significant positive relationship between spiritual beliefs and mental health stigma (r = 0.52, p < 0.05), suggesting that employees who more strongly endorsed spiritual explanations of mental illness were more likely to express stigmatizing perceptions. The qualitative findings further revealed the existence of a dual belief system in which mental distress was understood through both spiritual and biomedical frameworks, while organizational silence surrounding mental health contributed to the persistence of stigma in the workplace. The study concludes that perceptions of mental health stigma among employees are shaped by the interaction of spiritual beliefs and workplace culture and recommends the development of workplace mental health interventions that recognize employees’ spiritual perspectives while promoting evidence-based mental health awareness, open dialogue, and support mechanisms.
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Spiritual beliefs, Mental health stigma, Mental health perceptions, Workplace mental health, Employees, Ethiopia