Examination of the Relationship among Death Anxiety, Spirituality, Religious Orientation and Existential Anxiety

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Merve Halıcı Kurtulan

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this study, the associations among death anxiety, spiritual tendencies, existential anxiety, and religious tendencies were examined. In addition, this study investigated whether these variables changed with respect to demographic characteristics. The study group was composed of 404 university students. Data was collected by administering the personal demographic form, Death Anxiety Scale, Existential Scale, Religious Tendency Scale, and Spirituality Scale. In line with the purpose of the study, the relational screening model and descriptive methods have been used and participants are identified as study groups. Male participants scored significantly higher than female participants. Gender was not found to have an effect on the other variables. Existential anxiety did not differ within groups with respect to having a religious education. Participants who had received a religious education had higher death anxiety and less spiritual tendencies. Motivation for religious tendencies was found to be external. According to the results, death anxiety and existential anxiety are negatively correlated; existential anxiety and spiritual tendencies are positively correlated; and religious tendencies, which have externally motivations, and spiritual tendencies are negatively correlated. Death anxiety, spiritual tendencies, and religious tendencies predict existential anxiety. As suggestions, the number of studies that examine the associations among existential anxiety, religious tendencies, and spiritual tendencies should be increased, and the quality of religious education should be discussed in detail.

Internet Pornography Use, Perceived Addiction, and Religious/Spiritual Struggles.

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Grubbs, Joshua B; Exline, Julie J; Pargament, Kenneth I; Volk, Fred; Lindberg, Matthew J

2017-08-01

Prior work has demonstrated that religious beliefs and moral attitudes are often related to sexual functioning. The present work sought to examine another possibility: Do sexual attitudes and behaviors have a relationship with religious and spiritual functioning? More specifically, do pornography use and perceived addiction to Internet pornography predict the experience of religious and spiritual struggle? It was expected that feelings of perceived addiction to Internet pornography would indeed predict such struggles, both cross-sectionally and over time, but that actual pornography use would not. To test these ideas, two studies were conducted using a sample of undergraduate students (N = 1519) and a sample of adult Internet users in the U.S. (N = 713). Cross-sectional analyses in both samples found that elements of perceived addiction were related to the experience of religious and spiritual struggle. Additionally, longitudinal analyses over a 1-year time span with a subset of undergraduates (N = 156) and a subset of adult web users (N = 366) revealed that perceived addiction to Internet pornography predicted unique variance in struggle over time, even when baseline levels of struggle and other related variables were held constant. Collectively, these findings identify perceived addiction to Internet pornography as a reliable predictor of religious and spiritual struggle.

Psychological well-being among religious and spiritual-identified young gay and bisexual men

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Meanley, Steven; Pingel, Emily S.; Bauermeister, José A.

2015-01-01

Religiosity and spirituality are often integral facets of human development. Young gay and bisexual men (YGBM), however, may find themselves at odds when attempting to reconcile potentially conflicting identities like religion and their sexual orientation. We sought to explore how different components of religiosity (participation, commitment, spiritual coping) are linked to different markers of psychological well-being (life purpose, self-esteem, and internalized homophobia). Using data collected in Metro Detroit (N = 351 ages 18–29 years; 47% African American, 29% Non-Latino White, 8% Latino, 16% Other Race), we examined how components of religiosity/spirituality were associated with psychological well-being among religious/spiritual-identified participants. An overwhelming majority (79.5%) identified as religious/spiritual, with most YGBM (91.0%) reporting spirituality as a coping source. Over three quarters of our religious/spiritual sample (77.7%) reported attending a religious service in the past year. Religious participation and commitment were negatively associated with psychological well-being. Conversely, spiritual coping was positively associated with YGBM’s psychological well-being. Programs assisting YGBM navigate multiple/conflicting identities through sexuality-affirming resources may aid improve of their psychological well-being. We discuss the public health potential of increasing sensitivity to the religious/spiritual needs of YGBM across social service organizations. PMID:28163799

Religious attitudes and spiritual health among elderly inpatient adults in Shahrekord hospitals

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Raziye Sadat hosseiny

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Human is a multidimensional creature and spiritual domain is the central dimension which has an undeniable effect on gaining health. The most important part of nursing care with family based approach is to help people in achieving optimal level of health. On the other hand, religious attitudes and spiritual health is an important domain of life in ageing period. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the religious attitudes and spiritual health among elderly inpatients in Shahrekord hospitals. Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted in 1392 in Shahrekord hospitals. A total of 308 geriatric patients who were admitted to a surgical ward, were recruited through random sampling. Two sets of questionnaires regarding religious and spiritual health were used as the instruments. After collecting the data, descriptive (frequency, mean, variance, standard deviation and analytical (independent t test, Pearson correlation statistics were used by SPSS statistical software. Results: The results showed that 68.8% of patients possessed large religious attitude with an average of 140.68 ±30.14. Spiritual health in 51.3 percent of samples was described to be low while the obtained average score was 86.18 ± 16.61. However, Pearson test showed that there is a positive significant correlation between religious attitudes and spiritual health (r =0.83, P =0.05. Conclusions: The present study revealed that there is a significant relationship between religious attitudes and spiritual health and people with high religious attitudes have high spiritual health.

Psychotherapists' spiritual, religious, atheist or agnostic identity and their practice of psychotherapy: a grounded theory study.

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Magaldi-Dopman, Danielle; Park-Taylor, Jennie; Ponterotto, Joseph G

2011-05-01

In this present grounded theory study, 16 experienced psychologists, who practiced from varied theoretical orientations and came from diverse religious/spiritual/nonreligious backgrounds, explored their personal religious/spiritual/nonreligious identity development journeys, their experiences with clients' religious/spiritual content in psychotherapy sessions, and how their identity may have influenced the way they interacted with religious/spiritual material during sessions. Results revealed that psychologists' spiritual/religious/nonreligious identity is conflicted and complex and that their academic and clinical training did not provide sufficient opportunity to examine how this may affect their therapeutic work. A tentative grounded theory emerged suggesting that psychologists both identified with and were activated by clients' spiritual/religious conflicts and their internal experiences about the spiritual/religious content, both of which presented significant challenges to therapeutic work.

Five-factor model personality traits, spirituality/religiousness, and mental health among people living with HIV.

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Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Ironson, Gail H; O'Cleirigh, Conall; Costa, Paul T

2009-10-01

We examined the association between five-factor personality domains and facets and spirituality/religiousness as well as their joint association with mental health in a diverse sample of people living with HIV (n=112, age range 18-66). Spirituality/religiousness showed stronger associations with Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness than with Neuroticism and Extraversion. Both personality traits and spirituality/religiousness were significantly linked to mental health, even after controlling for individual differences in demographic measures and disease status. Personality traits explained unique variance in mental health above spirituality and religiousness. Further, aspects of spirituality and religiousness were found to mediate some of the links between personality and mental health in this patient sample. These findings suggest that underlying personality traits contribute to the beneficial effects of spirituality/religiousness among vulnerable populations.

Spiritual and Religious Issues in the Aftermath of Suicide

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Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Spirituality and religion have only been marginally investigated in the experiences of the bereaved by suicide (or survivors of suicide. Aim: This article directly addresses two questions: In what way was spirituality or religion an issue for survivors of suicide? How were they helpful (or not during their reconstruction process? Method: Research involved qualitative studies, carried out in Switzerland with 50 survivors of suicide using in depth-interviews. Data were analyzed according to grounded theory principles. Results: Suicide triggered questioning mainly about the afterlife of the deceased and of how transcendency relates to agency and responsibility in the suicidal act. Spiritual or religious issues play an important role in the process of reconstruction for survivors, notably in meaning-making and responsibility-clarifying processes, in forging a continuing bond with the deceased and in honoring their life and memory. Nevertheless, this role is complex and can either support or make the recovery difficult (or both. Conclusion: Mental health and social care professionals may support survivors’ resilience and their reconstruction process by valuing the constructive aspects of their spiritual and religious experiences and by taking into account the spiritual and religious struggles they face to offer effective support to survivors of suicide during recovery.

Spirituality and Religiousness are Associated With Fewer Depressive Symptoms in Individuals With Medical Conditions.

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Lucette, Aurelie; Ironson, Gail; Pargament, Kenneth I; Krause, Neal

2016-01-01

The increased prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults diagnosed with chronic health issues has been largely documented. Research is needed to clarify the effect of religiousness/spirituality in relation to chronic health conditions and depression, to establish whether these variables can serve as protective factors. Self-report data from a nationwide study of spirituality and health were used. Individuals with at least 1 chronic illness (N = 1696) formed the subsample for this study. Religiousness/spirituality variables included frequency of church attendance, prayer, religious meaning, religious hope, general meaning, general hope, peace, and view of God. Other variables included depressive symptoms and demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, and education). A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that chronic conditions were consistently associated with more depressive symptoms. Greater religiousness/spirituality was significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms, contributing 16% of the variance above demographics and the number of chronic illnesses. The religiousness/spirituality variables conferring the greatest protection against depression were psychospiritual variables (general meaning and general hope, followed by peace). Also significant but making a smaller contribution to less depression were church attendance, religious meaning, religious hope, and positive view of God. Only prayer did not relate significantly to less depression. Maintaining a sense of spirituality or religiousness can benefit well-being of individuals diagnosed with a chronic health condition, especially having meaning, maintaining hope, and having a sense of peace. Patients could potentially benefit from being offered the resources that support their spiritual/religious practices and beliefs as they cope with chronic illness. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cultural considerations in the assessment and treatment of religious and spiritual problems.

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Lukoff, D; Lu, F G; Turner, R

1995-09-01

Scott Peck, a psychiatrist who has written several books on the spiritual dimensions of life, including the best-selling The Road Less Traveled, gave an invited address which drew a standing-room only audience at the 1992 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. He pronounced that psychiatrists are "ill-equipped" to deal with either religious/spiritual pathology or health. Continuing to neglect religious/spiritual issues, he claimed, would perpetuate the predicaments that are related to psychiatry's traditional neglect of these issues: "occasional, devastating misdiagnosis; not infrequent mistreatment; an increasingly poor reputation; inadequate research and theory; and a limitation of psychiatrists' own personal development." In recent years, there have been a number of developments that have begun to redress psychiatry's cultural insensitivity to the religious and spiritual dimensions of life. In 1990, the APA Committee on Religion and Psychiatry initiated an APA Position Statement entitled "Guidelines Regarding Possible Conflict Between Psychiatrists' Religious Commitments and Psychiatric Practice." These guidelines emphasized that "psychiatrists should maintain respect for their patient's beliefs ... and not impose their own religious, antireligious, or ideologic systems of beliefs on their patients, nor should they substitute such beliefs or ritual for accepted diagnostic concepts or therapeutic practice." These guidelines reinforce the importance of acknowledging and respecting differences in religious/spiritual beliefs between clinicians and their patients. More recently, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education published the new "Special Requirements for Residency Training in Psychiatry," which incorporated several changes mandating instruction about gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religious/spiritual beliefs. Finally, the inclusion of "religious or spiritual problem" as a diagnostic category for the first time in

The Boundaries of Woman's Spirituality in the Beliefs-Spirituality-Religiousness (B-S-R) Model: A Third Perspective-Beliefs as a Cognitive Basis.

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Skrzypińska, Katarzyna

2017-10-01

The real nature of the phenomenon of woman's Spirituality is the main contemporary challenge for empirical research. The literature needs many more examples of the cognitive genesis of worldviews, Spirituality and Religiousness. The first aim of this article is to present the central tenet of the Threefold Nature of Spirituality model which theoretically explains the nature of Spirituality and the theoretical relationship between beliefs (worldviews), Spirituality and Religiousness (B-S-R model). The second aim is the empirical verification of this relationship through the application of an analysis of mediation. The 308 participants were women aged 18-50 years (M = 25.25, SD = 9.42). The results obtained indicate that is a good mediator between an individual's worldview and Religiousness. Presented analysis of mediation allows us to describe the basic functioning mechanism of the spiritual sphere and the relationship between the three elements: worldview, Spirituality and Religiousness.

Quality of life and religious-spiritual coping in palliative cancer care patients.

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Matos, Ticiane Dionizio de Sousa; Meneguin, Silmara; Ferreira, Maria de Lourdes da Silva; Miot, Helio Amante

2017-07-10

to compare the quality of life and religious-spiritual coping of palliative cancer care patients with a group of healthy participants; assess whether the perceived quality of life is associated with the religious-spiritual coping strategies; identify the clinical and sociodemographic variables related to quality of life and religious-spiritual coping. cross-sectional study involving 96 palliative outpatient care patient at a public hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo and 96 healthy volunteers, using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping scale. 192 participants were interviewed who presented good quality of life and high use of Religious-Spiritual Coping. Greater use of negative Religious-Spiritual Coping was found in Group A, as well as lesser physical and psychological wellbeing and quality of life. An association was observed between quality of life scores and Religious-Spiritual Coping (pestrategias de coping religioso-espiritual; identificar las variables clínicas y sociodemográficas relacionadas a la calidad de vida y al coping religioso-espiritual. estudio transversal, desarrollado con 96 pacientes de ambulatorio de cuidados paliativos en un hospital público en el interior del Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, y 96 voluntarios sanos, mediante cuestionario utilizando datos sociodemográficos, el McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire y el Coping Religioso-Espiritual-Breve. fueron entrevistados 192 participantes que presentaron buena calidad de vida y alta utilización del Coping Religioso-Espiritual. Fue encontrado mayor uso de Coping Religioso-Espiritual negativo en el Grupo A, y también menor bienestar físico, psicológico y de calidad de vida. Fue observada asociación entre los scores de calidad de vida y Coping Religioso-Espiritual (pestrategia de enfrentamiento en pacientes bajo cuidados paliativos.

Relationship Between Religious Spiritual Well-Being and Death Anxiety in Iranian Elders

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Mahboubeh Dadfar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to examine the relationship between religious spiritual well-being and death anxiety among Iranian elders. Subjects were 146 volunteer elders. They were selected by a convenient sampling. Instruments were Multidimensional Inventory of Religious Spiritual Well-Being (MI RSWB 48 the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA factors. On the MI RSWB 48 and the ASDA, there were no significant association between religious spiritual well-being and death anxiety total scores. There were significant association between Hope Transcendent (HT, and Experiences of Sense and Meaning (SM subscales of MI RSWB 48. Limitations of the present study were using of self-report scales, selectin of anold-age sample, a Muslim reliogion and an Iranian culture. Present results can be considered in the religious spiritual oriented interventions for reducing of death anxiety for elders in Muslim countries.

Understanding the relationship between religiousness, spirituality, and underage drinking: the role of positive alcohol expectancies.

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Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Burris, Jessica L; Carlson, Charles R

2014-02-01

Research has consistently found that religiousness and spirituality are negatively associated with underage drinking. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the mechanisms by which these variables influence this important outcome. With 344 underage young adults (ages 18-20; 61 % women), we investigated positive alcohol expectancies as a mediator between religiousness and spirituality (measured separately) and underage alcohol use. Participants completed the Religious Commitment Inventory-10, Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire, and Drinking Styles Questionnaire. Results indicate less positive alcohol expectancies partially mediate the relationship between both religiousness and spirituality and underage alcohol use. This suggests religiousness and spirituality's protective influence on underage drinking is partly due to their influence on expectations about alcohol's positive effects. Since underage drinking predicts problem drinking later in life and places one at risk for serious physical and mental health problems, it is important to identify specific points of intervention, including expectations about alcohol that rise from religious and spiritual factors.

Race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and education are associated with gay and bisexual men's religious and spiritual participation and beliefs: Results from the One Thousand Strong cohort.

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Lassiter, Jonathan M; Saleh, Lena; Starks, Tyrel; Grov, Christian; Ventuneac, Ana; Parsons, Jeffrey T

2017-10-01

This study examined the rates of spirituality, religiosity, religious coping, and religious service attendance in addition to the sociodemographic correlates of those factors in a U.S. national cohort of 1,071 racially and ethnically diverse HIV-negative gay and bisexual men. Descriptive statistics were used to assess levels of spirituality, religiosity, religious coping, and religious service attendance. Multivariable regressions were used to determine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, religious affiliation, and race/ethnicity with four outcome variables: (1) spirituality, (2) religiosity, (3) religious coping, and (4) current religious service attendance. Overall, participants endorsed low levels of spirituality, religiosity, and religious coping, as well as current religious service attendance. Education, religious affiliation, and race/ethnicity were associated with differences in endorsement of spirituality and religious beliefs and behaviors among gay and bisexual men. Men without a 4-year college education had significantly higher levels of religiosity and religious coping as well as higher odds of attending religious services than those with a 4-year college education. Gay and bisexual men who endorsed being religiously affiliated had higher levels of spirituality, religiosity, and religious coping as well as higher odds of religious service attendance than those who endorsed being atheist/agnostic. White men had significantly lower levels of spirituality, religiosity, and religious coping compared to Black men. Latino men also endorsed using religious coping significantly less than Black men. The implications of these findings for future research and psychological interventions with gay and bisexual men are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The New ASERVIC Competencies for Addressing Spiritual and Religious Issues in Counseling

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Cashwell, Craig S.; Watts, Richard E.

2010-01-01

In 2009, leaders in the Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) developed new competencies for addressing spiritual and religious issues in counseling. This article briefly addresses the need for new ASERVIC competencies, provides an overview of the process whereby the new competencies emerged, and concludes…

Effect of Islam-based religious program on spiritual wellbeing in elderly with hypertension.

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Moeini, Mahin; Sharifi, Somaye; Kajbaf, Mohamed Bagher

2016-01-01

Lack of spiritual health in patients with hypertension leads to many mental, social, and physical effects, On the other hand, considering the prevalence of hypertension among the elderly, interventions to enhance their spiritual wellbeing is essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of religious programs based on Islam on spiritual wellbeing in elderly patients with hypertension who referred to the health centers of Isfahan in 2014. This study was a randomized clinical trial. The participants (52 elderly patients with hypertension) were randomly divided in to experimental and control groups. Religious program was implemented for the experimental group in eight sessions in two Isfahan health centers. Spirituality wellbeing survey (SWB) questionnaire was completed in three steps, namely, pretest, posttest and follow-up (1 month) in two groups. In the study, Chi-square test, independent t -test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance were performed for analyzing the data. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of spiritual wellbeing, the religious dimension, and the existential aspect of spiritual wellbeing of the two groups. However in the posttest step and follow-up stage, the mean scores of spiritual wellbeing, the religious dimension, and the existential aspect of spiritual wellbeing in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group ( P < 0.001). The religious program based on Islam promoted the SWB of elderly patients with hypertension; further, nurses can use these programs to promote the SWB of elderly patients with hypertension.

Do religious or spiritual beliefs influence bereavement? A systematic review.

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Becker, Gerhild; Xander, Carola J; Blum, Hubert E; Lutterbach, Johannes; Momm, Felix; Gysels, Marjolein; Higginson, Irene J

2007-04-01

Responses to bereavement may be influenced by characteristics such as age or gender, but also by factors like culture and religion. A systematic review was undertaken to assess whether spiritual or religious beliefs alter the process of grief and/or bereavement. Fifteen computerized databases were searched. Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Evidence was graded according to the standard grading system of the Clinical Outcomes Group and by the SIGNAL score. In total, 5715 persons were examined: 69% women, 87% white, 83% protestant. Ninety-four percent of studies show some positive effects of religious/spiritual beliefs on bereavement, but there was a great heterogeneity regarding included populations and outcome measurements. Available data do not allow for a definite answer on whether religious/spiritual beliefs effectively influence bereavement as most studies suffer from weaknesses in design and methodological flaws. Further research is needed. Recommendations for further research are given.

Meeting the Holistic Needs of Students: A Proposal for Spiritual and Religious Competencies for School Counselors

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Kimbel, Tyler M.; Schellenberg, Rita

2014-01-01

Authors discuss the importance of school counselors addressing spiritual and religious issues in ethically meeting the developmental and cultural needs of K-12 students. Domains of spiritual and religious competence for professional counselors, published by the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC, 2009),…

Sacred spaces in public places: religious and spiritual plurality in health care.

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Reimer-Kirkham, Sheryl; Sharma, Sonya; Pesut, Barb; Sawatzky, Richard; Meyerhoff, Heather; Cochrane, Marie

2012-09-01

Several intriguing developments mark the role and expression of religion and spirituality in society in recent years. In what were deemed secular societies, flows of increased sacralization (variously referred to as 'new', 'alternative', 'emergent' and 'progressive' spiritualities) and resurgent globalizing religions (sometimes with fundamentalist expressions) are resulting in unprecedented plurality. These shifts are occurring in conjunction with increasing ethnic diversity associated with global migration, as well as other axes of difference within contemporary society. Democratic secular nations such as Canada are challenged to achieve social cohesion in the face of growing religious, spiritual and ethnic diversity. These challenges are evident in the high-paced, demanding arena of Health care. Here, religious and spiritual plurality enter in, sometimes resulting in conflict between medical services and patients' beliefs, other times provoking uncertainties on the part of healthcare professionals about what to do with their own religiously or spiritually grounded values and beliefs. In this paper, we present selected findings from a 3-year study that examined the negotiation of religious and spiritual pluralism in Health care. Our focus is on the themes of 'sacred' and 'place', exploring how the sacred - that which is attributed as special and set apart as it pertains to the divine, transcendence, God or higher power - takes form in social and material spaces in hospitals. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A validational study of the Ironson-Woods Spirituality/Religiousness Index in Nigerian adolescents.

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Otakpor, Alex N; Akanni, Oluyemi O

2015-01-01

The mental health impact of spirituality/religiousness is widely recognised and studied in Western countries, but less so in developing nations, partly because of lack of valid instruments for such studies. The objective of the study was to determine the convergent validity of the Ironson-Woods Spirituality/Religiousness Index (IWSRI) in school attending Nigerian adolescents, and any relationship between spirituality/religiousness and mental health status. The 25-item IWSRI, the "Age Universal" Religious Orientation Scale (ROS) and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were administered to 300 randomly selected final year senior secondary students, aged 16 to 19 years, in Benin City. Responses were analysed using SPSS version 16 to determine the internal consistency for reliability, and correlation scores for convergent validity, of the IWSRI. Cronbach's alpha for the total IWSRI scale was 0.91; and for each of the two spirituality and two religiousness subscales of the IWSRI, these were quite high as well. The correlation of IWSRI with ROS intrinsic (r=0.47, p=0.00) and extrinsic personal religiosity (r=0.22, p=0.00) were significant. There was a significant difference in the IWSRI mean scores of GHQ cases and non-cases (t=4.30, p=0.00). IWSRI has acceptable psychometric properties, and therefore applicable in measuring spirituality and religiousness in Nigerian adolescents.

Empirically supported religious and spiritual therapies.

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Hook, Joshua N; Worthington, Everett L; Davis, Don E; Jennings, David J; Gartner, Aubrey L; Hook, Jan P

2010-01-01

This article evaluated the efficacy status of religious and spiritual (R/S) therapies for mental health problems, including treatments for depression, anxiety, unforgiveness, eating disorders, schizophrenia, alcoholism, anger, and marital issues. Religions represented included Christianity, Islam, Taoism, and Buddhism. Some studies incorporated a generic spirituality. Several R/S therapies were found to be helpful for clients, supporting the further use and research on these therapies. There was limited evidence that R/S therapies outperformed established secular therapies, thus the decision to use an R/S therapy may be an issue of client preference and therapist comfort.

Why are Religiousness and Spirituality Associated with Externalizing Psychopathology? A Literature Review.

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Holmes, Christopher; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2016-03-01

This review explores the relation of religiousness and spirituality with externalizing psychopathology in adolescence given the heightened externalizing psychopathology during this developmental period. Utilizing a developmental psychopathology framework, previous literature is reviewed focusing on the diversity of pathways from religiousness and spirituality to externalizing psychopathology at multiple levels of analysis. Moreover, the pathways considered include both intraindividual factors (e.g., self-control, monitoring, delay discounting and time orientation, and neurobiological regulatory systems) and ecological factors (e.g., intergenerational transmission, parent-child relationships, and community relationships). These pathways are explored in light of theoretical viewpoints including social control theory, divine interaction theory, and the religious ecology model. Limitations of extant work are examined, including measurement and design issues, exploration of potential negative effects of religiousness and spirituality, and bias toward Western religions. Finally, future directions of research and clinical implications are discussed.

The Educative Value of Dewey's Religious Attitude for Spirituality

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Webster, R. Scott

2009-01-01

John Dewey's "religious attitude" has great potential for the educative development of children's spirituality. This is because it enables their spiritual understandings to become more intelligently composed--not just in a cognitive or hyper-rational sense, but as a way of being. This paper provides an outline of Dewey's approach, which is…

Personality Influences the Relationship Between Primary Emotions and Religious/Spiritual Well-Being

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Hiebler-Ragger, Michaela; Fuchshuber, Jürgen; Dröscher, Heidrun; Vajda, Christian; Fink, Andreas; Unterrainer, Human F.

2018-01-01

The study of human emotions and personality provides valuable insights into the parameters of mental health and well-being. Affective neuroscience proposes that several levels of emotions – ranging from primary ones such as LUST or FEAR up to higher emotions such as spirituality – interact on a neural level. The present study aimed to further explore this theory. Furthermore, we hypothesized that personality – formed by bottom-up primary emotions and cortical top-down regulation – might act as a link between primary emotions and religious/spiritual well-being. A total sample of 167 (78% female) student participants completed the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (primary emotions), the Big Five Personality Inventory and the Multidimensional Inventory of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (higher emotions). Correlation analyses confirmed the link between primary and higher emotions as well as their relation to personality. Further regression analyses indicated that personality dimensions mediate the relationship between primary and higher emotions. A substantial interaction between primary emotions, personality dimensions, and religious/spiritual well-being could be confirmed. From a developmental perspective, cortical top-down regulation might influence religious/spiritual well-being by forming relevant personality dimensions. Hence, CARE as well as Agreeableness seem of special importance. Future studies might focus on implications for clinical groups. PMID:29615950

Personality Influences the Relationship Between Primary Emotions and Religious/Spiritual Well-Being.

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Hiebler-Ragger, Michaela; Fuchshuber, Jürgen; Dröscher, Heidrun; Vajda, Christian; Fink, Andreas; Unterrainer, Human F

2018-01-01

The study of human emotions and personality provides valuable insights into the parameters of mental health and well-being. Affective neuroscience proposes that several levels of emotions - ranging from primary ones such as LUST or FEAR up to higher emotions such as spirituality - interact on a neural level. The present study aimed to further explore this theory. Furthermore, we hypothesized that personality - formed by bottom-up primary emotions and cortical top-down regulation - might act as a link between primary emotions and religious/spiritual well-being. A total sample of 167 (78% female) student participants completed the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (primary emotions), the Big Five Personality Inventory and the Multidimensional Inventory of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (higher emotions). Correlation analyses confirmed the link between primary and higher emotions as well as their relation to personality. Further regression analyses indicated that personality dimensions mediate the relationship between primary and higher emotions. A substantial interaction between primary emotions, personality dimensions, and religious/spiritual well-being could be confirmed. From a developmental perspective, cortical top-down regulation might influence religious/spiritual well-being by forming relevant personality dimensions. Hence, CARE as well as Agreeableness seem of special importance. Future studies might focus on implications for clinical groups.

Personality Influences the Relationship Between Primary Emotions and Religious/Spiritual Well-Being

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Michaela Hiebler-Ragger

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The study of human emotions and personality provides valuable insights into the parameters of mental health and well-being. Affective neuroscience proposes that several levels of emotions – ranging from primary ones such as LUST or FEAR up to higher emotions such as spirituality – interact on a neural level. The present study aimed to further explore this theory. Furthermore, we hypothesized that personality – formed by bottom-up primary emotions and cortical top-down regulation – might act as a link between primary emotions and religious/spiritual well-being. A total sample of 167 (78% female student participants completed the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (primary emotions, the Big Five Personality Inventory and the Multidimensional Inventory of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (higher emotions. Correlation analyses confirmed the link between primary and higher emotions as well as their relation to personality. Further regression analyses indicated that personality dimensions mediate the relationship between primary and higher emotions. A substantial interaction between primary emotions, personality dimensions, and religious/spiritual well-being could be confirmed. From a developmental perspective, cortical top-down regulation might influence religious/spiritual well-being by forming relevant personality dimensions. Hence, CARE as well as Agreeableness seem of special importance. Future studies might focus on implications for clinical groups.

The poetic nature of non-religious Spirituality: A point of view by Jean Paul Sartre

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Alex Villas Boas

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This article proposes to examine some theories of non-religious spirituality in light of the growing phenomenon of those individuals who declared themselves as having "no religion" by Brazilian religious census conducted in 2010 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE. The intention here is to identify how the poetic question presents itself as the fundamental element of these proposals about spirituality for authors, since beauty is part of the spiritual quest, as in: Viktor Frankl and existential religiosity grounded in the search for meaning in life; Marià Corbí and his non-religious or secular spirituality; Robert Solomon and his spirituality for skeptics, and André Comte-Sponville and his atheistic spirituality, or spirituality without God. From there, we then present the perception of spirituality in the poetry of the thought of Jean Paul Sartre, primarily in his work “what is Literature?”

Towards Religious/Spiritual Competence for Applied Psychologists in NHS Settings in the UK

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Koce, Precious

2013-01-01

The profession of psychology in the UK is gradually showing signs of renewed interest in the area of religion/spirituality (e.g., Collicut, 2011). The present study aimed to (i) explore applied psychologists‟ accounts of their practice in the NHS, UK, with clients with religious/spiritual issues; and (ii) from these accounts identify participants‟ indications of religious/spiritual competencies. Thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) was employed and subscribed to a critical...

An interpersonal approach to religiousness and spirituality: implications for health and well-being.

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Jordan, Kevin D; Masters, Kevin S; Hooker, Stephanie A; Ruiz, John M; Smith, Timothy W

2014-10-01

The interpersonal tradition (Horowitz & Strack, 2011) provides a rich conceptual and methodological framework for theory-driven research on mechanisms linking religiousness and spirituality (R/S) with health and well-being. In three studies, we illustrate this approach to R/S. In Studies 1 and 2, undergraduates completed various self-report measures of R/S, interpersonal style, and other aspects of interpersonal functioning. In Study 3, a community sample completed a wide variety of R/S measures and a measure of interpersonal style. Many, but not all, aspects of religiousness (e.g., overall religiousness, intrinsic religiousness) were associated with a warm interpersonal style, and most aspects and measures of spirituality were associated with a warm and somewhat dominant style. Spirituality and related constructs (i.e., gratitude, compassion) were associated with interpersonal goals that emphasize positive relationships with others, and with beneficial interpersonal outcomes (i.e., higher social support, less loneliness, and less conflict). However, some aspects of R/S (e.g., extrinsic religiousness, belief in a punishing God) were associated with a hostile interpersonal style. R/S have interpersonal correlates that may enhance or undermine health and emotional adjustment. This interpersonal perspective could help clarify why some aspects of religiousness and spirituality are beneficial and others are not. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

(What) do you believe?: Therapist spiritual/religious/non-religious self-disclosure.

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Magaldi, Danielle; Trub, Leora

2018-05-01

Spiritual/religious/non-religious (S/R/N) identity development is often neglected in psychotherapy training and represents an area where psychotherapists feel they lack competence. Such feelings can become even more pronounced when it comes to S/R/N self-disclosure. This study explores the decisions therapists make regarding self-disclosure, which impacts the psychotherapy process. This grounded theory study explores psychotherapists' S/R/N self-disclosure based on qualitative interviews with 21 psychotherapists representing varied theoretical orientations and spiritual, religious, atheist, and agnostic backgrounds. Findings reveal that while some self-disclosure happens on an explicit level, more often psychotherapists find implicit ways to share S/R/N aspects of the self for purposes of enhancing the therapeutic alliance and to convey openness. Psychotherapists also attempt to avoid the topic altogether, either to protect the therapeutic relationship or because of unresolved S/R/N identity in the therapist. Developing skills related to S/R/N self-disclosure represents an important aspect of multicultural competence, which can impact clients' feelings of safety and comfort discussing their own S/R/N identity. This capacity is strongly influenced by the therapist's self-awareness regarding S/R/N identity. Suggestions for engaging S/R/N identity and disclosure in supervisory experiences and academic preparation are discussed.

The effect of need-based spiritual/religious intervention on spiritual well-being and anxiety of elderly people.

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Elham, Hedayati; Hazrati, Maryam; Momennasab, Marzieh; Sareh, Keshavarzi

2015-01-01

Anxiety and spiritual distress are the most common problems among the patients admitted in intensive care units. The elderly are more vulnerable to this problem due to impairment of their adaptation mechanisms. Hence, helping to reduce anxiety is one of the most effective nursing interventions. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effect of need-based spiritual/religious interventions on spiritual well-being (SWB) and anxiety of the elderly admitted to coronary care unit (CCU). This quasi-experimental study with pre- and posttest control group design was conducted on 66 patients admitted to CCU of Imam Reza hospital in Lar, southern Iran, in 2014. After obtaining informed consents, the data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the SWB Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed through interviewing the patients before and after the intervention. The participants of the intervention group underwent 60- to 90-minute sessions of spiritual and religious need-based interventions for 3 consecutive days. The results showed a significant increase in the mean scores of SWB in the intervention group after the intervention (P = .001). Also, a significant decrease was found in mean scores of trait and state anxiety in the intervention group in comparing to control group (P Spiritual/religious interventions could enhance SWB and reduce anxiety in the elderly admitted to CCU.

Spiritual Growth or Decline and Meaning-Making as Mediators of Anxiety and Satisfaction with Life During Religious Struggle.

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Zarzycka, Beata; Zietek, Pawel

2018-03-14

A number of studies have demonstrated links between spiritual struggles and health problems. As yet, however, only a few studies have investigated what makes religious struggle a source of mental problems or a source of well-being. We determined whether spiritual growth, spiritual decline, and meaning-making mediated the relationship between religious struggle and anxiety and satisfaction with life. Of the 180 respondents, 92 were women, and mean (SD) age was 24 (8.2) years. Each respondent completed the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale, the Meaning-Making Scale, the Spiritual Transformation Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Religious struggle correlated positively with anxiety and negatively with satisfaction with life. Spiritual growth mediated the relationship between moral and demonic struggle with satisfaction with life, and spiritual decline mediated the relationship between demonic, moral, and interpersonal struggle with anxiety. Finally, meaning-making mediated the relationship between religious doubt and satisfaction with life.

Do spirituality and religiousness differ with regard to personality and recovery from depression? A follow-up study.

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Mihaljevic, Sanea; Aukst-Margetic, Branka; Karnicnik, Snjezana; Vuksan-Cusa, Bjanka; Milosevic, Milan

2016-10-01

The studies show that both spirituality and religiousness are protective for mental health. Personality is related with course and outcome of depression, as well as spirituality and religiousness, and their relations toward to recovery from depression are underresearched. This study followed influence of spirituality and religiousness on course and outcome of depression in patients with depressive episode, controlled for personality dimensions. The patients were assessed with self-report measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory), spirituality (WHO-Quality of Life-Spiritual, Religious, Personal Beliefs), religiousness (Duke University Religion Index) and personality (Temperament and Character Inventory). Ninety nine patients finished a year long follow up. Higher spirituality influenced recovery of depression in patients with depressive episode, but religiousness did not show to be significant predictor of recovery for depression. Dimension harm avoidance was significant predictor of improvement of depression in all points of measurement. Some limitations of this research are small sample size, usage of the self-report measures of depression in follow-up period, and the predominantly Catholic affiliation of the participants that can impact the generalizability of our data to other denominations. Spirituality and dimension harm avoidance are significant predictors of recovery from depression during a year long follow up. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Religiousness and spirituality in patients with bipolar disorder.

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De Fazio, Pasquale; Gaetano, Raffaele; Caroleo, Mariarita; Cerminara, Gregorio; Giannini, Francesca; Jaén Moreno, Maria Jose; Moreno Díaz, Maria Josè; Medina León, Antonio; Segura-García, Cristina

2015-01-01

Religiousness and spirituality (R/S) are often neglected features among psychiatric patients but important both for quality of life and coping strategies for mental disorders. In patients affected by bipolar disorder (BD), R/S can sometimes be confused with symptoms related to the psychiatric disorder. This study aimed to perform a clinical review of the relationship between R/S and BD. Data sources included Medline (OvidSP), CINAHL (Ebsco), EMBASE (Ovid), PsychINFO (Ebsco), Angeline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstract of Reviews of Effects, searching for pertinent Keywords: 'religiousness', 'spirituality' and 'bipolar disorder'. Nine works were found but only five used homogeneous samples with BD patients. R/S were important when facing symptoms and relapses in the lifeworld. These beliefs influenced the relationship with psychiatrists and spiritual figures of reference. R/S play a role as a psychosocial variable in the course of BD. However, the hypothesis that the R/S factor can be relevant both in terms of providing a protective effect as well as a provocative element in depressive or hypomanic phases was not fully supported at the moment.

The spiritual and religious identities, beliefs, and practices of academic pediatricians in the United States.

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Catlin, Elizabeth Ann; Cadge, Wendy; Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Gage, Elizabeth A; Zollfrank, Angelika Annette

2008-12-01

Physicians' spiritual and religious identities, beliefs, and practices are beginning to be explored. The objective of this study was to gather descriptive information about personal religion and spirituality from a random sample of academic American pediatricians and to compare this information with similar data from the public. In 2005, a Web-based survey of a random sample of 208 pediatrician faculty from 13 academic centers ranked by the US News & World Report as "honor roll" hospitals was conducted. Surveys elicited information about personal beliefs and practices as well as their influence on decisions about patient care and clinical practice. Multiple questions were replicated from the General Social Survey to enable comparisons with the public. Descriptive statistics were generated, and logistic regression analyses were conducted on relevant variables. Nearly 88% of respondents were raised in a religious tradition, but just 67.2% claimed current religious identification. More than half (52.6%) reported praying privately; additional spiritual practices reported included relaxation techniques (38.8%), meditation (29.3%), sacred readings (26.7%), and yoga (19%). The majority of academic pediatricians (58.6%) believed that personal spiritual or religious beliefs influenced their interactions with patients/colleagues. These odds increased 5.1-fold when academic pediatricians attended religious services monthly or more (P religious identity. The majority believed spiritual and religious beliefs influenced their practice of pediatrics. Whether secular or faith-based belief systems measurably modify academic pediatric practice is unknown.

AIDS, religious enthusiasm and spiritual insecurity in Africa.

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Ashforth, Adam

2011-01-01

The connection between the AIDS epidemic and the efflorescence of religious 'enthusiasm' (construed in both classical and contemporary senses) in Africa in recent decades is best understood, this paper argues, by reference to a concept of 'spiritual insecurity'. The article offers a general description of the condition of spiritual insecurity and argues that it is best studied within a relational realist paradigm. The article presents a critique of the concept of 'belief' as commonly used in the social science of religion, arguing instead for an opening of the study of social relations to include the universe of relations within which people experience the world, including their relations with entities such as spiritual beings that might otherwise be considered virtual.

The Context of Religious and Spiritual Care at the End of Life in Long-term Care Facilities.

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Hamilton, V Lee; Daaleman, Timothy P; Williams, Christianna S; Zimmerman, Sheryl

2009-01-01

Despite the increasing numbers of Americans who die in nursing homes (NHs) and residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) facilities, and the importance of religious and spiritual needs as one approaches death, little is known about how these needs are met for dying individuals in long-term care (LTC) institutional settings. This study compared receipt of religious and spiritual help in four types of LTC settings: NHs, smaller (facilities, traditional RC/AL facilities, and new-model RC/AL facilities. Data were also available for religious affiliation of the facilities, size, and provision of religious and hospice services. Controlling for such factors, the importance of religion/spirituality to the decedent was the strongest predictor of the decedent's receipt of spiritual help. In addition, new-model RC/AL facilities were significantly more likely to provide help for religious and spiritual needs of decedent residents than other RC/AL types, but did not differ significantly from NHs.

Religious and Spiritual Struggles as Concerns for Health and Well-Being

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Nick Stauner

2016-03-01

Full Text Available People struggle with religion and spirituality in several ways, including challenges in trusting God, confronting supernatural evil, tolerating other perspectives on religion, maintaining moral propriety, finding existential meaning, and managing religious doubt. These religious and spiritual (R/S struggles relate to both physical and mental health independently of other religious and distress factors. Causality in this connection needs further study, but evidence supports many potential causes and moderators of the link between R/S struggle and health. These include personality, social, and environmental influences, including traumatic experiences and subcultural differences. Many theoretical questions remain unresolved, including how change in R/S struggle can predict or be predicted by change in health and other connected constructs, and how one might intervene to aid those who struggle with religious or spiritual challenges. Nonetheless, research momentum has grown, having already produced a wealth of information that underscores the need for greater attention to this domain. R/S struggle poses an important exception to generally positive overall associations between religion and well-being, though even R/S struggle may promote growth. This review offers a brief introduction to emerging psychological theory and research on R/S struggle with an emphasis on its relevance to wellness and illness.

Predicting dimensions of psychological well being based on religious orientations and spirituality: an investigation into a causal model.

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Abbasali Soleimani Khashab

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of predicting psychological well-being based on spirituality and religiousness.A sample of 300 participants was selected from the whole entrants to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University using a random cluster sampling. The tools of this study were the Spiritual Scale of Ironson, the Internal and External Orientations of Allport and Ross, Spiritual Religious Orientation of Betson and Showinerdand and the Psychological Well-Being Scale. To analyze the results of this study, we used the statistical method of Pearson correlation and we also performed the path analysis. Multiple regressions were used in a hierarchical simultaneous way in accordance with the stages of Barron and Kenny.The following results were obtained in this study: 1Spirituality positively predicted two religious orientations (question and internal among which the internal spirituality possessed a higher degree of predictability; 2Through intra-religious orientation, and in a direct way, spirituality predicted psychological well-being; 3The internal orientation was the only strong mediator in the relationship between spirituality and psychological well-being.Spirituality and religiosity were significant determinants of mental health, and they had more shares in psychological well-being, and made religious beliefs profound and internalized them.

Religious and spiritual beliefs, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among nursing students.

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Papazisis, Georgios; Nicolaou, Panagiotis; Tsiga, Evangelia; Christoforou, Theodora; Sapountzi-Krepia, Despina

2014-06-01

Research of the role of religious belief and/or spirituality has been conducted on a wide range of health-related topics, across many disciplines, and in many countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between religious beliefs, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression in nursing students in Cyprus. One hundred and twenty-three nursing students were asked to complete a survey consisting of four self-report questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, The Royal Free Interview for Religious and Spiritual Beliefs, and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale). The lowest levels of depression were observed in the third and fourth study year. Normal self-esteem levels were found in the majority of the students (71.3%) and most of them perceived current stress at mild levels. No significant differences on the basis of sex were observed. The vast majority (98.2%) of the students stated a strong religious and/or a spiritual belief that was strongly positively correlated with increased self-esteem and negatively correlated with depression, current stress, and stress as personality trait. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Spiritual/Religious Coping of Women with Breast Cancer

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Mariana L. Borges

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to evaluate the level of Spiritual/Religious Coping (SRC of women with breast cancer. This is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. A total of 94 mastectomized women who participated in the study were enrolled in a rehabilitation center of a higher education institution of São Paulo. Data were collected from October 2013 to June 2014 using a questionnaire with sociodemographic, clinical, and spiritual/religious data, stressor stimulus associated with breast cancer, and the SRCOPE-Short Scale. All participants used SRC, 76.6% at high/very high level, and 23.4% at medium level; positive SRC (mean 3.41; standard deviation 0.59 was more used than negative SRC (mean 1.27; standard deviation 0.40, confirmed by the NSRC/PSRC ratio (mean 0.38; standard deviation 0.14. The SRC proved to be an important coping strategy in stress situations experienced by women with breast cancer and helpful in coping with the disease and the consequences of the treatments.

The Role of Religiousness/Spirituality in Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents with HIV: A Latent Profile Analysis.

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Lyon, Maureen E; Kimmel, Allison L; Cheng, Yao Iris; Wang, Jichuan

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether distinct latent profiles of religiousness/spirituality exist for ALWH, and if so, are latent profile memberships associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Latent profile analysis of religiosity identified four profiles/groups. Compared to the other three groups, higher levels of emotional well-being were found among young perinatally infected adolescents who attended religious services, but who did not pray privately, feel God's presence or identify as religious or spiritual. Social HRQoL was significantly higher among the highest overall religious/spiritual group. Understanding adolescent profiles of religiousness/spirituality on HRQoL could inform faith-based interventions. Trial registration NCT01289444.

The religious-spiritual self-image and behaviours among adolescent street children in Harare, Zimbabwe.

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Mhizha, Samson

2015-02-01

The present study sought to explore the relationship between street childhood and adolescent religious-spiritual self-image. In Zimbabwe, there has been a rise in street children population in the urban centres. The current study investigated whether adolescent street children live and work in an eco-developmentally risky context for the development of positive religious-spiritual self-image. This rise in street children population has been in the context of a socio-politico-economic crisis, which was marked by record inflation rates and the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The research objectives were to investigate the nature of religious-spiritual self-image for street-living adolescent children, and to determine the effects of self-image on the behaviour of street-living adolescent children. A psycho-ethnographic research design was employed in this study. This involved collection of data for a sustained period in the context within which the participants live. The participants were 16 street-living adolescent children aged between 12 and 18 years and six key informants all in Harare in Zimbabwe. A total of 22 participants took part in this study. Snowballing was used to recruit key informant interviewees, while purposive sampling was used to recruit participants for focus group discussions, in-depth interview, and participant and non-participant observations. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and participant and non-participant observations were the data collection methods. Thematic content analysis was used for analysing the data. This thematic content analytic method helped to identify themes on the religious-spiritual self-image that emerged from the data. Data analysis revealed that the adolescent street children's religious-spiritual self-image is largely negative. Most street-living adolescent children believed that they were controlled and influenced by evil spirits and that their relatives were casting bad spells on them

Religiousness and Spiritual Support Among Advanced Cancer Patients and Associations With End-of-Life Treatment Preferences and Quality of Life

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Balboni, Tracy A.; Vanderwerker, Lauren C.; Block, Susan D.; Paulk, M. Elizabeth; Lathan, Christopher S.; Peteet, John R.; Prigerson, Holly G.

2008-01-01

Purpose Religion and spirituality play a role in coping with illness for many cancer patients. This study examined religiousness and spiritual support in advanced cancer patients of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds and associations with quality of life (QOL), treatment preferences, and advance care planning. Methods The Coping With Cancer study is a federally funded, multi-institutional investigation examining factors associated with advanced cancer patient and caregiver well-being. Patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis and failure of first-line chemotherapy were interviewed at baseline regarding religiousness, spiritual support, QOL, treatment preferences, and advance care planning. Results Most (88%) of the study population (N = 230) considered religion to be at least somewhat important. Nearly half (47%) reported that their spiritual needs were minimally or not at all supported by a religious community, and 72% reported that their spiritual needs were supported minimally or not at all by the medical system. Spiritual support by religious communities or the medical system was significantly associated with patient QOL (P = .0003). Religiousness was significantly associated with wanting all measures to extend life (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.08 to 3.57). Conclusion Many advanced cancer patients' spiritual needs are not supported by religious communities or the medical system, and spiritual support is associated with better QOL. Religious individuals more frequently want aggressive measures to extend life. PMID:17290065

Preliminary study of religious, spiritual and mystical experiences. Thematic analysis of Poles adult’s narratives

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Marta Magdalena Boczkowska

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine narratives of the personal religious, spiritual and mystical experiences of adult Poles (N = 74 and their impact on narrative identity. The method for collecting qualitative data about individual understandings and spiritual, religious and mystical experiences was the narrative interview, developed on the basis of the Life Story Interview. During the analysis, the following key topics were identified: awareness of the presence/protection of God, a peak experience, the awareness of oneness with nature and the world, and a sense of closeness/contact with a person who has died. This study provides specific information on the spiritual, religious and mystical experiences of the investigated group of Poles.

The Spiritual Bypass Scale-Brazilian Adaptation: How Religious Affiliation, Age, and Gender Can Predict Levels of Psychological Avoidance and Spiritualizing

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Gabriela Picciotto

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to present and discuss three validation studies of the Spiritual Bypass Scale-13 (SBS-13 on a sample of the Brazilian population. These studies have three purposes (a to recover the twofactor solution of the SBS-13 among a Brazilian population sample; (b understand how religious affiliation, age, and gender can predict levels of psychological avoidance and spiritualizing; and (c explore the relationships between spiritual bypass and psycho-social variables, which include depression, anxiety, stress, narcissism, and preference for solitude. All data have been collected using an online self-report survey, and the pre-requisites for filling out the questionnaire are: (a Brazilian citizenship, (b a minimum of 18 years of age, and (c ascribing to some form of spirituality or religion. Based on two different samples of the Brazilian population (N1 = 193 and N2 = 729 that follow, the studies evidence acceptable reliability and validity of the Spiritual Bypass Scale-Brazilian Translation (SBS-BT for use in the Brazilian Portuguese-speaking community. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we have successfully replicated a two-factor structure of the SBS-BT while controlling for the effects of age, gender, and religious affiliation. The model replicates the two-factor structure of the Brazilian version of the SBS with indications of good fit: X2 (49, N = 729 = 190.9, p < .001; CMIN / df = 3.89; CFI = .95, SRMR = .04, RMSEA = .06. All items load onto two factors with coefficients ranging from .49 to .65. Alpha coefficients range from .72 to .86 across the two different samples. Results show a significant multivariate effect for religious affiliation and spiritual bypass. The dimensions of spiritual bypass predict the variances in stress, anxiety, and depression. For depression and anxiety, spiritualizing adds a unique, predictive value over and above the demographic variables and superiority (facet of narcissism.

The influence of spirituality and religiousness on suicide risk and mental health of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

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Loureiro, Ana Catarina Tavares; de Rezende Coelho, Maria Carlota; Coutinho, Felipe Bigesca; Borges, Luiz Henrique; Lucchetti, Giancarlo

2018-01-01

Despite the large amount of literature assessing how spiritual and religious beliefs have an impact on mental health and suicide risk in various groups of patients, few studies have investigated patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The purpose of this study is to investigate whether spirituality and religiousness (S/R) are associated with the presence of suicide risk as well as whether those beliefs are also associated with the presence of mental health problems in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Cross-sectional study carried out in three Brazilian dialysis units involving hemodialysis patients. The study assessed religiousness (Duke Religion Index); spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp 12); mental health - depression and anxiety (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-MINI); and risk of suicide (MINI). For analysis, adjusted logistic regression models were applied. A total of 264 (80.7%) patients were included, 17.8% presented suicide risk, 14.0% presented current major depressive episode, and 14.7% presented generalized anxiety disorder. Concerning spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp 12), the subscale of "Meaning" was associated with lower risk of suicide, depression, and anxiety. The subscale "Peace" was associated with lower depression and anxiety, whereas the subscale "Faith" was associated with lower suicide risk and depression. Religiousness measures were not associated with the study outcomes. Spiritual beliefs were associated with lower suicide risk and better mental health among hemodialysis patients. Factors related to spiritual well-being, such as "meaning", "peace" and "faith" were more associated with the outcomes studied than religious involvement. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in different cultural and religious settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Religious and spiritual coping in people living with HIV/Aids

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Clarissa Mourão Pinho

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: evaluate the religiosity and the religious/spiritual coping of people living with HIV/Aids. Method: descriptive, cross-sectional study with quantitative approach, conducted in a reference HIV/Aids outpatient clinic in a university hospital of Recife-PE, Brazil, from June to November 2015. At total of 52 people living with HIV/Aids (PLWHA participated in the research, which employed own questionnaire, the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL, and the Religious/Spiritual Coping Scale (RCOPE. Results: the sample presented high indices of organizational religiosity (4.23±1.66, non-organizational religiosity (4.63±1.50, and intrinsic religiosity (13.13±2.84. Positive RCOPE was used in high mean scores (3.66±0.88, and negative RCOPE had low use (2.12 ± 0.74. In total, use of RCOPE was high (3.77±0.74, having predominated the positive RCOPE (NegRCOPE/PosRCOPE ratio=0.65±0.46. Conclusion: it is evident the importance of encouraging religious activity and RCOPE strategies, seen in the past as inappropriate interventions in clinical practice.

Longitudinal Differences in Spirituality and Religiousness between Men and Women in Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders.

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Krentzman, Amy R

2017-01-01

This study compares men and women with alcohol use disorders on levels and trajectories of spirituality and religiousness over 30 months while controlling for critical covariates. Men (n=92) and women (n=65) entering abstinence-based treatment were assessed for drinking behavior, spirituality, and psychosocial variables in a longitudinal panel study. Multiple regression tested for baseline differences and multi-level models tested for differences from baseline to 6 months (early recovery) and from 6 to 30 months (later recovery) in seven dimensions of spirituality/religiousness. Between baseline and 6 months, women had higher scores than men for forgiveness of others and lower scores than men for negative religious coping. Between 6 and 30 months, the acceleration of positive change in self forgiveness was significantly greater for women than men. Differences in negative religious coping and forgiveness might relate to differences in shame and guilt and their resolution by gender. Future research should examine whether gender differences in spirituality serve as an asset to women as they pursue addiction recovery.

Religious and Spiritual Dimensions of the Vietnamese Dementia Caregiving Experience

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Hinton, Ladson; Tran, Jane NhaUyen; Tran, Cindy; Hinton, Devon

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on the role of religion and spirituality in dementia caregiving among Vietnamese refugee families. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with nine Vietnamese caregivers of persons with dementia, then tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for emergent themes. Caregivers related their spirituality/religion to three aspects of caregiving: (1) their own suffering, (2) their motivations for providing care, and (3) their understanding of the nature of the illness. Key terms or idioms were used to articulate spiritual/religious dimensions of the caregivers’ experience, which included sacrifice, compassion, karma, blessings, grace and peace of mind. In their narratives, the caregivers often combined multiple strands of different religions and/or spiritualities: Animism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Catholicism. Case studies are presented to illustrate the relationship between religion/spirituality and the domains of caregiving. These findings have relevance for psychotherapeutic interventions with ethnically diverse populations. PMID:20930949

Religiousness, Spirituality, and Salivary Cortisol in Breast Cancer Survivorship: A Pilot Study.

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Hulett, Jennifer M; Armer, Jane M; Leary, Emily; Stewart, Bob R; McDaniel, Roxanne; Smith, Kandis; Millspaugh, Rami; Millspaugh, Joshua

Psychoneuroimmunological theory suggests a physiological relationship exists between stress, psychosocial-behavioral factors, and neuroendocrine-immune outcomes; however, evidence has been limited. The primary aim of this pilot study was to determine feasibility and acceptability of a salivary cortisol self-collection protocol with a mail-back option for breast cancer survivors. A secondary aim was to examine relationships between religiousness/spirituality (R/S), perceptions of health, and diurnal salivary cortisol (DSC) as a proxy measure for neuroendocrine activity. This was an observational, cross-sectional study. Participants completed measures of R/S, perceptions of health, demographics, and DSC. The sample was composed of female breast cancer survivors (n = 41). Self-collection of DSC using a mail-back option was feasible; validity of mailed salivary cortisol biospecimens was established. Positive spiritual beliefs were the only R/S variable associated with the peak cortisol awakening response (rs = 0.34, P = .03). Poorer physical health was inversely associated with positive spiritual experiences and private religious practices. Poorer mental health was inversely associated with spiritual coping and negative spiritual experiences. Feasibility, validity, and acceptability of self-collected SDC biospecimens with an optional mail-back protocol (at moderate temperatures) were demonstrated. Positive spiritual beliefs were associated with neuroendocrine-mediated peak cortisol awakening response activity; however, additional research is recommended. Objective measures of DSC sampling that include enough collection time points to assess DSC parameters would increase the rigor of future DSC measurement. Breast cancer survivors may benefit from nursing care that includes spiritual assessment and therapeutic conversations that support positive spiritual beliefs.

Troubled Spirits: Prevalence and Predictors of Religious and Spiritual Concerns among University Students and Counseling Center Clients

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Johnson, Chad V.; Hayes, Jeffrey A.

2003-01-01

The authors conducted a study of 5,472 university students to identify the prevalence and predictors of religious and spiritual concerns. Approximately 25% of the sample reported considerable distress related to such concerns. Logistic regression analyses revealed that students with considerable distress related to religious or spiritual concerns…

Differential diagnosis of "Religious or Spiritual Problem" - possibilities and limitations implied by the V-code 62.89 in DSM-5.

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Prusak, Jacek

2016-01-01

Introduction : Work over preparation of DSM-5 has been a stimulus for research and reflection over the impact of religious/spiritual factors on phenomenology, differential diagnosis, course, outcome and prognosis of mental disorders. The aim of this paper is to present the attitude of DSM towards religion and spirituality in the clinical context. Even though DSM is not in use in Poland, in contrast to ICD, it gives a different, not only psychopathological, look at religious or spiritual problems. The paper is based on in-depth analysis of V-code 62.89 ("Religious or spiritual problem") from historical, theoretical and clinical perspective. The introduction of non-reductive approach to religious and spiritual problems to DSM can be considered as a manifestation of the development of this psychiatric classification with regard to the differential diagnosis between religion and spirituality and psychopathology. By placing religion and spirituality mainly in the category of culture, the authors of DSM-5 have established their solution to the age-old debate concerning the significance of religion/spirituality in clinical practice. Even though, DSM-5 offers an expanded understanding of culture and its impact on diagnosis, the V-code 62.89 needs to be improved taking into account some limitations of DSM classification. The development of DSM, from its fourth edition, brought a change into the approach towards religion and spirituality in the context of clinical diagnosis. Introducing V-code 62.89 has increased the possibility of differential diagnosis between religion/spirituality and health/psychopathology. The emphasis on manifestation of cultural diversity has enabled non-reductive and non-pathologising insight into the problems of religious and spirituality. On the other hand, medicalisation and psychiatrisation of various existential problems, which can be seen in subsequent editions of the DSM, encourages pathologising approach towards religious or spiritual

Religiousness/Spirituality and Mental Health among Older Male Inmates

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Allen, Rebecca S.; Phillips, Laura Lee; Roff, Lucinda Lee; Cavanaugh, Ronald; Day, Laura

2008-01-01

Purpose: With the rapid growth in the older inmate population, emerging issues regarding physical and mental health require greater research and clinical attention. We examined the relation of religiousness/spirituality; demographic characteristics such as age, race, and type of crime; and physical and mental health among 73 older male inmates in…

Religious and spiritual development are determined 100% by nature, and 100% by nurture: A playful response to Boyatzis.

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Granqvist, Pehr; Nkara, Frances

2017-03-01

In this response, we respond to Boyatzis' commentary to our paper 'Nature meets nurture in religious and spiritual development'. We also provide additional elaborations on how nurture might co-sculpt nature in the context of religious and spiritual development. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

The influence of psychosocial variables on the use of religious/spiritual coping and quality of life among Danish cancer patients

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Pedersen, Heidi Frølund; Pedersen, Christina Gundgaard; Zachariae, Robert

“THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL VARIABLES ON THE USE OF RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL COPING AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG DANISH CANCER PATIENTS” Pedersen, H.F., Pedersen, C.G., Zachariae, R. Psychooncology Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital and University of Aarhus, Denmark Aim: Use of religious....../spiritual resources in coping may be prevalent in patients with cancer considering the life-threatening nature of the illness. Religious/spiritual coping has been found to have both positive and negative effects on quality of life and illness adjustment among cancer patients, with adaptive religious coping styles...... on quality of life Design/Method: A prospective study of 1.500 newly diagnosed Danish lung cancer patients, will be compared to a healthy, age and gender matched control group with respect to their use of religious/spiritual coping, quality of life, and relevant psychosocial variables. Lung cancer patients...

The Relationship between Religious-Spiritual Well-Being and Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in University Students

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Zahra Taheri-Kharameh; Mohammad Abdi; Reza Omidi Koopaei; Mostafa Alizadeh; Vahid Vahidabi; Hesam Mirhoseini

2016-01-01

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between dimensions of religious and spiritual wellbeing, stress, anxiety, and depression in students of Qom University of Medical Sciences and as well as to access the predictability of stress, anxiety, and depression from the levels of religious-spiritual dimension in students. Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 138 students in Qom University of Medical Sciences were selected via ra...

Spirituality, religiousness and coping in patients with schizophrenia: A cross sectional study in a tertiary care hospital.

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Das, Soumitra; Punnoose, Varghese Panickasseril; Doval, Nimisha; Nair, Vijayakrishnan Yathindran

2018-04-24

Religion is a form of coping that helps individuals to deal with a wide variety of difficult life situations. But most of the research in this field has been in acute patients of schizophrenia. Also, most of the research on religion and schizophrenia has focused on religion and spirituality as coping mechanisms, and research evaluating the relationship between spirituality/religiousness and repertoire of other coping skills is sparse. Our objective was to evaluate the association between spirituality, religiousness and coping skills in patients with schizophrenia in remission. Hence, a total of 48 consecutive patients with schizophrenia were assessed on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), WHO Quality of Life-Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Belief scale (WHOQOL-SRPB) and Ways of Coping Checklist - Revised (WCC). Findings were described as patients who used more religiosity and spirituality as measured with WHO-SRPB domain score were better in their managing their stress as they used all the adaptive strategies like planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support rather than maladaptive skills like confrontive coping and escape avoidance. A sound spiritual, religious, or personal belief system positively affects active and adaptive coping skills in patients with schizophrenia during remission, thus helping the individual to cope with illness related stressors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Religiousness/Spirituality and Social Networks in Predicting Depressive Symptoms among Older Korean Americans.

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Lee, Yeon-Shim; Park, So-Young; Roh, Soonhee; Koenig, Harold G; Yoo, Grace J

2017-06-01

This study (1) examined the effects of religiousness/spirituality and social networks as predictors of depressive symptoms in older Korean Americans and (2) compared the best predictors of depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 older Korean Americans residing in the New York City area in 2009. Best-subsets regression analyses were used to evaluate the best predictors of depressive symptoms. Nearly 30% of older Korean participants reported mild or severe depressive symptoms. The best model fit for depressive symptoms involved four predictors: physical health status, religious/spiritual coping skills, social networks, and annual household income. Social networks and religious/spiritual coping skills contributed significantly to the variance of depressive symptoms. Adding additional variables to the model did not enhance predictive and descriptive power. Religiousness/spirituality and social networks are important for coping with life stress and may be useful in developing effective health care strategies in the management of depression among older Korean Americans. Health education and intervention could be framed in ways that strengthen such coping resources for this population. Future research is needed to best guide prevention and intervention strategies.

Factor Structure of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality in US and Indian Samples with Traumatic Brain Injury.

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Johnstone, Brick; Bhushan, Braj; Hanks, Robin; Yoon, Dong Pil; Cohen, Daniel

2016-04-01

The aim of this paper was to determine the factor structure of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) based on a sample of individuals from diverse cultures (i.e., USA, India), ethnicities (i.e., Caucasian, African-American, South Asian), and religions (i.e., Christian, Muslim, Hindu). A total of 109 individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were included. Participants completed the BMMRS as part of a broader study on spirituality, religion, prosocial behaviors, and neuropsychological function. A principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization identified a six-factor solution accounting for 72% of the variance in scores. Five of the factors were deemed to be interpretable and were labeled based on face validity as: (1) Positive Spirituality/Religious Practices; (2) Positive Congregational Support; (3) Negative Spirituality/Negative Congregational Support; (4) Organizational Religion; and (5) Forgiveness. The results were generally consistent with previous studies, suggesting the existence of universal religious, spiritual, and congregational support factors across different cultures and faith traditions. For health outcomes research, it is suggested that the BMMRS factors may be best conceptualized as measuring the following general domains: (a) emotional connectedness with a higher power (i.e., spirituality, positive/negative); (b) culturally based behavioral practices (i.e., religion); and (c) social support (i.e., positive/negative). The results indicate that factor relationships may differ among spiritual, religious, and congregational support variables according to culture and/or religious tradition.

Religiousness/Spirituality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: Cultural Integration for Health Research and Intervention

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Masters, Kevin S.; Hooker, Stephanie A.

2013-01-01

Objective: Recently, behavioral scientists have developed greater interest in understanding the relations between religiousness and spirituality (R/S) and health. Our objectives were to (a) provide an overview of the R/S and health literature specific to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer, (b) discuss the importance of religious culture…

Culturally Competent Counseling for Religious and Spiritual African American Adolescents

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Moore-Thomas, Cheryl; Day-Vines, Norma L.

2008-01-01

Religion and spirituality are deeply rooted in traditional African American culture. Data suggest that African American adolescents maintain higher baseline rates of religious activities and beliefs than their peers (Bachman, Johnston, & O'Malley, 2005; Smith, Faris, Denton, & Regnerus, 2003). Recognizing these data, this article examines…

An Increase in Religiousness/Spirituality Occurs After HIV Diagnosis and Predicts Slower Disease Progression over 4 Years in People with HIV

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Ironson, Gail; Stuetzle, Rick; Fletcher, Mary Ann

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND Most studies on religion/spirituality predicting health outcomes have been limited to church attendance as a predictor and have focused on healthy people. However, confronting a major medical crisis may be a time when people turn to the sacred. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which changes in spirituality/religiousness occur after HIV diagnosis and whether changes predict disease progression. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS This longitudinal study examined the relationship between changes in spirituality/religiousness from before with after the diagnosis of HIV, and disease progression (CD4 and viral load [VL] every 6 months) over 4 years in 100 people with HIV. Measures included change in religiousness/spirituality after diagnosis of HIV, religiousness/spirituality at various times in one’s life, church attendance, depression, hopelessness, optimism, coping (avoidant, proactive), social support, CD4/VL, and health behaviors. RESULTS Forty-five percent of the sample showed an increase in religiousness/spirituality after the diagnosis of HIV, 42% remained the same, and 13% decreased. People reporting an increase in spirituality/religiousness after the diagnosis had significantly greater preservation of CD4 cells over the 4-year period, as well as significantly better control of VL. Results were independent of (i.e., held even after controlling for) church attendance and initial disease status (CD4/VL), medication at every time point, age, gender, race, education, health behaviors (adherence, risky sex, alcohol, cocaine), depression, hopelessness, optimism, coping (avoidant, proactive), and social support. CONCLUSIONS There is an increase in spirituality/religiousness after HIV diagnosis, and this increase predicts slower disease progression; medical personnel should be aware of its potential importance. PMID:17083503

Religiousness/spirituality do not necessarily matter: Effect on risk perception and adaptive strategies in the semi-arid region of NE Brazil

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Regina Célia da Silva Oliveira

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The impact of environmental changes is a major threat to livelihoods, especially for small farmers in semi-arid regions. Therefore, local communities undertake efforts to cope with these new environmental conditions and researchers try to understand the limits of possible adaptive strategies. Religiousness/spirituality are two important factors that can influence environmental awareness and adaptive responses to risks caused by natural phenomena. However, studies addressing the relationship between such factors are either scarce or based on anecdotal information. This article discusses the influence of religiousness/spirituality on the perception of environmental risks by farmers in a rural community in Brazil's northeast region, and their knowledge of adaptive strategies to deal with such concerns. Religiousness/spirituality can positively or negatively influence the perception of risk and knowledge of adaptive strategies when facing environmental uncertainty. We note that dimensions of religiousness/spirituality such as religious history, values/beliefs, commitment, and daily spiritual experiences influence wealth and the sharing of natural perceived risks, as well as adaptive strategies. Based on our results, we conclude that religiousness/spirituality dimensions exert both positive and negative effects on the perception of environmental risks and ways of coping with the impacts of rapid environmental changes.

"Spiritual but not religious": Cognition, schizotypy, and conversion in alternative beliefs.

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Willard, Aiyana K; Norenzayan, Ara

2017-08-01

The spiritual but not religious (SBNR) are a growing population in secularizing societies. Yet, we know little about the underlying psychology of this group or their belief profile. Based on an individual difference approach, we address this knowledge gap by comparing SBNR with religious and non-religious participants. In a sample of Americans (n=1013), we find that the SBNR differ from non-religious and religious participants in a number of ways. SBNR participants are more likely to hold paranormal beliefs and to have an experiential relationship to the supernatural (e.g. have mystical experiences and feelings of universal connectedness), but are similar to religious participants in their profile of cognitive biases. SBNR participants score higher on measures of schizotypy than the religious or non-religious. Reported conversions from one group (religious, SBNR, or non-religious) to another since childhood corresponds with predictable differences in cognitive biases, with dualism predicting conversion to religion and schizotypy predicting conversion to SBNR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between quality of life and spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs of medical students.

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Krägeloh, Christian U; Henning, Marcus A; Billington, Rex; Hawken, Susan J

2015-02-01

This study investigated the effects of spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs on the quality of life (QOL) of medical students affiliated with a religious faith and those without affiliation. Using a cross-sectional design, 275 medical students (78 % response rate) in their fourth and fifth year of study completed the WHOQOL-BREF quality of life instrument and the WHOQOL-SRPB module for spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs. For religious students, a larger range of characteristics of existential beliefs were positively related to quality of life. For all students, hope and optimism and meaning of life predicted higher scores on psychological. For religious and nonreligious medical students, reduced meaning in life and hope were the strongest indicators of psychological distress. Interventions to improve the mental well-being of medical students may be more effective if aimed at teaching students how to find meaning and purpose in their lives and how to foster an enduring sense of hope and optimism.

Six-month changes in spirituality and religiousness in alcoholics predict drinking outcomes at nine months.

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Robinson, Elizabeth A R; Krentzman, Amy R; Webb, Jon R; Brower, Kirk J

2011-07-01

Although spiritual change is hypothesized to contribute to recovery from alcohol dependence, few studies have used prospective data to investigate this hypothesis. Prior studies have also been limited to treatment-seeking and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) samples. This study included alcohol-dependent individuals, both in treatment and not, to investigate the effect of spiritual and religious (SR) change on subsequent drinking outcomes, independent of AA involvement. Alcoholics (N = 364) were recruited for a panel study from two abstinence-based treatment centers, a moderation drinking program, and untreated individuals from the local community. Quantitative measures of SR change between baseline and 6 months were used to predict 9-month drinking outcomes, controlling for baseline drinking and AA involvement. Significant 6-month changes in 8 of 12 SR measures were found, which included private SR practices, beliefs, daily spiritual experiences, three measures of forgiveness, negative religious coping, and purpose in life. Increases in private SR practices and forgiveness of self were the strongest predictors of improvements in drinking outcomes. Changes in daily spiritual experiences, purpose in life, a general measure of forgiveness, and negative religious coping also predicted favorable drinking outcomes. SR change predicted good drinking outcomes in alcoholics, even when controlling for AA involvement. SR variables, broadly defined, deserve attention in fostering change even among those who do not affiliate with AA or religious institutions. Last, future research should include SR variables, particularly various types of forgiveness, given the strong effects found for forgiveness of self.

A review of research on religious and spiritual variables in two primary gerontological nursing journals: 1991 to 1997.

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Weaver, A J; Flannelly, L T; Flannelly, K J

2001-09-01

All articles published between 1991 and 1997 in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing and Geriatric Nursing were classified as qualitative research, quantitative research, or non-research. Of the 784 articles reviewed, 5.1% mentioned religion or spirituality. Research articles (7.7%) were more likely than non-research articles (2.8%) to address religion and spirituality. No statistical difference was found between the percentage of qualitative (10.7%) and quantitative (6.8%) studies addressing religious and spiritual factors. The percentage of quantitative studies including religious and spiritual variables was found to be higher than that found by systematic reviews of the research literature in various health professions.

Does Age Moderate the Effect of Spirituality/Religiousness in Accounting for Alcoholics Anonymous Benefit?

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Montes, K S; Tonigan, J S

2017-01-01

Gains in spiritual/religious (S/R) practices among Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members are associated with reductions in drinking. This study had the following aims: (a) examine spirituality/religiousness as a mediator of the relationship between AA attendance and reductions in drinking behavior to replicate past research findings and to (b) examine age-cohort as a moderator of the mediational analyses given that empirical evidence (e.g., generational differences in spirituality) suggests that age may influence the acquisition of gains in spirituality/religiousness during AA as well as the expression of these gains on drinking behavior. Measures were administered to 253 participants recruited from community-based AA and outpatient treatment programs at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months, and 210 (83%) participants provided complete data to test study aims. Gains in S/R practices mediated the relationship between AA attendance and increased abstinence, but not drinking intensity. Simple slopes analyses indicated a positive association between AA attendance and gains in S/R practices among younger AA affiliates but not older AA affiliates in the moderated-mediational analyses. However, age was not found to moderate the global mediational effect. The results from the current study inform efforts to increase positive change in AA affiliates' drinking behavior by highlighting specific aspects of S/R practices that should be targeted based on the age of an AA affiliate.

Spiritual and religious components of patient care in the neonatal intensive care unit: sacred themes in a secular setting.

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Catlin, E A; Guillemin, J H; Thiel, M M; Hammond, S; Wang, M L; O'Donnell, J

2001-01-01

We hypothesized that spiritual distress was a common, unrecognized theme for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care providers. An anonymous questionnaire form assigned to a data table in a relational database was designed. Surveys were completed by 66% of NICU staff. All respondents viewed a family's spiritual and religious concerns as having a place in patient care. Eighty-three percent reported praying for babies privately. Asked what theological sense they made of suffering of NICU babies, 2% replied that children do not suffer in the NICU. Regarding psychological suffering of families, the majority felt God could prevent this, with parents differing (p = 0.039) from nonparents. There exists a strong undercurrent of spirituality and religiosity in the study NICU. These data document actual religious and spiritual attitudes and practices and support a need for pastoral resources for both families and care providers. NICU care providers approach difficulties of their work potentially within a religious and spiritual rather than a uniquely secular framework.

Relationship between Different Types of Educational, Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence and Second Grade High School Female Students’ Religious Orientation, in Sari, Iran

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Seyyed Ali Doustdar Toosi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In the current research, we investigated how significantly the second grade high school female students’ educational, emotional, and spiritual intelligence were associated with their religious orientation. This research is descriptive (non- experimental with a correlation design. The research population includes all of the second grade high school girl students, during the 2015-16 educational year in Sari, a city in the north of Iran.  In this research, 260 samples were selected randomly. Research results showed that educational, emotional, and spiritual intelligence (independent variables had positive and significant relationship with internal and external religious orientation (dependent variable. As the levels of educational, emotional, and spiritual intelligence increased, so did the level of religious orientation. Also the results of multiple regression analysis showed that educational, emotional, spiritual intelligence were anticipants of religious orientation and its dimensions (internal and external religious orientation.

The Religious and Spiritual Experiences of Undergraduate Gay Males Attending a Religiously Affiliated Institution of Higher Education

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Adams, Melvin D., III

2013-01-01

This doctoral thesis studied the religious and spiritual experiences of undergraduate gay males at a Protestant affiliated higher education institution and how undergraduate gay males made sense of their personal journeys. Data was collected from four participants and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five themes emerged…

Espiritualidade, religiosidade e psicoterapia Spirituality, religiousness and psychotherapy

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Julio Fernando Prieto Peres

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Crenças e práticas religiosas/espirituais constituem uma parte importante da cultura e dos princípios utilizados para dar forma a julgamentos e ao processamento de informações. O conhecimento e a valorização de tais sistemas de crenças colaboram com a aderência do indivíduo à psicoterapia e promovem melhores resultados. Contudo, nem todas as abordagens encontraram um ajuste desse tema em suas intervenções e os diversos conceitos sobre religiosidade/espiritualidade dificultam essa importante interface. Neste artigo, trazemos os conceitos mais coerentes e acessíveis para facilitar o diálogo profissional no âmbito terapêutico. Discutimos o impacto da subjetividade, dos estados de consciência e das percepções influenciadas pela religiosidade/espiritualidade na saúde mental e a importância de a psicoterapia voltar-se a clientes e respectivos sistemas de crenças, desenvolvendo modelos que mobilizem esperança e potencializem suas capacidades de superação. A despeito da atual distância entre estudos controlados e práticas clínicas, discutimos a integração das dimensões espirituais/religiosas na psicoterapia com profissionalismo ético, conhecimento e habilidades para alinhar as informações coletadas ao benefício do cliente. Considerando que apenas 7,3% da população brasileira não têm religião e a escassez de abordagens e psicoterapeutas que contemplem a religiosidade/espiritualidade, apontamos a relevância de investigações sobre o tema e que as propostas psicoterápicas sejam testadas em ensaios clínicos.Religious/spiritual beliefs and practices constitute an important part of culture and principles clients use to shape judgments and process information. Psychotherapists may use knowledge of these belief systems and appreciation of their potential to leverage client adherence and achieve better outcomes. However, many approaches have yet to do so and the variety of concepts of religiosity/spirituality may

Incorporating Spirituality and Market: Islamic Sharia Business and Religious Life in Post-New Order Indonesia

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Wildan Sena Utama

2016-06-01

Full Text Available 0 0 1 154 880 wildan 7 2 1032 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE Artikel ini membahas tentang transformasi religious kelas menengah Indonesia danhubungannya dengan pertumbuhan pasar syariah pada pasca-Orde Baru di Indonesia.Artikel ini berpendapat bahwa dalam era neoliberal Indonesia, kebangkitan spiritualini sangat memengaruhi ranah ekonomi. Transformasi kesalehan kelas menengahIndonesia menandai munculnya potensi pasar ekonomi baru. Hal itu direspon secaraantusias oleh pasar dengan memproduksi produk yang selektif berisi konten spiritual.Dalam prosesnya, peran para agen gaya hidup spiritual memainkan peranan pentingdalam membantu dan membentuk kelas menengah urban baru ini dalam mengonsumsiIslam untuk menandakan identitas keislaman mereka. Kemudian muncullah perpaduanaktif antara kesalehan Islam dan kapitalisme dalam situasi Indonesia kontemporer.Konsumsi simbolis Islam menjadi sumber baru dari spiritualisme maupun sumber dariidentifikasi religius. Akan tetapi, artikel ini berpendapat bahwa proses ini cenderungmenyederhanakan Islam sebagai ‘prosesi material’ daripada ‘prosesi spiritual’. This article examines the religious transformation of the Muslim middle class and itsrelationship with the growing sharia market in post-New Order Indonesia. It arguesthat in the Indonesian neo-liberal era, this spiritual revival considerably influenced theeconomic realm. The transformation of piety of the Indonesian middle class markedthe emergence of new potential economic markets. It was responded to enthusiasticallyby markets producing selective products with a spiritual content. In its process, therole of spiritual lifestyle agents played a pivotal role in helping and shaping the newurban middle class who consume Islam to mark their Islamic identity. It was then thatthe energetic blending between Islamic piety and capitalism occurred in contemporaryIndonesia. Islamic symbolic consumption becomes a new source of spiritualism as wellas

Prospective Associations between Religiousness/Spirituality and Depression and Mediating Effects of Forgiveness in a Nationally Representative Sample of United States Adults.

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Toussaint, Loren L; Marschall, Justin C; Williams, David R

2012-01-01

The present investigation examines the prospective associations of religiousness/spirituality with depression and the extent to which various dimensions of forgiveness act as mediating mechanisms of these associations. Data are from a nationally representative sample of United States adults who were first interviewed in 1998 and reinterviewed six months later. Measures of religiousness/spirituality, forgiveness, and various sociodemographics were collected. Depression was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview administered by trained interviewers. Results showed that religiousness/spirituality, forgiveness of oneself and others, and feeling forgiven by God were associated, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, with depressive status. After controlling for initial depressive status, only forgiveness of oneself and others remained statistically significant predictors of depression. Path analyses revealed that religiousness/spirituality conveyed protective effects, prospectively, on depression by way of an indirect path through forgiveness of others but not forgiveness of oneself. Hence, forgiveness of others acts as a mechanism of the salutary effect of religiousness/spirituality, but forgiveness of oneself is an independent predictor. Conclusions regarding the continued development of this type of research and for the treatment of clients with depression are offered.

Conflicts between religious or spiritual beliefs and pediatric care: informed refusal, exemptions, and public funding.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

Although respect for parents' decision-making authority is an important principle, pediatricians should report suspected cases of medical neglect, and the state should, at times, intervene to require medical treatment of children. Some parents' reasons for refusing medical treatment are based on their religious or spiritual beliefs. In cases in which treatment is likely to prevent death or serious disability or relieve severe pain, children's health and future autonomy should be protected. Because religious exemptions to child abuse and neglect laws do not equally protect all children and may harm some children by causing confusion about the duty to provide medical treatment, these exemptions should be repealed. Furthermore, public health care funds should not cover alternative unproven religious or spiritual healing practices. Such payments may inappropriately legitimize these practices as appropriate medical treatment.

Recovery Spirituality

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Ernest Kurtz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is growing interest in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A. and other secular, spiritual, and religious frameworks of long-term addiction recovery. The present paper explores the varieties of spiritual experience within A.A., with particular reference to the growth of a wing of recovery spirituality promoted within A.A. It is suggested that the essence of secular spirituality is reflected in the experience of beyond (horizontal and vertical transcendence and between (connection and mutuality and in six facets of spirituality (Release, Gratitude, Humility, Tolerance, Forgiveness, and a Sense of Being-at-home shared across religious, spiritual, and secular pathways of addiction recovery. The growing varieties of A.A. spirituality (spanning the “Christianizers” and “Seculizers” reflect A.A.’s adaptation to the larger diversification of religious experience and the growing secularization of spirituality across the cultural contexts within which A.A. is nested.

Meaning given to spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs: explored by a sample of a Norwegian population.

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Torskenæs, Kristina B; Kalfoss, Mary H; Sæteren, Berit

2015-12-01

The aim of this article is to explore the meanings given to the words 'spirituality', 'religiousness' and 'personal beliefs' by a Norwegian sample of healthy and sick individuals. Studies show that a high proportion of nurses do not identify the spiritual needs of their patients, even if the nurses are educated to give care for the whole person, including the spiritual dimension. This study used an exploratory qualitative design. Qualitative data generated from six focus groups were collected in southeast Norway. The focus groups were comprised of three groups of health professionals (n = 18) and three groups of patients from different institutions (n = 15). The group discussions revealed that the meanings of spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs were interwoven, and the participants had difficulty in finding a common terminology when expressing their meanings. Many of the participants described the spiritual dimension with feelings of awe and respect. They were dependent on spirituality in order to experience balance in life and cope with life crises. The themes and categories identified by the focus group discussion highlights that spirituality ought to be understood as a multilayered dimension. An appreciation of the spiritual dimension and it's implication in nursing may help to increase health and decrease suffering. Health professionals need to be cognizant of their own sense of spirituality to investigate the spiritual needs among their patients. This study's focus group discussions helped both patients and health professionals to improve their knowledge regarding the meanings given to the spiritual dimension. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Towards a Theory of Spiritual and Religious Experiences. A building block approach of the unexpected possible.

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Hermans, C.A.M.

2015-01-01

How do we define religious experiences? And what would be the relationship with spiritual experiences? The author claims that the cognitive turn in science gives us new opportunities to map the territory of religion and spirituality. In line with other authors (Taves, Wildman), he proposes a

Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identities Convergence: Introduction to the Special Issue

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Small, Jenny L.; Bowman, Nicholas A.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this special issue is to share the best research, theory, practice, and perspectives from presenters at the 2017 Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identities Convergence conference, alongside the new writing of scholars and practitioners who were inspired by the themes of the conference. Readers will have access both to the best of…

French-language version of the World Health Organization quality of life spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs instrument

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Mandhouj Olfa

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A valid assessment of spirituality and religiousness is necessary for clinical and research purposes. We developed and assessed the validity of a French-language version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs Instrument (WHOQOL-SRPB. Methods The SRPB was translated into French according to the methods recommended by the WHOQOL group. An Internet survey was conducted in 561 people in 2010, with follow-up 2 weeks later (n = 231, 41%, to assess reliability, factor structure, social desirability bias and construct validity of this scale. Tests were performed based on item-response theory. Results A modal score of 1 (all answers=”not at all” was observed for Faith (in 34% of participants, Connectedness (27%, and Spiritual Strength (14%. All scales had test-retest reliability coefficients ≥0.7. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were high for all subscales (0.74 to 0.98 and very high (>0.9 for three subscales (Connectedness, Spiritual Strength and Faith. Scores of Faith, Connectedness, Spiritual Strength and Meaning of Life were higher for respondents with religious practice than for those who had no religious practice. No association was found between SRPB and age or sex. The Awe subscale had a low information function for all levels of the Awe latent trait and may benefit from inclusion of an additional item. Conclusions The French language version of the SRPB retained many properties of the original version. However, the SRPB could be improved by trimming redundant items. The strength of SRPB relies on its multinational development and validation, allowing for cross-cultural comparisons.

French-language version of the World Health Organization quality of life spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs instrument

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background A valid assessment of spirituality and religiousness is necessary for clinical and research purposes. We developed and assessed the validity of a French-language version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs Instrument (WHOQOL-SRPB). Methods The SRPB was translated into French according to the methods recommended by the WHOQOL group. An Internet survey was conducted in 561 people in 2010, with follow-up 2 weeks later (n = 231, 41%), to assess reliability, factor structure, social desirability bias and construct validity of this scale. Tests were performed based on item-response theory. Results A modal score of 1 (all answers=”not at all”) was observed for Faith (in 34% of participants), Connectedness (27%), and Spiritual Strength (14%). All scales had test-retest reliability coefficients ≥0.7. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were high for all subscales (0.74 to 0.98) and very high (>0.9) for three subscales (Connectedness, Spiritual Strength and Faith). Scores of Faith, Connectedness, Spiritual Strength and Meaning of Life were higher for respondents with religious practice than for those who had no religious practice. No association was found between SRPB and age or sex. The Awe subscale had a low information function for all levels of the Awe latent trait and may benefit from inclusion of an additional item. Conclusions The French language version of the SRPB retained many properties of the original version. However, the SRPB could be improved by trimming redundant items. The strength of SRPB relies on its multinational development and validation, allowing for cross-cultural comparisons. PMID:22515747

The spiritual experience index: A measure of spiritual maturity.

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Genia, V

1991-12-01

The Spiritual Experience Index was developed to measure spiritual maturity in persons of diverse religious and spiritual beliefs. The scale was constructed from a developmental rather than a multidimensional conceptualization of faith. Initial findings from a religiously heterogeneous college sample indicated good reliability for the SEI and supported its use as a unidimensional measure. Higher scores on the SEI were significantly related to lower dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity. The SEI was also moderately related to higher religious participation and positively correlated with intrinsicness and quest. However, compared with the intrinsic and quest scales, the SEI emerged as the strongest indicator of adaptive spiritual functioning. Directions for future research are suggested.

Spirituality in Indian University Students and its Associations with Socioeconomic Status, Religious Background, Social Support, and Mental Health.

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Deb, Sibnath; McGirr, Kevin; Sun, Jiandong

2016-10-01

The present study aimed to understand spirituality and its relationships with socioeconomic status (SES), religious background, social support, and mental health among Indian university students. It was hypothesized that (1) female university students will be more spiritual than male university students, (2) four domains of spirituality will differ significantly across socioeconomic and religious background of the university students in addition to social support, and (3) there will be a positive relationship between spirituality and mental health of university students, irrespective of gender. A group of 475 postgraduate students aged 20-27 years, 241 males and 234 females, from various disciplines of Pondicherry University, India, participated in the study. Students' background was collected using a structured questionnaire. Overall spirituality and its four dimensions were measured using the Spirituality Attitude Inventory, while mental health status was estimated based on scores of the psychological subscale of the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. Female students were significantly more spiritual than male students, particularly in spiritual practice and sense of purpose/connection. Hindu religion and lower family income were associated with lower spirituality. Higher spirituality was associated with congenial family environment and more support from teachers and classmates. There was a strong association between overall spirituality and two spirituality domains (spiritual belief and sense of purpose/connection) with better mental health. Findings suggest an opportunity for open dialogue on spirituality for university students as part of their mental health and support services that fosters a positive mind set and enhancement of resilience.

The Role of Religion and Institution Type in Seniors' Perceptions of the Religious and Spiritual Campus Climate

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Fosnacht, Kevin; Broderick, Cynthia

2018-01-01

This study investigated the correlates of two measures that capture students' perception of the religious and spiritual campus climate. It focuses on how the factors, religious identity and attending a religiously affiliated institution, influence students' perception of the respect for their beliefs and comfort in expressing their views on…

Exploring the Intersectionality of Bisexual, Religious/Spiritual, and Political Identities from a Feminist Perspective.

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Rodriguez, Eric M; Lytle, Megan C; Vaughan, Michelle D

2013-07-01

While there is a small but growing body of work that examines the religious and spiritual lives of bisexuals, there is a strong need for additional research that further explores the intersectionality of these distinct identities. Motivated by the feminist notions that the personal is political and that individuals are the experts of their own experiences (Unger, 2001), the specific aim of this study is to better understand the intersection of multiple identities experienced by bisexual individuals. Relying upon data collected by Herek, Glunt, and colleagues during their Northern California Health Study, in this exploratory study we examine the intersection of bisexual, religious/spiritual, and political identities by conducting an archival secondary analysis of 120 self-identified bisexual individuals. Among the significant findings, results suggest that higher LGB self-esteem scores and openness about sexual orientation correlated with higher levels of spirituality. Further, attraction to same sex partners was associated with perceiving sexual orientation as a choice, identifying as bisexual at a younger age, more likely to disclose one's sexual orientation, less likely to view religion as being socially important, and a higher score on the belief statement. We discuss the implications of these results and make suggestions for future research on the role of religion and spirituality in bisexual lives.

Intrinsic religiousness and spirituality as predictors of mental health and positive psychological functioning in Latter-Day Saint adolescents and young adults.

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Sanders, Peter W; Allen, G E Kawika; Fischer, Lane; Richards, P Scott; Morgan, David T; Potts, Richard W

2015-06-01

We investigated the relationships between religiousness and spirituality and various indicators of mental health and positive psychosocial functioning in three separate samples of college students. A total of 898 students at Brigham Young University participated in the three studies. The students ranged in age from 17 to 26 years old, with the average age of 20.9 across all three samples. Our results indicate that intrinsic religiousness, spiritual maturity, and self-transcendence were significantly predictive of better mental health and positive functioning, including lower levels of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsiveness, and higher levels of global self-esteem, identity integration, moral self-approval, and meaning in life. Intrinsic religiousness was not predictive of shame, perfectionism, and eating disorder symptoms. These findings are consistent with many prior studies that have found religiousness and spirituality to be positively associated with better mental health and positive psychosocial functioning in adolescents and young adults.

The Effect of Religious Involvement on Life Satisfaction among Korean Christians: Focused on the Mediating Effect of Spiritual Well-Being and Self-Esteem.

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Yoo, Jieun

2017-12-01

The present study examined the relationship between two categories of religious involvement, namely religious belief and religious behavior, and life satisfaction among Korean Christians (N = 278) with spiritual well-being and self-esteem as potential mediators in this relationship by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results supported the full mediated structural model and indicated that religious belief had a significant indirect effect on life satisfaction through the mediators, spiritual well-being and self-esteem. Religious behavior did not have an indirect or direct effect on life satisfaction among Korean Christians. The significance, implications, and limitations of the study were discussed.

The Religious Quest As Transformative Journey: Interspiritual Religious Belonging And The Problem Of Religious Depth

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McEntee Rory

2017-11-01

Full Text Available As scholars and the public grope towards understanding emergent forms of religiosity (multiple-religious belonging, spiritual but not religious, interspirituality, notions of discernment, religious depth, and spiritual practice figure prominently in defining and assessing these forms. Some form of commitment to a particular religious tradition is often considered the most important factor in the discernment of religious depth, while “spiritual but not religious” is often seen as the amorphous searching or the drifting whims of an immature ego. I will argue, however, that failing to take into account the most mature forms of emerging religiosity is bound to miss important developments, just as similar methodologies would for traditional religions. Further, I point out problems with correlating religious depth with belonging to a particular religious tradition, and offer an alternate way to conceive of religious depth. In doing so I develop the concept of the religious quest as transformative journey, allowing for a more capacious understanding of religious consciousness. I then introduce interspiritual religious belonging, contrasting it with certain understandings of “multiple-religious” belonging, and providing mature examples of its embodiment. Finally, utilizing new surveys from Pew and PPRI showing accelerating growth among the “spiritual but not religious” and “religiously unaffiliated”-as well as expanding religious and racial diversity within the United States-I briefly reference potential political ramifications the interspiritual movement might have, and address the importance of developing mature theological perspectives from within it. It is my hope that the Theology Without Walls project can provide academic space for the latter.

Acceptability of the Fetzer/NIA Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a sample of community-dwelling Black adults.

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Mokel, Melissa J; Shellman, Juliette M

2014-01-01

To examine the acceptability of the National Institute on Aging/Fetzer Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a sample of Black, community-dwelling, older adults using focus group inquiry (N =15). Focus group methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Three focus groups (N = 15) were conducted in two different urban settings in the northeastern part of the United States. Key findings were that (a) self-rating on religiousness was uncomfortable for many participants, (b) selfless was a word many participants confused with selfish, and (c) spirituality was an important concept. Overall, the Measure was found to be culturally acceptable and required little modification. Religious health beliefs such as "rebuking" or "not claiming" medical diagnoses are important considerations to bear in mind in seeking to understand the impact of religiousness on health in this population.

Spirituality in education

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Kirsi Tirri

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this article the concept of spirituality in the educational framework is discussed. The concepts of religion and spirituality are compared. The psychological view of spirituality is presented with a new suggested intelligence type: spiritual intelligence. The educational view emphasizes spiritual sensitivity as a universal human ability that needs to be developed through education. The sociological view of spirituality explores it as an expression of postsecular religiosity. Empirical studies indicate that an increasing number of people­ now prefer to call themselves ‘spiritual’ rather than ‘religious’. This trend seems to be more present in some European countries, for example, in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Finland. Empirical studies on spirituality are reviewed and discussed. A special emphasis is given to the Finnish research findings related to the spirituality of a new generation or young adults. It is argued that understanding spirituality as an expression of postsecular religiosity gives more room for young adults to participate in communicative action concerning religion. This would promote a discursive religiousness in the spirit of Jürgen Habermas, in which a plurality of religious beliefs and practices are acknowledged and a dialogical and inter-religious approach is advocated.

Hospice and the politics of spirituality.

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Garces-Foley, Kathleen

2006-01-01

Within the hospice literature, spirituality and religion are usually defined in opposition to one another, with religion negatively associated with the external, authoritarian doctrines of Christianity and spirituality positively associated with the free search for truth, meaning, and authenticity. According to survey data, however, most Americans integrate spirituality and traditional religious commitments. The hospice literature is promoting spirituality to its own detriment by alienating potential patients and depriving religious patients of the resources that religious traditions and their affiliated religious communities have to offer.

Religion as problem, religion as solution: religious buffers of the links between religious/spiritual struggles and well-being/mental health.

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Abu-Raiya, Hisham; Pargament, Kenneth I; Krause, Neal

2016-05-01

Previous studies have established robust links between religious/spiritual struggles (r/s struggles) and poorer well-being and psychological distress. A critical issue involves identifying the religious factors that buffer this relationship. This is the first study to empirically address this question. Specifically, it examines four religious factors (i.e., religious commitment, life sanctification, religious support, religious hope) as potential buffers of the links between r/s struggle and one indicator of subjective well-being (i.e., happiness) and one indicator of psychological distress (i.e., depressive symptoms). We utilized a cross-sectional design and a nationally representative sample of American adults (N = 2140) dealing with a wide range of major life stressors. We found that the interactions between r/s struggle and all potential moderators were significant in predicting happiness and/or depression. The linkage between r/s struggle and lower levels of happiness was moderated by higher levels of each of the four proposed religious buffers. Religious commitment and life sanctification moderated the ties between r/s struggles and depressive symptoms. The findings underscore the multifaceted character of religion: Paradoxically, religion may be a source of solutions to problems that may be an inherent part of religious life.

Attendance at Religious Services, Prayer, Religious Coping, and Religious/Spiritual Identity as Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in the Black Women's Health Study.

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VanderWeele, Tyler J; Yu, Jeffrey; Cozier, Yvette C; Wise, Lauren; Argentieri, M Austin; Rosenberg, Lynn; Palmer, Julie R; Shields, Alexandra E

2017-04-01

Previous longitudinal studies have consistently shown an association between attendance at religious services and lower all-cause mortality, but the literature on associations between other measures of religion and spirituality (R/S) and mortality is limited. We followed 36,613 respondents from the Black Women's Health Study from 2005 through December 31, 2013 to assess the associations between R/S and incident all-cause mortality using proportional hazards models. After control for numerous demographic and health covariates, together with other R/S variables, attending religious services several times per week was associated with a substantially lower mortality rate ratio (mortality rate ratio = 0.64, 95% confidence interval: 0.51, 0.80) relative to never attending services. Engaging in prayer several times per day was not associated with mortality after control for demographic and health covariates, but the association trended towards a higher mortality rate ratio when control was made for other R/S variables (for >2 times/day vs. weekly or less, mortality rate ratio = 1.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.99, 1.67; P-trend < 0.01). Religious coping and self-identification as a very religious/spiritual person were associated with lower mortality when adjustment was made only for age, but the association was attenuated when control was made for demographic and health covariates and was almost entirely eliminated when control was made for other R/S variables. The results indicate that service attendance was the strongest R/S predictor of mortality in this cohort. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Spiritual, religious, and personal beliefs are important and distinctive to assessing quality of life in health: a comparison of theoretical models.

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O'Connell, Kathryn A; Skevington, Suzanne M

2010-11-01

The study investigates theoretical debates on the contribution of spiritual, religious, and personal beliefs (SRPB) to quality of life (QoL) in health, by examining contrasting models. The WHOQOL-SRPB assesses QoL relating to SRPB where 33 QoL facets are scored in 6 domains, of which SRPB is one. The measure was completed by a heterogeneous sample of 285 sick and well people representing a cross-section of religious, agnostic, and atheist beliefs in UK, and structured for gender (52% female) and age (mean 47 years). No evidence was found to support the model of spiritual QoL as a concept that overarches every other QoL domain. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that SRPB is an integral concept to overall QoL, with a very good fit (comparative fit index=.99). Spiritual QoL made a significant, relatively independent contribution, similar to the other five domains (β=0.68). Spiritual QoL is most closely associated with the psychological domain, particularly hope and optimism and inner peace; two of the nine SRPB facets. Spiritual QoL, but not most other aspects of QoL, is higher for religious people. The results explain theoretical confusion arising from previous research. Spiritual QoL makes a significant and distinctive contribution to QoL assessment in health and should be assessed routinely in health care populations.

Revelation, delusion or disillusion: subjective interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences in bipolar disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouwehand, E.; Wong, K.; Boeije, H.R.; Braam, A.W.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences during mania, depression and recovery, from the perspective of bipolar clients and to inquire into their expectations of treatment in relation to these experiences. For this purpose, a qualitative

Revelation, delusion or disillusion : subjective interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences in bipolar disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouwehand, Eva; Wong, Kwok; Boeije, Hennie; Braam, Arjan

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences during mania, depression and recovery, from the perspective of bipolar clients and to inquire into their expectations of treatment in relation to these experiences. For this purpose, a qualitative

Revelation, delusion or disillusion: subjective interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences in bipolar disorder.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouwehand, E.; Wong, K.; Boeije, H.; Braam, A.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the interpretation of religious and spiritual experiences during mania, depression and recovery, from the perspective of bipolar clients and to inquire into their expectations of treatment in relation to these experiences. For this purpose, a qualitative

Corporate spirituality as organizational praxis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

drs. Eelco van den Dool

2009-01-01

A methodology for doing research into corporate spirituality should enable us to deal with the religious component of spirituality instead of trying to separate spirituality from religious beliefs, as the positivist school proposes. Waaijman’s phenomenological-dialogical research cycle enables us to

Reliability and validity of the brief multidimensional measure of religiousness/spirituality among adolescents.

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Harris, Sion Kim; Sherritt, Lon R; Holder, David W; Kulig, John; Shrier, Lydia A; Knight, John R

2008-12-01

Developed for use in health research, the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) consists of brief measures of a broad range of religiousness and spirituality (R/S) dimensions. It has established psychometric properties among adults, but little is known about its appropriateness for use with adolescents. We assessed the psychometric properties of the BMMRS among adolescents. We recruited a racially diverse (85% non-White) sample of 305 adolescents aged 12-18 years (median 16 yrs, IQR 14-17) from 3 urban medical clinics; 93 completed a retest 1 week later. We assessed internal consistency and test-retest reliability. We assessed construct validity by examining how well the measures discriminated groups expected to differ based on self-reported religious preference, and how they related to a hypothesized correlate, depressive symptoms. Religious preference was categorized into "No religion/Atheist" (11%), "Don't know/Confused" (9%), or "Named a religion" (80%). Responses to multi-item measures were generally internally consistent (alpha > or = 0.70 for 12/16 measures) and stable over 1 week (intraclass correlation coefficients > or = 0.70 for 14/16). Forgiveness, Negative R/S Coping, and Commitment items showed lower internal cohesiveness. Scores on most measures were higher (p Atheist" group. Forgiveness, Commitment, and Anticipated Support from members of one's congregation were inversely correlated with depressive symptoms, while BMMRS measures assessing negative R/S experiences (Negative R/S Coping, Negative Interactions with others in congregation, Loss in Faith) were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that most BMMRS measures are reliable and valid for use among adolescents.

Religiousness, spirituality, and coping with stress among late adolescents: A meaning-making perspective.

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Krok, Dariusz

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between religiousness, spirituality (R/S), and coping among late adolescents within a meaning-making perspective. Specifically, global meaning and situational meaning were examined as potential mediators. Two hundred and twenty one Polish participants (115 women and 106 men) completed the Religious Meaning System Questionnaire, the Self-description Questionnaire of Spirituality, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Situational Meaning Scale. Results of SEM analysis showed that R/S had both direct and indirect effects on coping, suggesting that global meaning and situational meaning served as partial mediators among late adolescents. The mediating role of global meaning and situational meaning may be more fully understood within the framework of the meaning-making model. Consistent with the model, individuals with higher levels of R/S had a propensity to experience stronger global meaning in life and situational meaning, which in turn contributed to more frequent using coping styles. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality in American adults.

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Shahabi, Leila; Powell, Lynda H; Musick, Marc A; Pargament, Kenneth I; Thoresen, Carl E; Williams, David; Underwood, Lynn; Ory, Marcia A

2002-01-01

To advance knowledge in the study of spirituality and physical health, we examined sociodemographic, behavioral, and attitudinal correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1,422 adult respondents to the 1998 General Social Survey. They were asked, among other things, to rate themselves on the depth of their spirituality and the depth of their religiousness. Results indicated that, after adjustment for religiousness, self-perceptions of spirituality were positively correlated with being female (r = .07, p religious or spiritual activities (range in correlations = .12-.38, all p religiousness. The spiritual and religious group had a higherfrequency of attending services, praying, meditating, reading the Bible, and daily spiritual experience than any of the other 3 groups (all differences p religious-only group (p intolerant than either of the nonreligious groups (p intolerance to the religious-only group. We conclude that sociodemographicfactors could confound any observed association between spirituality and health and should be controlled. Moreover, individuals who perceive themselves to be both spiritual and religious may be at particularly low risk for morbidity and mortality based on their good psychological status and ongoing restorative activities.

Research on meaning-making and health in secular society: Secular, spiritual and religious existential orientations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidt, Niels Christian; La Cour, Peter

2010-01-01

cultural basis for research in secular society. Reviewing the literature, three main domains of existential meaning-making emerge: Secular, spiritual, and religious. In reconfirming these three domains, we propose to couple them with the three dimensions of cognition (knowing), practice (doing...

"We both just trusted and leaned on the Lord": a qualitative study of religiousness and spirituality among African American breast cancer survivors and their caregivers.

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Sterba, Katherine Regan; Burris, Jessica L; Heiney, Sue P; Ruppel, Megan Baker; Ford, Marvella E; Zapka, Jane

2014-09-01

Most breast cancer (BC) survivorship research focuses on the general population of survivors. Scant research investigates the potentially unique experiences of minorities, especially during and after the difficult transition from primary treatment to post-treatment. This qualitative study explored African American BC survivors' and caregivers' quality-of-life in the post-treatment period with a focus on social and spiritual well-being. Participants included a convenience sample of African American women with stage I-III BC (N = 23) who completed treatment 6-24 months before enrollment. Primary caregivers (N = 22) included friends, spouses and other family members (21 complete dyads). Participants completed separate semi-structured telephone interviews. Template analysis was used to evaluate themes related to religiousness and spirituality, both across and within dyads. After treatment, religiousness and spirituality played a major role in both survivors' and caregivers' lives by: (1) providing global guidance, (2) guiding illness management efforts and (3) facilitating recovery. Participants described a spiritual connectedness with God and others in their social networks. Dyad members shared the goal of keeping a positive attitude and described positive growth from cancer. Few future concerns were expressed due to the belief that survivors were healed and "done" with cancer. Beyond practical and emotional support, provision of spiritual assistance was common. Results highlight the principal, positive role of religiousness and spirituality for African American BC survivors and caregivers after treatment. Findings emphasize the need to assess the importance of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and if appropriate, to provide resources that promote spiritual well-being.

Religious affiliation at time of death - Global estimates and projections.

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Skirbekk, Vegard; Todd, Megan; Stonawski, Marcin

2018-03-01

Religious affiliation influences societal practices regarding death and dying, including palliative care, religiously acceptable health service procedures, funeral rites and beliefs about an afterlife. We aimed to estimate and project religious affiliation at the time of death globally, as this information has been lacking. We compiled data on demographic information and religious affiliation from more than 2500 surveys, registers and censuses covering 198 nations/territories. We present estimates of religious affiliation at the time of death as of 2010, projections up to and including 2060, taking into account trends in mortality, religious conversion, intergenerational transmission of religion, differential fertility, and gross migration flows, by age and sex. We find that Christianity continues to be the most common religion at death, although its share will fall from 37% to 31% of global deaths between 2010 and 2060. The share of individuals identifying as Muslim at the time of death increases from 21% to 24%. The share of religiously unaffiliated will peak at 17% in 2035 followed by a slight decline thereafter. In specific regions, such as Europe, the unaffiliated share will continue to rises from 14% to 21% throughout the period. Religious affiliation at the time of death is changing globally, with distinct regional patterns. This could affect spatial variation in healthcare and social customs relating to death and dying.

Validation of the Portuguese version of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS-P) in clinical and non-clinical samples.

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Curcio, Cristiane Schumann Silva; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Moreira-Almeida, Alexander

2015-04-01

Despite Brazil's high levels of religious involvement, there is a scarcity of validated religiousness/spirituality (R/S) measures in Portuguese, particularly multidimensional ones. This study presents the validation of the Portuguese version of the "Brief Multidimensional Measure in Religiousness and Spirituality" (BMMRS) within the Brazilian context. Inpatients (262) and caregivers (389) at two hospitals of Brazil answered the BMMRS, the DUREL-p, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The internal and convergent validity and test-retest reliability for major dimensions were good. Discriminant validity was high (except for the Forgiveness dimension). The Portuguese version of the BMMRS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess multiple R/S dimensions in clinical and non-clinical samples.

Virtual lesions of the inferior parietal cortex induce fast changes of implicit religiousness/spirituality.

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Crescentini, Cristiano; Aglioti, Salvatore M; Fabbro, Franco; Urgesi, Cosimo

2014-05-01

Religiousness and spirituality (RS) are two ubiquitous aspects of human experience typically considered impervious to scientific investigation. Nevertheless, associations between RS and frontoparietal neural activity have been recently reported. However, much less is known about whether such activity is causally involved in modulating RS or just epiphenomenal to them. Here we combined two-pulse (10 Hz) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with a novel, ad-hoc developed RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) to investigate whether implicit RS representations, although supposedly rather stable, can be rapidly modified by a virtual lesion of inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A self-esteem (SE) IAT, focused on self-concepts nonrelated to RS representations, was developed as control. A specific increase of RS followed inhibition of IPL demonstrating its causative role in inducing fast plastic changes of religiousness/spirituality. In contrast, DLPFC inhibition had more widespread effects probably reflecting a general role in the acquisition or maintenance of task-rules or in controlling the expression of self-related representations not specific to RS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Spiritual Genogram in Training and Supervision.

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Frame, Marsha Wiggins

2001-01-01

Describes the spiritual genogram, a blueprint of family members' multigenerational religious and spiritual affiliations, events, and conflicts. Used as a tool in both training and supervision, the spiritual genogram enables students and supervisees to make sense of their own religious and spiritual heritage and to explore the ways in which their…

The Protective Influence of Spiritual-Religious Lifestyle Profiles on Tobacco Use, Alcohol Use, and Gambling

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Hodge, David R.; Andereck, Kathleen; Montoya, Harry

2007-01-01

The costs associated with the use of addictive substances and practices underscore the need for research on protective factors that inhibit use. In this study, the protective influences of various spiritual-religious lifestyle profiles on tobacco smoking, alcohol use, and gambling frequency and expenditures are examined. Among the predominantly…

Spiritual character traits and leadership in the school workplace: An exploration of the relationship between spirituality and school leadership in some private and religiously affiliated schools in South Africa

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Jaco S. Dreyer

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The South African educational system is in a crisis. This situation places huge demands on school principals and school management teams, and raises many theoretical and empirical questions. Transformational leadership is needed to deal with these challenges and complexities. Not all school leaders show the same level of transformational leadership. Some leaders conform more to other leadership styles. The aim of this article is to explore the relation between spiritual character traits and leadership styles from a theoretical and empirical perspective. The theoretical part focuses on the conceptualisation of leadership (styles and spirituality. The empirical research consists of a web-based survey conducted in some private and religiously affiliated schools in South Africa in 2011–2012. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ and Cloninger’s shortened Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-140 were used to measure leadership styles and spiritual traits respectively. Statistical procedures included confirmatory factor analysis, correlation (Pearson rho and regression analysis. Key findings are that leaders of private schools in South Africa mostly conform to a transformative leadership style, disagree with corrective leadership and strongly disagree with passive-avoidant leadership. Regarding the spiritual character traits they agree with self-transcendence and strongly agree with self-directedness. Spiritual character traits are strong predictors for transformational and passive-avoidant leadership. Higher levels of self-transcendence and self-directedness are strong predictors for transformational leadership. Our research suggests that traditional religious variables are less important as predictors of leadership style than spiritual character traits.

“We both just trusted and leaned on the Lord”: A qualitative study of religiousness and spirituality among African American breast cancer survivors and their caregivers

Science.gov (United States)

Sterba, Katherine Regan; Burris, Jessica L.; Heiney, Sue P.; Ruppel, Megan Baker; Ford, Marvella E.; Zapka, Jane

2014-01-01

Purpose Most breast cancer survivorship research focuses on the general population of survivors. Scant research investigates the potentially unique experiences of minorities, especially during and after the difficult transition from primary treatment to post-treatment. This qualitative study explored African American breast cancer survivors’ and caregivers’ quality-of-life in the post-treatment period with a focus on social and spiritual well-being. Methods Participants included a convenience sample of African American women with stage I-III breast cancer (N=23) who completed treatment 6–24 months before enrollment. Primary caregivers (N=22) included friends, spouses and other family members (21 complete dyads). Participants completed separate semi-structured telephone interviews. Template analysis was used to evaluate themes related to religiousness and spirituality, both across and within dyads. Results After treatment, religiousness and spirituality played a major role in both survivors’ and caregivers’ lives by: 1) providing global guidance, 2) guiding illness management efforts and 3) facilitating recovery. Participants described a spiritual connectedness with God and others in their social networks. Dyad members shared the goal of keeping a positive attitude and described positive growth from cancer. Few future concerns were expressed due to the belief that survivors were healed and “done” with cancer. Beyond practical and emotional support, provision of spiritual assistance was common. Conclusions Results highlight the principal, positive role of religiousness and spirituality for African American breast cancer survivors and caregivers after treatment. Findings emphasize the need to assess the importance of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and if appropriate, to provide resources that promote spiritual well-being. PMID:24578149

Personalidade e religiosidade/espiritualidade (R/E Personality and religiousness/spirituality (R/E

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Letícia Oliveira Alminhana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available CONTEXTO: Embora existam muitos estudos relacionando o contexto religioso com a saúde física e mental, há poucas pesquisas sobre a interface entre religiosidade/espiritualidade (R/E e personalidade. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo principal foi revisar as evidências empíricas de investigações sobre a relação entre religiosidade, espiritualidade e personalidade. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um levantamento da produção acadêmica por meio das bases de dados virtuais: PubMed e PsychInfo, com artigos indexados até janeiro de 2008 e utilizando as combinações: "personality and spiritu*" e "personality and religio*" Além disso, foram pesquisados os artigos presentes em uma metanálise sobre o tema. RESULTADOS: Alta Religiosidade está associada a baixo Psicoticismo e a alta Amabilidade e Conscienciosidade. Conscienciosidade em adolescentes pode ser um preditor significante para a maior religiosidade na adultez jovem. E a dimensão de Religiosidade é mais provável candidata a residir além dos cinco grandes fatores de personalidade. CONCLUSÃO: A crença em uma dimensão de Religiosidade, em uma realidade transcendente ou em um Deus pessoal, em alguns casos, parece não possuir correspondências entre quaisquer dos cinco fatores de personalidade. Isso parece indicar que a R/E seja um potencial sexto fator de personalidade que não está presente nos modelos de personalidade atuais.BACKGROUND: Although there are many studies linking the religious context with fisical and mental health, there is little research on the interface between religiousness/spirituality and personality. OBJECTIVES: The main goal was to review the empirical research on the relationship between religiosity, spirituality and personality. METHODS: A survey of the academic production through virtual databases: PubMed and PsychInfo, published until January of 2008 and using the combinations: "personality and spiritu*" and "personality and religio*" was conducted, in addition to

Religiousness, Spirituality, and Social Support: How Are They Related to Underage Drinking among College Students?

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Brown, Tamara L.; Salsman, John M.; Brechting, Emily H.; Carlson, Charles R.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Surgeon General has declared underage drinking among college students a major health issue for the nation, making it imperative that researchers delineate factors which predict and protect against it. Research suggests religiousness and spirituality might be protective factors, but methodological limitations make it difficult to know for…

The Effects of Spiritual/Religious Engagement on College Students' Affective Outcomes: Differences by Gender and Race

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Rennick, Liz A.; Smedley, Cynthia Toms; Fisher, Dan; Wallace, Elizabeth; Young, Kim

2013-01-01

This study examines the general and differential effects of spiritual/religious engagement on affective college outcomes (i.e., leadership skills, interpersonal skills, social satisfaction, sense of belonging, and psychological well-being) across different gender and racial groups among undergraduate students at research universities. The study…

Religious and Spiritual Salience, Well-Being, and Psychosocial Functioning Among Psychotherapy Clients: Moderator Effects for Humility.

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Paine, David R; Sandage, Steven J; Ruffing, Elizabeth G; Hill, Peter C

2018-04-21

A number of studies have examined the mediating factors in the relationship between religion and spirituality (R/S) and psychological health. Humility is a virtue that has been positively correlated with R/S variables, measures of well-being, and indicators of psychosocial functioning. In this study, we investigate dispositional humility as a potential moderator in the relationship between religious and spiritual salience and (1) well-being and (2) psychosocial functioning outcomes in a clinical sample. Results indicated that dispositional humility significantly moderated the relationships tested. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

[Spiritual phenomena occurring in everybody and health].

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Krsiak, M

2008-01-01

The past several years have seen an explosion of research in the area of spirituality and health. However, confusion and incomprehension of the conception of spirituality (e.g. confounding spirituality with various conventional views on religiousness) hampers better understanding in this area. The present paper proposes definition of spiritual phenomena in man based on natural epistemological and instrumental criteria (whether a certain phenomenon can be objectively known and evoked): spiritual phenomena in man are those, which cannot be objectively known nor evoked, but which act (e.g., love, idea). Spiritual phenomena can be really known only in the self ("in spirit"). Objectively known can be only manifestations of spiritual phenomena. Some attributes of love (e.g. its personal uniqueness) or ideas (e.g., sense of own life) whose satisfaction appears to be important for health are briefly outlined. A review of some frequently cited recent papers investigating the role of spirituality in health and discussion of frequent pitfalls in this area is given. Spirituality is a universal human phenomenon. All human beings, secular or religious, encounter with spiritual phenomena. Although the present conception of spirituality distances from some conventional views on religiousness, it is not atheistic. On the contrary, it accommodates the basic religious concept "God is love". Conceptual clarification is essential for further progress in the study of impact of spirituality on health.

Spiritual and religious beliefs as risk factors for the onset of major depression : an international cohort study

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Leurent, B.; Nazareth, I.; Bellon-Saameno, J.; Geerlings, M. -I.; Maaroos, H.; Saldivia, S.; Svab, I.; Torres-Gonzalez, F.; Xavier, M.; King, M.

2013-01-01

Background. Several studies have reported weak associations between religious or spiritual belief and psychological health. However, most have been cross-sectional surveys in the USA, limiting inference about generalizability. An international longitudinal study of incidence of major depression gave

Religious Belonging, Religious Agency, and Women’s Autonomy in Mozambique

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Agadjanian, Victor; Yabiku, Scott T.

2016-01-01

Women’s autonomy has frequently been linked with women’s opportunities and investments, such as education, employment, and reproductive control. The association between women’s autonomy and religion in the developing world, however, has received less attention, and the few existing studies make comparisons across major religious traditions. In this study, we focus on variations in levels of female decision-making autonomy within a single religious tradition—Christianity. Using unique survey data from a predominantly Christian area in Mozambique, we devise an autonomy scale and apply it to compare women affiliated to different Christian denominations as well as unaffiliated women. In addition to affiliation, we examine the relationship between autonomy and women’s religious agency both within and outside their churches. Multivariate analyses show that women belonging to more liberal religious traditions (such as Catholicism and mainline Protestantism) and tend to have higher autonomy levels, regardless of other factors. These results are situated within the cross-national scholarship on religion and women’s empowerment and are interpreted in the context of gendered religious dynamics in Mozambique and similar developing settings. PMID:26973353

Religious and Spiritual Factors in Depression: Review and Integration of the Research

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Bonelli, Raphael; Dew, Rachel E.; Koenig, Harold G.; Rosmarin, David H.; Vasegh, Sasan

2012-01-01

Depressive symptoms and religious/spiritual (R/S) practices are widespread around the world, but their intersection has received relatively little attention from mainstream mental health professionals. This paper reviews and synthesizes quantitative research examining relationships between R/S involvement and depressive symptoms or disorders during the last 50 years (1962 to 2011). At least 444 studies have now quantitatively examined these relationships. Of those, over 60% report less depression and faster remission from depression in those more R/S or a reduction in depression severity in response to an R/S intervention. In contrast, only 6% report greater depression. Of the 178 most methodologically rigorous studies, 119 (67%) find inverse relationships between R/S and depression. Religious beliefs and practices may help people to cope better with stressful life circumstances, give meaning and hope, and surround depressed persons with a supportive community. In some populations or individuals, however, religious beliefs may increase guilt and lead to discouragement as people fail to live up to the high standards of their religious tradition. Understanding the role that R/S factors play in preventing depression, facilitating its resolution, or leading to greater depression will help clinicians determine whether this is a resource or a liability for individual patients. PMID:22928096

Religious and Spiritual Factors in Depression: Review and Integration of the Research

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Raphael Bonelli

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Depressive symptoms and religious/spiritual (R/S practices are widespread around the world, but their intersection has received relatively little attention from mainstream mental health professionals. This paper reviews and synthesizes quantitative research examining relationships between R/S involvement and depressive symptoms or disorders during the last 50 years (1962 to 2011. At least 444 studies have now quantitatively examined these relationships. Of those, over 60% report less depression and faster remission from depression in those more R/S or a reduction in depression severity in response to an R/S intervention. In contrast, only 6% report greater depression. Of the 178 most methodologically rigorous studies, 119 (67% find inverse relationships between R/S and depression. Religious beliefs and practices may help people to cope better with stressful life circumstances, give meaning and hope, and surround depressed persons with a supportive community. In some populations or individuals, however, religious beliefs may increase guilt and lead to discouragement as people fail to live up to the high standards of their religious tradition. Understanding the role that R/S factors play in preventing depression, facilitating its resolution, or leading to greater depression will help clinicians determine whether this is a resource or a liability for individual patients.

Predictors of family strength: the integrated spiritual-religious/resilient perspective for understanding the healthy/strong family.

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Ghaffari, Majid; Fatehizade, Maryam; Ahmadi, Ahmad; Ghasemi, Vahid; Baghban, Iran

2013-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of spiritual well-being and family protective factors on the family strength in a propositional structural model. The research population consisted of all the married people of the Isfahan, Iran, in 2012 with preschool-aged children and in the first decade of marriage with at least eight grades of educational level. Three hundred and ninety five voluntary and unpaid participants were selected randomly through multi-stage sampling from seven regions of the city. The instruments used were the Spiritual Well-being Scale, Inventory of Family Protective Factors, and Family Strength Scale. Descriptive statistics and a structural equation modeling analytic approach were used. The analytic model predicted 82% of the variance of the family strength. The total effect of the spiritual well-being on the family strength was higher compared to the family protective factors. Furthermore, spiritual well-being predicted 43% of the distribution of the family protective factors and had indirect effect on the family strength through the family protective factors (p spiritual well-being and family protective factors, and their simultaneous effects on family strength. Family counselors may employ an integrated spiritual-religious/resilient perspective to inform their strength-based work with individuals and their families. None.

Reconciling Spiritual Values Conflicts for Counselors and Lesbian and Gay Clients

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Fallon, Kathleen M.; Dobmeier, Robert A.; Reiner, Summer M.; Casquarelli, Elaine J.; Giglia, Lauren A.; Goodwin, Eric

2013-01-01

Counselors and lesbian and gay clients experience parallel values conflicts between religious beliefs/spirituality and sexual orientation. This article uses critical thinking to assist counselors to integrate religious/spiritual beliefs with professional ethical codes. Clients are assisted to integrate religious/spiritual beliefs with sexual…

Green Fire and Religious Spirit.

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Haluza-Delay, Randolph

2000-01-01

Spirituality, even within traditional religious practices, can inspire environmentally aware lifestyles. To help this "green fire" burn well, experiential educators should acknowledge religious beliefs and practices and avoid perpetuating the modern spiritual-secular rift. A "critical experientialism" is needed when it comes to…

Religion, spirituality, and cancer: the question of individual empowerment.

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Vonarx, Nicolas; Hyppolite, Shelley-Rose

2013-01-01

It has often been noted that people with a severe illness endeavor to deepen their religious and spiritual practice and knowledge. It is generally accepted that spiritual and religious factors help sick people confront their suffering. The authors conducted a qualitative research on the role of religious and spiritual practices and knowledge among 10 cancer patients in Québec, Canada. Individual interviews focused on their illness experience confirmed that religion and spirituality can be present and contribute to coping when life is threatened. More precisely, the analyses of the place and use of these resources during the patient's illness showed that these resources contributed to an individual empowerment process that was undertaken in response to a biographic and existential disruption induced by the illness diagnosis. The sick people took advantage of religious and spiritual content in their quest for meaning and a cure, progressing from a stage of despair and powerlessness to a stage of hope, a critical analysis of the disease, and a better management and control of it and its evolution. This article describes how people suffering from cancer use and participate in religious and spiritual content. It demonstrates the contribution of this content to an individual empowerment process. The use of religion and spirituality constitutes a quest for self-mastery, an acquiring of power and control. We understand that religious and spiritual phenomena do not always prevent people from fighting against their suffering, limit their freedom, or systematically reduce people's viewpoints and worldviews.

Enhancing Spiritualism in Virtual World

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Dangwal, Kiran Lata; Singh, Shireesh Pal

2012-01-01

Spiritualism is one word which puts man on the highest plinth of life. Spirituality is the way we find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in life. Spirituality in the virtual World is generally known as Virtual Spirituality. A goldmine of wisdom from all kinds of religious and spiritual philosophies, traditions and practices can be found in…

Spiritual Competency Scale: Further Analysis

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Dailey, Stephanie F.; Robertson, Linda A.; Gill, Carman S.

2015-01-01

This article describes a follow-up analysis of the Spiritual Competency Scale, which initially validated ASERVIC's (Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling) spiritual competencies. The study examined whether the factor structure of the Spiritual Competency Scale would be supported by participants (i.e., ASERVIC…

Spirituality and religion in patients with HIV/AIDS.

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Cotton, Sian; Puchalski, Christina M; Sherman, Susan N; Mrus, Joseph M; Peterman, Amy H; Feinberg, Judith; Pargament, Kenneth I; Justice, Amy C; Leonard, Anthony C; Tsevat, Joel

2006-12-01

Spirituality and religion are often central issues for patients dealing with chronic illness. The purpose of this study is to characterize spirituality/religion in a large and diverse sample of patients with HIV/AIDS by using several measures of spirituality/religion, to examine associations between spirituality/religion and a number of demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables, and to assess changes in levels of spirituality over 12 to 18 months. We interviewed 450 patients from 4 clinical sites. Spirituality/religion was assessed by using 8 measures: the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality-Expanded scale (meaning/peace, faith, and overall spirituality); the Duke Religion Index (organized and nonorganized religious activities, and intrinsic religiosity); and the Brief RCOPE scale (positive and negative religious coping). Covariates included demographics and clinical characteristics, HIV symptoms, health status, social support, self-esteem, optimism, and depressive symptoms. The patients' mean (SD) age was 43.3 (8.4) years; 387 (86%) were male; 246 (55%) were minorities; and 358 (80%) indicated a specific religious preference. Ninety-five (23%) participants attended religious services weekly, and 143 (32%) engaged in prayer or meditation at least daily. Three hundred thirty-nine (75%) patients said that their illness had strengthened their faith at least a little, and patients used positive religious coping strategies (e.g., sought God's love and care) more often than negative ones (e.g., wondered whether God has abandoned me; Pself-esteem, greater life satisfaction, and lower overall functioning (R2=.16 to .74). Mean levels of spirituality did not change significantly over 12 to 18 months. Most patients with HIV/AIDS belonged to an organized religion and use their religion to cope with their illness. Patients with greater optimism, greater self-esteem, greater life satisfaction, minorities, and patients who drink less alcohol tend

Spirituality and distress in palliative care consultation.

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Hills, Judith; Paice, Judith A; Cameron, Jacqueline R; Shott, Susan

2005-08-01

One's spirituality or religious beliefs and practices may have a profound impact on how the individual copes with the suffering that so often accompanies advanced disease. Several previous studies suggest that negative religious coping can significantly affect health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship between spirituality, religious coping, and symptoms of distress among a group of inpatients referred to the palliative care consult service. Pilot study. The study was conducted in a large academic medical center with a comprehensive Palliative Care and Home Hospice Program. (1) National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Management Assessment Tool; (2) Pargament Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE); (3) Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp); (4) Puchalski's FICA; and (5) Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF). The 31 subjects surveyed experienced moderate distress (5.8 +/- 2.7), major physical and psychosocial symptom burden, along with reduced function and significant caregiving needs. The majority (87.2%) perceived themselves to be at least somewhat spiritual, with 77.4% admitting to being at least somewhat religious. Negative religious coping (i.e., statements regarding punishment or abandonment by God) was positively associated with distress, confusion, depression, and negatively associated with physical and emotional well-being, as well as quality of life. Palliative care clinicians should be alert to symptoms of spiritual distress and intervene accordingly. Future research is needed to identify optimal techniques to address negative religious coping.

Progress on nature and nurture: Commentary on Granqvist and Nkara's 'Nature meets nurture in religious and spiritual development'.

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Boyatzis, Chris J

2017-03-01

This commentary addresses several key ideas in the Granqvist and Nkara (this issue) conceptual piece on the need for a more sophisticated understanding of how nature and nurture interact to influence religious and spiritual development. Cultural and genetic factors are explored. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

The Potential Impact of the Neurosciences on Religious and Spiritual Education: Ramifying from the Impact on Values Education

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Mudge, Peter; Fleming, Daniel; Lovat, Terence

2014-01-01

This article will argue that neuroscientific insights can inform religious and spiritual education's capacity for strengthening student understanding, promoting transformation and ultimately wisdom. Among other findings, it will show that current neuroscientific research supports a holistic approach to pedagogy which emphasises the cognitive,…

Religious diversity and pluralism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahlin, Lars; Borup, Jørn; Fibiger, Marianne Qvortrup

2012-01-01

. Religious diversity has grown in Denmark with the arrival of new immigrant groups and with new forms and interpretations of traditional religious and spiritual traditions. More importantly, the relations and interactions between religious groups -- the hallmarks of religious pluralism -- are still incipient...

Brazilian Validation of the Brief Scale for Spiritual/Religious Coping—SRCOPE-14

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Mary Rute G. Esperandio

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of spiritual-religious coping gained attention in Brazil with the adaptation and validation of the RCOPE Scale (Panzini 2004; long version: 87 items and brief version: 49 items. The Brief RCOPE still contains a large number of items, so attempts to further reduce the size of the measure are relevant. This study presents the validation process of the Brief SRCOPE scale (14 items for use in the Brazilian context. Data were collected from the general population (N = 525 and subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 249 and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 276. The EFA resulted in a two-factor solution: Positive Religious Coping (PRC and Negative Religious Coping (NRC. All 14 items of the original scale were retained and correlated with the same factor as the original scale (KMO = 0.852; 58.15% of total variance explained; PRC Cronbach’s alpha = 0.884 and NRC Cronbach’s alpha = 0.845. The model tested through CFA showed adequate adjustment indices (χ2 = 146.809, DF = 70, χ2/DF = 2.097, NFI = 0.93, CFI = 0.962, GFI = 0.930, AGFI = 0.895, RMSEA = 0.063, PCLOSE = 0.065 and SRMR = 0.0735. The Brief SRCOPE Scale-14 has shown reliability for the studied sample and might be applicable to other contexts. It may ultimately prove useful to professionals and researchers interested in better knowing how people make use of religious coping to face stress and suffering.

Espiritualidade, religião e trabalho no contexto organizacional Espiritualid, religión y trabajo en el contexto organizacional Spirituality, religion and work in the organizational context

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Rogério Rodrigues da Silva

2009-09-01

Full Text Available O artigo tem como objetivo discutir a vivência da religião, da religiosidade e, sobretudo, da espiritualidade, no contexto organizacional. Ancorado em uma análise do papel dessas variáveis em contextos de organizações religiosas e não religiosas, o texto reflete sobre até que ponto a espiritualidade no contexto do trabalho pode contribuir, sobretudo, para um maior sentido e prazer na atividade, e sobre os motivos que explicam a tendência de negar os vínculos da espiritualidade com a religiosidade e com a religião naquele contexto. Além disso, o artigo sugere algumas leituras críticas à proposta de utilização dessas variáveis no contexto organizacional, tal como o movimento de recuperação de valores clássicos das religiões, agora rebatizados para o coletivo de trabalho, atualizando velhas estratégias de obtenção de lucros por parte das empresas.El artículo tiene por objetivo discutir la convivencia entre religión, religiosidad y, sobretodo, la espiritualidad en el contexto organizacional. Anclado en un análisis del papel de estas variables en contextos de organizaciones religiosas y no-religiosas. El texto refleja en que medida la espiritualidad, en el contexto del trabajo, puede contribuir, sobre todo, para un mayor sentido y placer en la actividad, así como los motivos que explican la tendencia en negarse los vínculos de la espiritualidad, con la religiosidad y con la religión el aquél contexto. Además de eso, el artículo sugiere algunas lecturas críticas sobre la propuesta de utilización de esas variables en el contexto organizacional, como el movimiento de recuperación de valores clásicos de las religiones, ahora rebautizados, para el trabajo colectivo, actualizando viejas estrategias de obtención de lucros por parte de las empresas.This article intends to discuss religion, religiosity, and, especially, spirituality experiences in the organizational context. Based on an analysis of these variables' role

Vulnerable populations: cultural and spiritual direction.

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Quest, Tammie E; Franks, Nicole M

2006-08-01

Cultural, spiritual, and religious diversity of emergency department patients is increasing while that of emergency physicians in particular remains predominantly homogeneous. With a discordance of cultural, race, and ethnicity exist, in the case of ethical conflict -resolution becomes that much more difficult. Patients may feel vulnerable when their emergency care provider does not understand his or her cultural, spiritual, and religious uniqueness as it relates to the patient-doctor interaction and health care decision making. This review will examine (1) language differences; (2) cultural, religious, and spiritual differences between patient and provider; (3) differing explanatory models of disease between patient and provider; and (4) diverse bioethical models of decision making of differing cultures in an effort to reduce vulnerabilities.

Nursing and spirituality

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Raphael de Brito Pedrão

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the spiritual well-being of nurses; to appraise their opinions as to the importance of offering patients spiritual assistance, and to verify whether nurses received any specific type of preparation during their professional training for giving spiritual assistance to patients. Methods: This is an exploratory and descriptive study, carried out with a sample of 30 nurses who worked at the Stepdown Unit and Oncology Unit of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, using the application of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWS and a questionnaire prepared by the authors. Results: On the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, 76.6% of nurses produced positive scores. On the Existential Well-Being subscale, 80% had positive scores, and on the Religious Well-Being subscale, 76.6% had positive scores. On the SWBS, the general average score was 107.26, and for the Existential and Religious ones, the average scores were 54.4 and 53.2, respectively. Most nurses responded affirmatively as to the importance of offering patients spiritual assistance, and 40% of nurses offered as rationale “to provide well-being and comfort to the patient”. Most nurses reported not having received professional training for giving spiritual assistance to patients in any of the nursing courses they had done. Conclusions: The results indicate the need for professional training and/or continued education courses in nursing to extend the reflection and discussion on spirituality and spiritual assistance to patients.

Trait Sources of Spirituality Scale: Assessing Trait Spirituality More Inclusively

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Westbrook, Charles J.; Davis, Don E.; McElroy, Stacey E.; Brubaker, Kacy; Choe, Elise; Karaga, Sara; Dooley, Matt; O'Bryant, Brittany L.; Van Tongeren, Daryl R.; Hook, Joshua

2018-01-01

We develop the Trait Sources of Spirituality Scale (TSSS), which assesses experiences of closeness to the sacred, within and outside a religious tradition. After using factor analysis to finalize the scale, we examine evidence of construct validity, including latent profile analysis that reveals 5 patterns of how spirituality is experienced.

Validation of Brief Multidimensional Spirituality/Religiousness Inventory (BMMRS) in Italian Adult Participants and in Participants with Medical Diseases.

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Vespa, Anna; Giulietti, Maria Velia; Spatuzzi, Roberta; Fabbietti, Paolo; Meloni, Cristina; Gattafoni, Pisana; Ottaviani, Marica

2017-06-01

This study aimed at assessing the reliability and construct validity of Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) on Italian sample. 353 Italian participants: 58.9% affected by different diseases and 41.1% healthy subjects. The results of descriptive statistics of internal consistency reliabilities (Chronbach's coefficient) of the BMMRS revealed a remarkable consistency and reliability of different scales DSE, SpC, SC, CSC, VB, SPY-WELL and a good Inter-Class Correlations ≥70 maintaining a good stability of the measures over the time. BMMRS is a useful inventory for the evaluation of the principal spiritual dimensions.

The role of religion and spirituality in mental health.

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Weber, Samuel R; Pargament, Kenneth I

2014-09-01

There has been increased interest in the relationship between religion and spirituality and mental health in recent years. This article reviews recent research into the capacity of religion and spirituality to benefit or harm the mental health of believers. We also examine the implications this may have for assessment and treatment in psychiatric settings. Studies indicate that religion and spirituality can promote mental health through positive religious coping, community and support, and positive beliefs. Research also shows that religion and spirituality can be damaging to mental health by means of negative religious coping, misunderstanding and miscommunication, and negative beliefs. Tools for the assessment of patients' spiritual needs have been studied, and incorporation of spiritual themes into treatment has shown some promise. Religion and spirituality have the ability to promote or damage mental health. This potential demands an increased awareness of religious matters by practitioners in the mental health field as well as ongoing attention in psychiatric research.

Narrative insight in psychosis: The relationship with spiritual and religious explanatory frameworks.

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Marriott, Michael R; Thompson, Andrew R; Cockshutt, Graham; Rowse, Georgina

2018-03-25

When considering psychosis, the concept of narrative insight has been offered as an alternative to clinical insight in determining individuals' responses to their difficulties, as it allows for a more holistic and person-centred framework to be embraced within professional practice. This study aims to explore the validity of the narrative insight construct within a group of people who have experienced psychosis. Inductive qualitative methods were used to explore how eight participants utilized spiritual or religious explanatory frameworks for their experiences of psychosis and to consider these in relation to the construct of narrative insight. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with individuals who identified themselves as interested in spiritual or religious ideas and whose self-reported experiences which were identified as akin to psychosis by experienced academic clinicians. Transcriptions from these interviews were subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis within a broader research question; a selection of themes and data from the resultant phenomenological structure are explored here for their relevance to narrative insight. Participants discussed spiritual and biological explanations for their experiences and were able to hold alternative potential explanations alongside each other. They were reflective regarding the origins of their explanations and would describe a process of testing and proof in relation to them. These findings suggest that the narrative insight construct has the potential to be a valid approach to understanding experiences of psychosis, and challenge the dominance of the clinical insight construct within clinical practice. Clinicians should value the explanatory framework for experiences which are provided by individuals experiencing psychosis, and encourage them to develop a framework which is coherent to their own world view rather than predominantly pursuing a biomedical explanation. Assessments of psychosis should

Impact of Spirituality/Religiousness on Cyber Bullying and Victimization in University Students: Mediating Effect of Emotional Intelligence.

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Yadav, Mohit; Yadav, Rohit

2018-05-22

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between spirituality/religiousness with cyber bullying and victimization amongst Indian University students and whether emotional intelligence mediates the relationship. Data were collected from 490 University students studying in undergraduate and postgraduate courses across India. IBM AMOS was used to find reliability and validity of instruments and PROCESS macro for IBM SPSS by Preacher and Hayes (Behav Res Methods 36(4): 717-731, 2004) was used for conducting mediation analyses. Both spiritual and existential well-being were found negatively related with cyber bullying and victimization. As far as mediation goes, the negative relationships between spiritual and existential well-being with that of cyber bullying and victimization were significantly mediated by Appraisal of Self-Emotions, Appraisal of Other's Emotions and Regulation and control of Emotions dimensions of emotional intelligence. Implication and future directions are also discussed.

Religion, Spirituality, and Sport: From "Religio Athletae" toward "Spiritus Athletae"

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Jirásek, Ivo

2015-01-01

We are living in a time of increasing interest in the religious and spiritual aspects of sport and human movement activities. A strict distinction between religion and spirituality is, however, still missing in much of the literature. After delimiting religious and spiritual modes of experience, this article addresses Coubertin's "religio…

'Mixed blessings': parental religiousness, parenting, and child adjustment in global perspective.

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Bornstein, Marc H; Putnick, Diane L; Lansford, Jennifer E; Al-Hassan, Suha M; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Chang, Lei; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Di Giunta, Laura; Dodge, Kenneth A; Malone, Patrick S; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Skinner, Ann T; Sorbring, Emma; Steinberg, Laurence; Tapanya, Sombat; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Alampay, Liane Peña

2017-08-01

Most studies of the effects of parental religiousness on parenting and child development focus on a particular religion or cultural group, which limits generalizations that can be made about the effects of parental religiousness on family life. We assessed the associations among parental religiousness, parenting, and children's adjustment in a 3-year longitudinal investigation of 1,198 families from nine countries. We included four religions (Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, and Islam) plus unaffiliated parents, two positive (efficacy and warmth) and two negative (control and rejection) parenting practices, and two positive (social competence and school performance) and two negative (internalizing and externalizing) child outcomes. Parents and children were informants. Greater parent religiousness had both positive and negative associations with parenting and child adjustment. Greater parent religiousness when children were age 8 was associated with higher parental efficacy at age 9 and, in turn, children's better social competence and school performance and fewer child internalizing and externalizing problems at age 10. However, greater parent religiousness at age 8 was also associated with more parental control at age 9, which in turn was associated with more child internalizing and externalizing problems at age 10. Parental warmth and rejection had inconsistent relations with parental religiousness and child outcomes depending on the informant. With a few exceptions, similar patterns of results held for all four religions and the unaffiliated, nine sites, mothers and fathers, girls and boys, and controlling for demographic covariates. Parents and children agree that parental religiousness is associated with more controlling parenting and, in turn, increased child problem behaviors. However, children see religiousness as related to parental rejection, whereas parents see religiousness as related to parental efficacy and warmth, which have different

Correlational study between spiritual well-being, religiosity, religion and spiritual coping and quality of life of elderly in hemodialysis treatment

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Calíope Pilger

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The religiosity and spirituality, the religion and spiritual coping, and something higher belief are associate with stress reduction, reduced mortality rates, besides to improve people´s quality of life (QoL. Overall Objective: Analyze the relation between Spiritual Well-Being (SWB, religiosity, religion and spiritual coping, socio-demographic, economic, religious and health variables with QoL of elderly in hemodialysis treatment at Ribeirão Preto - SP. Material and Methods: It was developed a cross-sectional, correlational study with a quantitative approach, in five Dialysis Units of Ribeirão Preto - SP. The inclusion criteria for participants were: They must be elderly; have Chronic kidney Disease under regular hemodialysis treatment; have started treatment in a period bigger than six months; be able to communicate verbally and to present preserved cognitive functions according to the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE. The interview was the technique used to collect the data. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE, Socio-demografic, Economic, Religious and Health Characteristics Instrument, Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS, Duke Religiosity Index (P-DUREL, Brief Spiritual/Religious Coping Scale (SRCOPE Scale, Questionnaires Quality of Life WHOQOL Bref and WHOQOL-old were the instruments applied. Descriptive statistic, bivariate frequency (correlation Person and simple linear regression were realized to analyze the data. The statistical significance level was established as 5%. The ethical principles to research were respected, according to Resolution 466/2012 of the Ministry of Health. Results: One hundred and sixty nine participants were enrolled in the study. In most they were male (74%, aged between 60 and 69 years (53,3%, white skin color (69,3%, married or lived together a partner (a (65,1%, know how read and write (94,1% and with income less than R$ 780,00 (60,2%. The catholic religion, followed by evangelical and

Measuring spirituality as a universal human experience: development of the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List (SAIL).

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de Jager Meezenbroek, Eltica; Garssen, Bert; Van den Berg, Machteld; Tuytel, Gerwi; Van Dierendonck, Dirk; Visser, Adriaan; Schaufeli, Wilmar B

2012-01-01

Many cancer patients experience spirituality as highly supportive while coping with their disease. Most research as well as most questionnaires in this field is religious orientated. The Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List was developed to enable research on spirituality among religious and nonreligious people. It consists of seven subscales that measure connectedness with oneself, with others and nature, and with the transcendent. Among a student, a healthy population, a healthy interested, a curative cancer, and a palliative cancer sample factorial, convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated, as well as adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability.

Spirituality, Religiousness, and Alcoholism Treatment Outcomes: A Comparison between Black and White Participants

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Krentzman, Amy R.; Farkas, Kathleen J.; Townsend, Aloen L.

2012-01-01

This study addresses an unexplained finding in the alcoholism treatment field: despite the health and socioeconomic disparities that exist between blacks and whites at intake, blacks and whites achieve equivalent treatment outcomes. Using Project MATCH data, this study explores religiousness and spirituality as strengths in the African American community that may account in part for equivalent outcomes. Using binary logistic regression, this study found that as purpose in life increased, blacks were more likely to achieve sobriety than whites. This study provides evidence that purpose in life is a cultural strength and an advantage among blacks in achieving sobriety. PMID:22707846

The English Version of the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (MI-RSWB-E: First Results from British College Students

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Human-Friedrich Unterrainer

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In recent years there has been a steadily growing interest of religious/spiritual issues in several areas of psychology; a variety of reliable and valid means of assessing the different facets of religiosity/spirituality have been developed. However, there is still some need for multidimensional approaches. With respect to the positive experience with the German version of the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being, we developed an English version of this scale (MI-RSWB-E in order to facilitate research in this budding field. The MI-RSWB-E was tested and validated on a sample of British college-students (n = 400. First, the factor structure and psychometric properties of the MI-RSWB-E were analysed. As a second step, MI-RSWB-E dimensions were related to a variety of indicators of personality and mental health. An in-depth analysis provided evidence in support of the psychometric quality of the MI-RSWB-E, and the ability of its proposed six-factor structure. The MI-RSWB-E dimensions were also found to be substantially related to personality factors as well as with indicators of subjective well-being and mental illness. In light of these findings the MI-RSWB-E could be considered as a suitable tool in the assessment of different facets of religiosity/spirituality.

The religious lives of students at a South African university

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Werner Nell

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Whilst significant research has been conducted on religious affiliation and on general levels of religiosity in the South African context, few studies specifically investigated the religious lives of South African university students in a comprehensive way. This is unfortunate as such research could significantly inform and support the effectiveness of youth and student ministries. As such, this article explored the religious lives of students at a university in the Gauteng province of South Africa, focusing specifically on students’ self-assessed religiosity, the maturity of their religious attitudes, their spiritual well-being, the religious practices in which they engage and the relationship between such practices and their spiritual well-being. Gender, racial and religious differences concerning these variables were also investigated. Data were collected from 356 undergraduate students by means of a structured survey consisting of the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire, the Religious Fundamentalism Scale and two other scales aimed at assessing religiosity and religious practices. Results indicated that 98.9% of participants were religious with the majority (86.9% being Christian. Generally, students espoused highly fundamentalist religious attitudes but had high levels of spiritual well-being. Prayer and virtual or in-person attendance of religious gatherings such as church services were the most prevalent religious practices whereas fasting and meditation were practiced least. All practices were positively correlated with students’ spiritual well-being. Based on these findings, the article concludes with several specific, practical recommendations relevant to student ministries and those working with university students in religious contexts.

Making sense of genetic uncertainty: the role of religion and spirituality.

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White, Mary T

2009-02-15

This article argues that to the extent that religious and spiritual beliefs can help people cope with genetic uncertainty, a limited spiritual assessment may be appropriate in genetic counseling. The article opens by establishing why genetic information is inherently uncertain and why this uncertainty can be medically, morally, and spiritually problematic. This is followed by a review of the range of factors that can contribute to risk assessments, including a few heuristics commonly used in responses to uncertainty. The next two sections summarize recent research on the diverse roles of religious and spiritual beliefs in genetic decisions and challenges to conducting spiritual assessments in genetic counseling. Based on these findings, religious and spiritual beliefs are posited as serving essentially as a heuristic that some people will utilize in responding to their genetic risks. In the interests of helping such clients make informed decisions, a limited spiritual assessment is recommended and described. Some of the challenges and risks associated with this limited assessment are discussed. Since some religious and spiritual beliefs can conflict with the values of medicine, some decisions will remain problematic. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Association of spiritual/religious coping with depressive symptoms in high- and low-risk pregnant women.

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Vitorino, Luciano M; Chiaradia, Raíssa; Low, Gail; Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Pargament, Kenneth I; Lucchetti, Alessandra L G; Lucchetti, Giancarlo

2018-02-01

To investigate the role of spiritual/religious coping (SRC) on depressive symptoms in high- and low-risk pregnant women. Spiritual/religious coping is associated with physical and mental health outcomes. However, only few studies investigated the role of these strategies during pregnancy and whether low- and high-risk pregnant women have different coping mechanisms. This study is a cross-sectional comparative study. This study included a total of 160 pregnant women, 80 with low-risk pregnancy and 80 with high-risk pregnancy. The Beck Depression Inventory, the brief SRC scale and a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and obstetric aspects were used. General linear model regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with positive and negative SRC strategies in both groups of pregnant women. Positive SRC use was high, whereas negative SRC use was low in both groups. Although we found no difference in SRC strategies between the two groups, negative SRC was associated with depression in women with high-risk pregnancy, but not in those with low-risk pregnancy. Furthermore, positive SRC was not associated with depressive symptoms in both groups. Results showed that only the negative SRC strategies of Brazilian women with high-risk pregnancies were associated with worsened mental health outcomes. Healthcare professionals, obstetricians and nurse midwives should focus on the use of negative SRC strategies in their pregnant patients. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spiritual Well-Being as a Component of Health-Related Quality of Life: The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp

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Jason M. Bredle

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-12 is a 12-item questionnaire that measures spiritual well-being in people with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Cancer patients, psychotherapists, and religious/spiritual experts provided input on the development of the items. It was validated with a large, ethnically diverse sample. It has been successfully used to assess spiritual well-being across a wide range of religious traditions, including those who identify themselves as “spiritual yet not religious.” Part of the larger FACIT measurement system that assesses multidimensional health related quality of life (HRQOL, the FACIT-Sp-12 has been translated and linguistically validated in 15 languages and has been used in dozens of studies examining the relationships among spiritual well-being, health, and adjustment to illness.

Spiritual Well-Being as a Component of Health-Related Quality of Life: The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp)

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Bredle, Jason M.; Salsman, John M.; Debb, Scott M.; Arnold, Benjamin J.; Cella, David

2011-01-01

The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-12) is a 12-item questionnaire that measures spiritual well-being in people with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Cancer patients, psychotherapists, and religious/spiritual experts provided input on the development of the items. It was validated with a large, ethnically diverse sample. It has been successfully used to assess spiritual well-being across a wide range of religious traditions, including those w...

Youth Mentoring and Spiritual Development

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Rhodes, Jean E.; Chan, Christian S.

2008-01-01

Religious organizations offer a potentially rich pool of caring adults who are driven by their own spiritual commitments and a strong ethic to serve others. Indeed, more Americans volunteer through religious organizations than through any other venue. Religious organizations account for half of all volunteering, with an estimated 60 percent of the…

Spiritual disclosure between older adolescents and their mothers.

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Brelsford, Gina M; Mahoney, Annette

2008-02-01

This study examines the role of spiritual disclosure within older adolescent-mother relationships. Spiritual disclosure is defined as mutual disclosure of personal religious and spiritual beliefs and practices. Three hundred 18- to 20-year-old college students and 130 of their mothers reported on spiritual disclosure in their relationships. According to both parties, greater spiritual disclosure was related to higher relationship satisfaction, greater use of collaborative conflict resolution strategies, less dysfunctional communication patterns, less verbal aggression, and increased general disclosure in mother-adolescent relationships beyond global religiousness and demographics. Spiritual disclosure also predicted unique variance in collaborative conflict resolution strategies beyond these factors and general disclosure. The findings underscore the value of attending to the interpersonal dimension of religion/spirituality. More specifically, the results suggest that spiritual disclosure is an indicator of relationship quality, one that is tied to better relationship functioning, and one that merits further attention in studies of family dynamics.

[Spirituality and ethics in psychosomatic medicine].

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Irmiš, Felix

2015-01-01

A patient has to cope with an illness on a physical, mental and spiritual level. There exists a difference between religiousness and spirituality even though the approach has a common foundation. Nonreligious spirituality relates to an inner experience, transcendent states of consciousness, meaningfulness, responsibility, sympathy, ethics, humanisation, faith. We encounter the spiritual point of view in humanistic psychotherapy, pastoral medicine, work of hospital chaplains, New Age, psychotherapies with religious and alternative aspects, transpersonal psychotherapy, psycho-spiritual crises, unusual states of consciousness, in meditation, Yoga, relaxation, kinesiology, ethicotherapy, reincarnation therapy, positive motivation, holotropic breathing, etc. There is description of different degrees of spiritual development, rational and irrational feeling of spirituality, Quantum Physics, spiritual intelligence, neuro-theology, physiological change, effects on improving adaptation during stress, drugs addiction, etc. Spirituality in relation with ethics is discussed in terms of socio-biology, evolution, emotions, aggressivity, genetics and social influence. The work analyses the effect of stressful situations on the deterioration of moral attitudes: during lack of time, obedience to authority and order. It is described how temperament and personality disorders can affect perception of spirituality, guilt feeling and conscience. Stressful situations, lack of time, relying only on the auxiliary objective methods leads to alienation of physician with a patient. Spirituality can partially improve the doctor-patient relationship, communication and sense of responsibility.

Ayurveda: Between Religion, Spirituality, and Medicine

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Kessler, C.; Wischnewsky, M.; Michalsen, A.; Eisenmann, C.; Melzer, J.

2013-01-01

Ayurveda is playing a growing part in Europe. Questions regarding the role of religion and spirituality within Ayurveda are discussed widely. Yet, there is little data on the influence of religious and spiritual aspects on its European diffusion. Methods. A survey was conducted with a new questionnaire. It was analysed by calculating frequency variables and testing differences in distributions with the χ 2-Test. Principal Component Analyses with Varimax Rotation were performed. Results. 140 questionnaires were analysed. Researchers found that individual religious and spiritual backgrounds influence attitudes and expectations towards Ayurveda. Statistical relationships were found between religious/spiritual backgrounds and decisions to offer/access Ayurveda. Accessing Ayurveda did not exclude the simultaneous use of modern medicine and CAM. From the majority's perspective Ayurveda is simultaneously a science, medicine, and a spiritual approach. Conclusion. Ayurveda seems to be able to satisfy the individual needs of therapists and patients, despite worldview differences. Ayurvedic concepts are based on anthropologic assumptions including different levels of existence in healing approaches. Thereby, Ayurveda can be seen in accordance with the prerequisites for a Whole Medical System. As a result of this, intimate and individual therapist-patient relationships can emerge. Larger surveys involving bigger participant numbers with fully validated questionnaires are warranted to support these results. PMID:24368928

The Role of Spirituality in Coping with Visual Impairment

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Yampolsky, Maya A.; Wittich, Walter; Webb, Gail; Overbury, Olga

2008-01-01

Spirituality and coping behaviors were measured in 85 individuals with visual impairments aged 23 to 97. A regression analysis indicated that the religious well-being subscale of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale is a significant predictor of adaptive coping behaviors, indicating that higher religious well-being facilitates adaptive coping. (Contains…

Spiritual beliefs in bipolar affective disorder: their relevance for illness management.

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Mitchell, Logan; Romans, Sarah

2003-08-01

There has been growing interest in investigating religion as a relevant element in illness outcome. Having religious beliefs has been shown repeatedly to be associated with lessened rates of depression. Most of the limited published research has been restricted to elderly samples. Religious coping is thought to play a key role in religion's effects. Strangely, psychiatric research has neglected this area. A questionnaire covering religious, spiritual and philosophical beliefs and religious practice was given to a sample of patients with bipolar affective disorder in remission. Most patients often held strong religious or spiritual beliefs (78%) and practised their religion frequently (81.5%). Most saw a direct link between their beliefs and the management of their illness. Many used religious coping, and often religio-spiritual beliefs and practice put them in conflict with illness models (24%) and advice (19%) used by their medical advisors. This was a cross-sectional design without a control group and thus it is not possible to determine causal associations from the data set. Religio-spiritual ideas are of great salience to many patients with bipolar disorder and shape the ways in which they think about their illness. Many reported experiencing significant paradigm conflict in understanding and managing their illness between medical and their spiritual advisors. These data suggest that the whole area of religion and spirituality is directly relevant to people living with a chronic psychiatric illness and should be firmly on the discussion agenda of clinicians working with patients with bipolar disorder.

Promoting Spiritual Ideals through Design Thinking in Public Schools

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Tan, Charlene; Wong, Yew-Leong

2012-01-01

Against a backdrop of the debates on religious education in public or state schools, we argue for the introduction of "spiritual ideals" into the public school curriculum. We distinguish our notion of spiritual ideals from "religious ideals" as conceptualised by De Ruyter and Merry. While we agree with De Ruyter and Merry that…

Spirituality in cancer care at the end of life.

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Ferrell, Betty; Otis-Green, Shirley; Economou, Denice

2013-01-01

There is a compelling need to integrate spirituality into the provision of quality palliative care by oncology professionals. Patients and families report the importance of spiritual, existential, and religious concerns throughout the cancer trajectory. Leading palliative care organizations have developed guidelines that define spiritual care and offer recommendations to guide the delivery of spiritual services. There is growing recognition that all team members require the skills to provide generalist spiritual support. Attention to person-centered, family-focused oncology care requires the development of a health care environment that is prepared to support the religious, spiritual, and cultural practices preferred by patients and their families. These existential concerns become especially critical at end of life and following the death for family survivors. Oncology professionals require education to prepare them to appropriately screen, assess, refer, and/or intervene for spiritual distress.

An exploration of religion and spirituality among young, HIV-infected gay and bisexual men in the USA.

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Jeffries, William L; Okeke, Janice O; Gelaude, Deborah J; Torrone, Elizabeth A; Gasiorowicz, Mari; Oster, Alexandra M; McCree, Donna Hubbard; Bertolli, Jeanne

2014-01-01

Although religion and spirituality can promote healthy behaviours and mental well-being, negative religious experiences may harm sexual minority men's health. Despite increasing vulnerability to HIV infection among young gay and bisexual men, few studies examine how religion and spirituality might affect them. To this end, we interviewed young gay and bisexual men who were diagnosed with HIV infection during January 2006-June 2009. Questionnaires assessed religious service attendance, disclosure of sexuality within religious communities, and beliefs about homosexuality being sinful. A subset described religious and spiritual experiences in qualitative interviews. We calculated the prevalence of religion- and spirituality-related factors and identified themes within qualitative interviews. Among men completing questionnaires, 66% currently attended religious services, 16% believed they could disclose their sexuality at church, and 37% believed homosexuality was sinful. Participants who completed qualitative interviews commonly discussed religious attendance and negative experiences within religious settings. They often expressed their spirituality through prayer, and some used it to cope with adverse experiences. These data suggest that religion and spirituality are notable factors that shape young, HIV-infected gay and bisexual men's social contexts. Programmes and interventions that constructively engage with religious institutions and are sensitive to spiritual beliefs may promote these men's health.

Spiritual practices of taoism

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Yulia L. Butko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the article the spiritual practices of Taoism. Established that the spiritual path in Taoism is the main ultimate goal - achieving eternal, indestructible personality transformation through meditation and the reduction of lower mental strength to their upper classes. To achieve this, the Taoist practices, special practices that include, along with the meditative contemplation technique classes and various gymnastics, breathing exercises and the like, and (for a significant period of its history - Laboratory (“foreign” alchemy. Among the spiritual practices of Taoism is the main meditation that has little to do with certain external techniques. Taoist meditation leads people to unity, the only person that connects with the cosmos and society. The author concluded that the path of self-improvement Taoist, under the guidance of a teacher, is a series of distinct stages, gaining purely individual instruction. Spiritual practices like Taoist, were widely known in other religious and philosophical systems. However, the semantics of Taoist practices are significantly different, as well as their function in the structure of religious practices in general.

The role of religious faith, spirituality and existential considerations among heart patients in a secular society: relation to depressive symptoms 6 months post acute coronary syndrome.

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Bekke-Hansen, Sidsel; Pedersen, Christina G; Thygesen, Kristian; Christensen, Søren; Waelde, Lynn C; Zachariae, Robert

2014-06-01

We explored the significance of religious faith/coping and spirituality and existential considerations reported during hospitalisation on depressive symptoms at 6-month follow-up and addressed patients' perceived influence of their faith among 97 consecutive acute coronary syndrome patients (72.2% male patients; mean age, 60.6 years) in a secular society. All faith variables were found unrelated to depressive symptoms. Having unambiguous religious or spiritual faith at follow-up was associated with a perceived positive influence of this faith on quality of life and the disease itself compared to patients with ambiguous faith. These findings underscore the importance of examining degrees of faith in secular settings. © The Author(s) 2013.

“Wherefore She Made Suit”: African Women’s Religious and Spiritual Determinism in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century England

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Tamara Lewis

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Historical evidence of early modern English religious communities demonstrate that culturally negative perceptions of skin color and ethnicity contributed to theological notions of black inferiority which supported societal hierarchies based on racial and gender discrimination. This essay analyzes three accounts of a group typically ignored by religious scholars on early modern England: sixteenth and seventeenth century African women. Despite living in a period that arguably witnessed the ideological birth and development of the racial construct in tandem with British colonialist and imperialist expansionism, these women defiantly crafted their own brand of spiritual determinism to wield personal agency in the face of racist theological discourse, ecclesiastical institutions, and legal authorities.

Secular, Spiritual, and Religious Existential Concerns of Women with Ovarian Cancer during Final Diagnostics and Start of Treatment

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Seibæk, Lene; Hounsgaard, Lise; Hvidt, Niels Christian

2013-01-01

resources of comfort and meaning. Conclusion. Hope and courage to face life represent significant personal resources that are created not only in the interplay between body and mind but also between patients and their healthcare professionals. The women dealt with this in a dialectical manner, so that hope...... a woman with ovarian cancer during her first treatment period. Although the women experienced their health to be seriously threatened, they also felt hope, will, and courage. The diagnostic procedures and treatment had comprehensive impact on their lives. However, hope and spirituality were important...... and despair could be present simultaneously. In this process secular, spiritual, and religious existential meaning orientations assisted the women in creating new narratives and obtain new orientations in life....

Librarians without Borders? Virtual Reference Service to Unaffiliated Users

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Kibbee, Jo

2006-01-01

The author investigates issues faced by academic research libraries in providing virtual reference services to unaffiliated users. These libraries generally welcome visitors who use on-site collections and reference services, but are these altruistic policies feasible in a virtual environment? This paper reviews the use of virtual reference…

Spirituality as a Predictor of Guilt and Shame among Lesbian and Gay Adults

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Oliver, Jonie

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship among constructs related to spirituality (religious/spiritual practice, religious/spiritual belief, sense of purpose/connection, and sense of hope/control) and reported degree of likelihood to feel guilt and shame among individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. If clear…

Sound Heart: Spiritual Nursing Care Model from Religious Viewpoint.

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Asadzandi, Minoo

2017-12-01

Different methods of epistemology create different philosophical views. None of the nursing theories have employed the revelational epistemology and the philosophical views of Abrahamic religions. According to Abrahamic religions, the universe and human being have been created based on God's affection. Human being should deserve the position of God's representative on earth after achieving all ethical merits. Humans have willpower to shape their destiny by choosing manner of their relationship with God, people, themselves and the whole universe. They can adopt the right behavior by giving a divine color to their thoughts and intentions and thus attain peace and serenity in their heart. Health means having a sound heart (calm spirit with a sense of hope and love, security and happiness) that is achievable through faith and piety. Moral vices lead to diseases. Human beings are able to purge their inside (heart) through establishing a relationship with God and then take actions to reform the outside world. The worlds are run by God's will based on prudence and mercy. All events happen with God's authorization, and human beings have to respond to them. Nurses should try to recognize the patient's spiritual response to illness that can appear as symptoms of an unsound heart (fear, sadness, disappointment, anger, jealousy, cruelty, grudge, suspicion, etc.) due to the pains caused by illness and then alleviate the patient's suffering by appropriate approaches. Nurses help the patient to achieve the sound heart by hope in divine mercy and love, and they help the patient see good in any evil and relieve their fear and sadness by viewing their illness positively and then attain the status of calm, satisfaction, peace and serenity in their heart and being content with the divine fate. By invitation to religious morality, the model leads the patients to spiritual health.

Illness narratives in cancer: CAM and spiritual practices

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Ulrich, Anita; Evron, Lotte; Ostenfeld-Rosenthal, Ann

2011-01-01

Objectives: In this paper,we investigate Danish cancer patients’ narratives on spiritual beliefs and practices and the relationship these practices may have to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Design: Narrative inquiry is used to uncover how spiritual beliefs and practices may......, religious and spiritual issues were not extensively unfolded in participants’ illness narratives. However, these issues were significantly elaborated on in narratives by four female participants. Conclusion: We propose that for some cancer patients CAM may function, not only or primarily as a treatment...... for cancer related symptoms and side effects, but as a spiritual practice as well. For some individuals this may be true to an even higher extent than in established religious institutions....

Spiritual well-being of patients with multiple sclerosis.

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Allahbakhshian, Maryam; Jafarpour, Mahshid; Parvizi, Soroor

2011-01-01

Spiritual well-being is one of the fundamental concepts in chronic diseases which create meaning and purpose in life and is an important approach in promoting general health and quality of life. This study performed to determine the level of spiritual health and its dimensions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). 236 members of Iranian MS Society were volunteered to participate in a descriptive co-relational study. Spiritual well-being was evaluated by The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) questionnaires in two religious and Existential dimensions. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to analyse the data. The majority of patients (% 97.9) showed moderate spiritual well-being (mean score = 74.3, SD= 8.90). Although Existential well-being (mean score = 40.3, SD= 5.51) was higher than religious well- being (mean score = 33.9, SD= 4.88). A significant relationship was seen between economic status and the spiritual well-being. The results emphasize on the necessity of spiritual well-being as an effective factor on different aspects of these patients' life. This key point is useful and even necessary to be considered to design programs of care and cure for these patients in a country (like Iran) with cultural and religious beliefs. On the other hand, patients' economic status should be considered.

[Religion and spirituality, definitions and challenges].

Science.gov (United States)

de Quercize, Anne-Sophie; Pian, Christian

2015-10-01

Understanding religious teachings and the religious dimension in our societies is not made any easier with a discourse that is often lacking in rigor for dealing with this reality. Some basic notions need to be clarified to better define the religious and the spiritual. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Religion, Spirituality, and the Hidden Curriculum: Medical Student and Faculty Reflections.

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Balboni, Michael J; Bandini, Julia; Mitchell, Christine; Epstein-Peterson, Zachary D; Amobi, Ada; Cahill, Jonathan; Enzinger, Andrea C; Peteet, John; Balboni, Tracy

2015-10-01

Religion and spirituality play an important role in physicians' medical practice, but little research has examined their influence within the socialization of medical trainees and the hidden curriculum. The objective is to explore the role of religion and spirituality as they intersect with aspects of medicine's hidden curriculum. Semiscripted, one-on-one interviews and focus groups (n = 33 respondents) were conducted to assess Harvard Medical School student and faculty experiences of religion/spirituality and the professionalization process during medical training. Using grounded theory, theme extraction was performed with interdisciplinary input (medicine, sociology, and theology), yielding a high inter-rater reliability score (kappa = 0.75). Three domains emerged where religion and spirituality appear as a factor in medical training. First, religion/spirituality may present unique challenges and benefits in relation to the hidden curriculum. Religious/spiritual respondents more often reported to struggle with issues of personal identity, increased self-doubt, and perceived medical knowledge inadequacy. However, religious/spiritual participants less often described relationship conflicts within the medical team, work-life imbalance, and emotional stress arising from patient suffering. Second, religion/spirituality may influence coping strategies during encounters with patient suffering. Religious/spiritual trainees described using prayer, faith, and compassion as means for coping whereas nonreligious/nonspiritual trainees discussed compartmentalization and emotional repression. Third, levels of religion/spirituality appear to fluctuate in relation to medical training, with many trainees experiencing an increase in religiousness/spirituality during training. Religion/spirituality has a largely unstudied but possibly influential role in medical student socialization. Future study is needed to characterize its function within the hidden curriculum. Copyright �

Quality-of-life and spirituality.

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Panzini, Raquel Gehrke; Mosqueiro, Bruno Paz; Zimpel, Rogério R; Bandeira, Denise Ruschel; Rocha, Neusa S; Fleck, Marcelo P

2017-06-01

Spirituality has been identified as an important dimension of quality-of-life. The objective of this study was to review the literature on quality-of-life and spirituality, their association, and assessment tools. A search was conducted of the keyterms 'quality-of-life' and 'spirituality' in abstract or title in the databases PsycINFO and PubMed/Medline between 1979-2005, complemented by a new search at PUBMED from 2006-2016. Quality-of-life is a new concept, which encompasses and transcends the concept of health, being composed of multiple domains: physical, psychological, environmental, among others. The missing measure in health has been defined as the individual's perception of their position in life in the context of culture and value system in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns. There is consistent evidence of an association between quality-of-life and religiosity/spirituality (R/S), through studies with reasonable methodological rigour, using several variables to assess R/S (e.g. religious affiliation, religious coping, and prayer/spirituality). There are also several valid and reliable instruments to evaluate quality-of-life and spirituality. Further studies are needed, however, especially in Brazil. Such studies will provide empirical data to be used in planning health interventions based on spirituality, seeking a better quality-of-life. In the last 10 years, research is consistently growing about quality-of-life and spirituality in many countries, and also in many areas of health research.

Spiritual leadership: a new model.

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Wolf, Emily J

2004-01-01

Recent unethical business practices of some corporations and the overall loss of confidence by the public in corporate leadership have given rise to a unique leadership model--one that focuses on spirituality. "Ninety percent of our diverse American population and health-care workforce have spiritual and religious beliefs. While these beliefs may be mystical, religious, or secular, there are many common patterns that influence change and leadership within our organizations." So says Gary Strack, CHE, president and chief executive officer of Boca Raton (FL) Community Hospital. Strack presented a seminar on the topic at ACHE's 2003 Congress on Healthcare Management.

Race, Religion, and Spirituality for Asian American Students

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Park, Julie J.; Dizon, Jude Paul Matias

2017-01-01

This chapter describes how race, ethnicity, religion, and spirituality uniquely interact for Asian American college students, including a discussion of the diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds of this population.

Politics of faith: Transforming religious communities and spiritual subjectivities in post-apartheid South Africa

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Haley McEwen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The enforcement of racial segregation during apartheid was aimed not only at regulating public spaces, residential areas and the workforce, but also at shaping the subjectivities of individuals who were socialised to see themselves through the lens of a white racial hierarchy. The ideology of white supremacy and superiority that informed apartheid policy was largely justified using Christonormative epistemologies that sought to legitimate the racial hierarchy as having basis in Holy Scripture and as an extension of God’s will. At the same time, apartheid policy fragmented religious communities, entrenching race as a central component of spiritual subjectivities. Twenty years after the end of apartheid, the legacy of apartheid continues to shape the lives and opportunities of all people living in South Africa, despite many gains made in working towards a non-racial, non-sexist democracy. While much scholarly attention has been paid to postapartheid contexts of work, residency and recreation, relatively little attention has been paid to spaces of worship. This is surprising, given that religious belief and practice are widespread in South Africa in the first instance, and that Christian belief, in particular, was so central to the social imaginary of apartheid, in the second. Thus, in efforts to transform society and advance social justice, it is imperative to consider diversity, difference and otherness from the perspective of, and in relation to, contemporary religious communities and contexts. This article will consider some of the factors shaping dynamics of diversity and difference within the context of religious communities in South Africa, over 20 years into democracy.

Integrating Religion and Spirituality into Mental Health Care, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

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René Hefti

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Integrating spirituality into mental health care, psychiatry and psychotherapy is still controversial, albeit a growing body of evidence is showing beneficial effects and a real need for such integration. In this review, past and recent research as well as evidence from the integrative concept of a Swiss clinic is summarized. Religious coping is highly prevalent among patients with psychiatric disorders. Surveys indicate that 70–80% use religious or spiritual beliefs and activities to cope with daily difficulties and frustrations. Religion may help patients to enhance emotional adjustment and to maintain hope, purpose and meaning. Patients emphasize that serving a purpose beyond one’s self can make it possible to live with what might otherwise be unbearable. Programs successfully incorporating spirituality into clinical practice are described and discussed. Studies indicate that the outcome of psychotherapy in religious patients can be enhanced by integrating religious elements into the therapy protocol and that this can be successfully done by religious and non-religious therapists alike.

Pekerja Rumah Tangga (PRT dan penerimaan terhadap makna spiritual dalam tayangan religi di televisi

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Reny Triwardani

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Religious soap opera is a tv shows that display story and culture which related to Islam within its story line. Different representations within religoius soap opera could lead to various interpretations. The text displayed posses dynamic values, particularly about how a text receive a value after being consumed by its audience. This research aims to describe audience acceptance level of spiritual meaning in religion tv shows. TV programs that had been observed were Layar kemilau (MNC TV and sinema Pintu Taubat (Indosiar. This research uses descriptive qualitative method with in depth interview using 3 informants. Stuart Hall acceptance analysis was was used to identify two from three different affeptance models; dominant and negotiating. This research identify dominant and negotiating audience as informant to answer the research question. Informant background, peer group influence, the need of enterainment and audience gender were founded as significant inlfluencer of domestic workers’ decision to watch religion soap opera in TV. This research shows that different interpretation obtained the audience can be reciprocal or contradict with the content of religious soap opera in TV

Narrating spiritual well-being in relationship to positive psychology and religion

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B. van Rooyen

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Constructed as new and located in the discourse of positive psychology, “spiritual well-being” is a signifier with a (hisstory in which one possible reading is highlighted in this postmodern (deconstructive narrative. The construction of “spiritual + well-being” could be narrated as a secularisation of the religious by positivist psy-complex knowledges, where spiritual well-being is reconstructed as a measurable outcome. Or it could be nar-rated as a “spiritualisation” of the psy-complex by religious knowledges, with measurable well-being becoming dependent on the pursuit of the postmodern, multiple-storied spiritual/ religious features. As the psy-complex has followed medicine from a focus on pathology to a focus on holistic wellness, it has found itself in the religious realm which it has simultaneously centred and marginalised. Additionally, as the psy-complex has moved from measuring illness to measuring wellness, it could be described as having constructed new categories of non-well-being or ill-being.

Transcendence, religion and spirituality in medicine: Medical students' point of view.

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Rassoulian, Anahita; Seidman, Charles; Löffler-Stastka, Henriette

2016-09-01

To explore how medical students-the doctors of tomorrow-reflect upon meeting the spiritual needs of their patients, and whether they have reflected on their own religious or spiritual beliefs, or not. The study also investigates to what extent the students feel comfortable with addressing spiritual issues in their patient care, and whether they feel this is beyond their role as medical doctors.A self-administered questionnaire was developed. The survey was administered in teaching classes at the medical university of Vienna. One thousand four hundred (836 women and 564 men) students responded, laying the foundation for a thorough statistical analysis.59.5% of the students had reflected on their own belief concepts, 21.9% consider themselves religious, and 20.1% see themselves as spiritual individuals. 75.6% of the students agreed with the statement that religious conviction/spirituality might have an effect on how cancer patients cope. 85.9% would consider talking with their patients about religious/spiritual issues if patients wish to do so. 86.3% would involve chaplains if they feel it is necessary.The results of this study suggest that future doctors want to see the patient in a wider scope than the bio-psycho-social one, by including the meta-dimension of transcendence.

ENHANCING SPIRITUALISM IN VIRTUAL WORLD

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Kiran Lata DANGWAL

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Spiritualism is one word which puts man on the highest plinth of life. Spirituality is the way we find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in life. Spirituality in the virtual World is generally known as Virtual Spirituality. A goldmine of wisdom from all kinds of religious and spiritual philosophies, traditions and practices can be found in virtual World now. Technology and Spirituality together forms the material to which man can incline on to and work for the development of a globe in which war will be considered a taboo and violence a rejected dogma. Therefore there is an urgent nee to made the world a safe place to live in and the spiritual reconstruction can help us in achieving this.Spiritualism, Virtual World, Online Technology.

The spirituality of 'atheist' student in the secondary school of Athena royal of René Magritte of Lessines

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Derjacques, Erica Agnes Rita

2017-01-01

This thesis analyses the spirituality of adolescent in two public schools in Belgium. The analysis is done using the book, Cultivating the spirit: How college can enhance students' inner lives by Jennifer Lindholm, Alexander and Helen Astin. The study focused on Five Spiritual Qualities: Spiritual Quest; Equanimity; Ethic of Caring; Charitable Involvement; and Ecumenical Worldview and Five Religious Qualities: Religious Commitment; Religious Engagement; Religious/Social Conservatism; Religiou...

Leaving my religion: Understanding the relationship between religious disaffiliation, health, and well-being.

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Fenelon, Andrew; Danielsen, Sabrina

2016-05-01

Religious disaffiliation-leaving the religious tradition in which one was raised for no religious affiliation in adulthood-has become more common in recent years, though few studies have examined its consequences for the health and well-being of individuals. We use an innovative approach, comparing the health and subjective well-being of religious disaffiliates to those who remain affiliated using pooled General Social Survey samples from 1973 through 2012. We find that religious disaffiliates experience poorer health and lower well-being than those consistently affiliated and those who are consistently unaffiliated. We also demonstrate that the disadvantage for those who leave religious traditions is completely mediated by the frequency of church attendance, as disaffiliates attend church less often. Our results point to the importance of the social processes surrounding religious disaffiliation and emphasize the role of dynamics in the relationship between religious affiliation and health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Can Spirituality Affect Your Family's Health?

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... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español How Can Spirituality Affect Your Family's Health? KidsHealth / For Parents / ... found among those who strictly practiced their religion. Can Spiritual Beliefs Enhance Parenting? Attending organized religious services ...

Development of the Sources of Spirituality Scale.

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Davis, Don E; Rice, Kenneth; Hook, Joshua N; Van Tongeren, Daryl R; DeBlaere, Cirleen; Choe, Elise; Worthington, Everett L

2015-07-01

Most measures of spirituality privilege religious spirituality, but people may experience spirituality in a variety of ways, including a sense of closeness, oneness, or connection with a theistic being, the transcendent (i.e., something outside space and time), oneself, humanity, or nature. The overall purpose of the present 4 studies was to develop the Sources of Spirituality (SOS) Scale to measure these different elements of spirituality. In Study 1, we created items, had them reviewed by experts, and used data from a sample of undergraduates (N = 218) to evaluate factor structure and inform initial measurement revisions. The factor structure replicated well in another sample of undergraduates (N = 200; Study 2), and in a sample of community adults (N = 140; Study 3). In a sample of undergraduates (N = 200; Study 4), we then evaluated evidence of construct validity by examining associations between SOS Scale scores and religious commitment, positive attitudes toward the Sacred, and dispositional connection with nature. Moreover, based on latent profile analyses results, we found 5 distinct patterns of spirituality based on SOS subscales. We consider implications for therapy and relevance of the findings for models of spirituality and future research. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

"Oh, yeah, I'm getting closer to god": spirituality and religiousness of family caregivers of cancer patients undergoing palliative care.

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Paiva, Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro; Carvalho, André Lopes; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Barroso, Eliane Marçon; Paiva, Carlos Eduardo

2015-08-01

Within the cancer palliative care setting, where both patients and family caregivers (FCs) undergo a transition from the end of curative treatment to palliative therapy, spirituality and religiousness (S/R) may be a strategy to help the patients and FCs better cope with the disease, in addition to exerting a positive impact on symptoms, particularly emotional symptoms. The present study aimed to understand how S/R influence FCs of cancer patients undergoing palliative care. This study was an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. The qualitative approach to the data was based on Bardin's content analysis technique. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ-32) was used in the description of the results. Thirty FCs of individuals with advanced cancer undergoing palliative care were included. Analysis of the FCs' narratives indicated that the FCs considered that religiousness and faith in God or a Supreme Being provide them with the strength to cope with the suffering associated with the care of relatives with advanced cancer. Many FCs emphasized that talking about God was somehow comforting and made them feel at peace with themselves. Four categories were identified in the FCs' narratives: (1) increase in faith and closeness to God becomes stronger, (2) rethink life issues, (3) negative interference in the extrinsic religiosity, and (4) quest for religiousness to gain strength or support. A conceptual framework was developed. The results of the present study indicated that S/R are a coping strategy frequently used by FCs of individuals with advanced cancer. The perceptions of the FCs interviewed in the present study corresponded to the four distinct categories related to spirituality and religiousness.

Emerging Adult Religiosity and Spirituality: Linking Beliefs, Values, and Ethical Decision-Making

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Patricia Snell Herzog

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper challenges the “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR category as a methodological artifact caused by interacting two closed-ended survey items into binary combinations. Employing a theoretically rich approach, this study maps the multiple ways in which the religious and the spiritual combine for emerging adults. Results indicate that most emerging adults have a tacit sense of morality, displaying limited cognitive access to how moral reasoning relates to religious and spiritual orientations. This longitudinal study investigates efforts to raise moral awareness through: exposure to diverse religious and spiritual orientations, personal reflection, and collective discussion. Relative to control groups, emerging adults in this study display increases in moral awareness. We combine the results of these studies to formulate a theoretical framework for the ways in which beliefs, values, and ethical decision-making connect in expressing plural combinations of religiosity and spirituality. The implication is that direct attention to religiosity and spirituality — not avoidance of — appears to facilitate ethical decision-making.

Sanctification and spiritual disclosure in parent-child relationships: implications for family relationship quality.

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Brelsford, Gina M

2013-08-01

Social scientific research on family life, religion, and spirituality tends to focus on global religiousness and spirituality with few studies seeking to understand interpersonal religious and spiritual contributors, namely sanctification and spiritual disclosure, from multiple family members' perspectives. This study explored 91 mother-college student and 64 father-college student dyads who rated their use of spiritual disclosure and theistic and nontheistic sanctification of the parent-child dyad in relation to parent-child relationship quality (e.g., parent-child relationship satisfaction and open communication). Results indicate significant positive links between higher levels of spiritual disclosure and greater theistic and nontheistic sanctification, for mothers, fathers, and their children. However, only greater nontheistic sanctification and higher levels spiritual disclosure were significantly related to increased parent-child relationship quality. Through use of Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs) results indicated unique contributions of spiritual disclosure to parent-child relationship quality above nontheistic sanctification for open communication in the family. However, full models, which included nontheistic sanctification and spiritual disclosure, predict college students' relationship satisfaction with their mothers and fathers. Implications for interpersonal religiousness and spirituality as contributors to familial relationship quality in research and practice are discussed. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Nurse education and willingness to provide spiritual care.

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Wu, Li-Fen; Tseng, Hui-Chen; Liao, Yu-Chen

2016-03-01

Spiritual care is a critical part of holistic care, and nurses require adequate preparation to address the spiritual needs of patients. However, nurses' willingness to provide such care has rarely been reported. Hence, nurses' education, and knowledge of spiritual care, as well as their willingness to provide it require further study. A convenience sample of 200 nurses participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected using a 21-item Spiritual Care Needs Inventory (content validity index=.87; Cronbach's alpha=.96). The majority of participants were female (96.5%, n=193) between 21 and 59years old (mean=35.1years). Moreover, the majority of participants had a Bachelor's degree (74.0%, n=148) and 1-36years of clinical experience (mean=12.13years). Regarding religious beliefs, 63 (31.5%) had no religious belief, and 93 (46.5%) did not engage in any religious activity. Overall, the nurses were willing to provide spiritual care, although only 25 (12.5%) felt that they had received adequate education. The findings of this study indicate the need for further educational preparation in spiritual care for nurses. Specifically, additional teaching materials are required that are more directly related to spiritual care. Greater emphasis should be placed on different subject areas in school-based education, continuing education, and self-learning education according to the needs of nurses. Since spiritual care education needs policy support, in-depth discussions should take place regarding the approach and cultural environment for providing spiritual care in future nursing courses. Moreover, further studies should investigate barriers in providing spiritual nursing care to patients and whether they are the results of a lack of relevant knowledge or other factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Religiousness is positively associated with quality of life of ALS caregivers.

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Calvo, Andrea; Moglia, Cristina; Ilardi, Antonio; Cammarosano, Stefania; Gallo, Sara; Canosa, Antonio; Mastro, Enza; Montuschi, Anna; Chiò, Adriano

2011-05-01

It has been repeatedly shown that religiousness and spirituality have positive effects on quality of life (QoL) and outcome in ALS patients. here are, however, very few data on the impact of religiousness/spirituality on ALS caregivers. We determined the impact of religiousness on caregivers and its correlation with quality of life, depression and anxiety. A total of 75 consecutive ALS patients and their informal caregivers were interviewed using tests evaluating religiousness, depression, anxiety, quality of life and satisfaction with life. Results showed that there was a significant correlation between patients and caregivers' public and total religiousness. Caregivers' private religiousness was related to their age and education level, while their public religiousness was related only to their education level. Caregivers' quality of life was related to their private religiousness and satisfaction with life with their total religiousness. We conclude that religiousness is positively associated with ALS caregivers' quality of life and satisfaction with life, in a measure similar to that observed in ALS patients. Health care professionals caring for ALS patients should consider that the needs of the caregivers include religious/spiritual concerns.

The Relationship Between Spirituality/Religiousness and Unhealthy Alcohol Use Among HIV-Infected Adults in Southwestern Uganda.

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Adong, Julian; Lindan, Christina; Fatch, Robin; Emenyonu, Nneka I; Muyindike, Winnie R; Ngabirano, Christine; Winter, Michael R; Lloyd-Travaglini, Christine; Samet, Jeffrey H; Cheng, Debbie M; Hahn, Judith A

2018-06-01

HIV and alcohol use are two serious and co-existing problems in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the relationship between spirituality and/or religiousness (SR) and unhealthy alcohol use among treatment-naïve HIV-infected adults attending the HIV clinic in Mbarara, Uganda. Unhealthy alcohol was defined as having either an alcohol use disorders identification test-consumption score of ≥4 for men or ≥3 for women, or having a phosphatidylethanol level of ≥50 ng/ml based on analysis of dried bloodspot specimens. Of the 447 participants, 67.8% were female; the median age was 32 years (interquartile range [IQR] 27-40). About half reported being Protestant (49.2%), 35.1% Catholic, and 9.2% Muslim. The median SR score was high (103 [IQR 89-107]); 43.3% drank at unhealthy levels. Higher SR scores were associated with lower odds of unhealthy drinking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.83 per standard deviation [SD] increase; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-1.03). The "religious behavior" SR subscale was significantly associated with unhealthy alcohol use (aOR: 0.72 per SD increase; 95% CI 0.58-0.88). Religious institutions, which facilitate expression of religious behavior, may be helpful in promoting and maintaining lower levels of alcohol use.

Leo Tolstoy the Spiritual Educator

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Moulin, Dan

2008-01-01

This paper considers the often overlooked religious and educational works of the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910). After outlining Tolstoy's life, religious and educational views, it is argued that Tolstoy has much to offer spiritual educators today. In particular, it suggests Tolstoy's insistence on the absolute and eternal nature of…

Spiritual vs. Religious: Perspectives from Today's Undergraduate Catholics

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Overstreet, Dawn V.

2010-01-01

Contemporary American college students simultaneously express both increased interest in spirituality and declining interest in traditional religion. Recent research recognizes the trend of young adults separating spirituality from religion, but utilizes varied definitions of each term developed by the researchers. This study asks students…

Spiritual meaning culturocentric education

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O. H. Rohova

2014-06-01

The spiritually­values educational sense of culture consists in changes that take place in personality during the process of culture­centering education that offers «modernisation» of civilizations component of its maintenance due to the opening of its spiritually­values essence where the symphony of secular and religious cultures acquires a value that assists providing of firmness of personality in conditions of Postmodern.

Multidimensional Assessment of Spirituality/Religion in Patients with HIV: Conceptual Framework and Empirical Refinement

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Kudel, Ian; Cotton, Sian; Leonard, Anthony C.; Tsevat, Joel; Ritchey, P. Neal

2011-01-01

A decade ago, an expert panel developed a framework for measuring spirituality/religion in health research (Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality), but empirical testing of this framework has been limited. The purpose of this study was to determine whether responses to items across multiple measures assessing spirituality/religion by 450 patients with HIV replicate this model. We hypothesized a six-factor model underlying a collective of 56 items, but results of confirmatory factor analyses suggested eight dimensions: Meaning/Peace, Tangible Connection to the Divine, Positive Religious Coping, Love/Appreciation, Negative Religious Coping, Positive Congregational Support, Negative Congregational Support, and Cultural Practices. This study corroborates parts of the factor structure underlying the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality and some recent refinements of the original framework. PMID:21136166

Spirituality in adolescent patients.

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Weaver, Meaghann S; Wratchford, Dale

2017-07-01

Adolescence, the transition between childhood and adulthood, represents a time of rapid biological, neurocognitive, and psychosocial changes. These changes have important implications for the development and evolution of adolescent spirituality, particularly for adolescents with chronic or life-limiting illnesses. To contribute positively to adolescent spiritual formation, palliative care teams benefit from understanding the normative changes expected to occur during adolescence. This paper provides a narrative review of adolescent spirituality while recognizing the role of religious, familial, and cultural influences on spiritual development during the teenage years. By giving explicit attention to the contextual norms surrounding adolescence and still recognizing each adolescent-aged patient as unique, palliative care teams can help adolescents transition toward meaningful and sustainable spiritual growth. This paper reviews the clinical and research implications relevant to integrating adolescent spiritual health as part of comprehensive palliative care.

Do spiritual patients want spiritual interventions?: A qualitative exploration of underserved cancer patients' perspectives on religion and spirituality.

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Stein, Emma M; Kolidas, Evelyn; Moadel, Alyson

2015-02-01

This study examines religion and spirituality among advanced cancer patients from an underserved, ethnically-diverse population by exploring patient conceptualizations of religion and spirituality, the role of religion and spirituality in coping with cancer, and patient interest in spiritual support. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients who had participated in a study of a "mind-body" support group for patients with all cancer types. Analysis based on grounded theory was utilized to identify themes and theoretical constructs. With regard to patient conceptualizations of religion and spirituality, three categories emerged: (1) Spirituality is intertwined with organized religion; (2) Religion is one manifestation of the broader construct of spirituality; (3) Religion and spirituality are completely independent, with spirituality being desirable and religion not. Religion and spirituality played a central role in patients' coping with cancer, providing comfort, hope, and meaning. Patients diverged when it came to spiritual support, with some enthusiastic about interventions incorporating their spiritual values and others stating that they already get this support through religious communities. Spirituality plays a central role in the cancer experience of this underserved ethnically-diverse population. While spirituality seems to be a universal concern in advanced cancer patients, the meaning of spirituality differs across individuals, with some equating it with organized religion and others taking a more individualized approach. It is important that psychosocial interventions are developed to address this concern. Future research is needed to further explore the different ways that patients conceptualize spirituality and to develop spiritually-based treatments that are not "one size fits all."

Teaching Spiritual Synchronicity in a Business Leadership Class

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Pielstick, C. Dean

2005-01-01

Business leaders and business workers are increasingly interested in bringing their whole selves to work, including the spiritual. Students, as prospective leaders, need to understand issues of reasonable accommodation, religious holidays, display of religious objects, religious practices at work, and so forth. Students may also benefit from…

"The priest obviously doesn't know that I'm gay": the religious and spiritual journeys of Latino gay men.

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García, Dalia I; Gray-Stanley, Jennifer; Ramirez-Valles, Jesus

2008-01-01

In the United States, most adults state that religion plays an important role in their lives and claim a religious affiliation. For gay, bisexual, and transgender persons (GBT), the story is unique because their sexual and gender identity is not accepted by most religions. The purpose of this article is to analyze the role of religiosity in the life course of Latino GBTs raised as Catholics. Data come from 66 life history interviews with Latino GBTs living in Chicago and San Francisco, who grew up as Catholics. We found a religious trajectory that mirrored participants' developmental stages. During childhood, religion was inculcated by the family, culture, and schools. In adolescence, many experienced a conflict between their religion and their GBT identity, and in adulthood, they reached a resolution. Most participants abandoned Catholicism to join other religions or spiritual groups that they perceived to be welcoming. We found participants engaging in a remedial ideological work to reconcile their religious values and their identity.

Footprints in the Sand: Personal, Psychological, and Relational Profiles of Religious, Spiritual, and Atheist LGB Individuals.

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Foster, Aasha B; Brewster, Melanie E; Velez, Brandon L; Eklund, Austin; Keum, Brian T

2017-01-01

The present study offers a comparison of the demographic features and lived experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals with religious, spiritual, or atheist (R/S/A) belief systems. In this sample of 212 participants, the relationship of participants' R/S/A beliefs to personal variables (e.g., age, gender, race), mental health variables (e.g., life satisfaction, psychological distress, internalized heterosexism, self-esteem), and relational variables (e.g., outness, connection to LGBTQ communities) were assessed. Correlational analyses indicated that level of R/S/A belief was unrelated to self-esteem, life satisfaction, or psychological distress; however, greater religious belief was correlated positively and significantly with internalized heterosexism and outness as LGB. To test the interactions of R/S/A beliefs and categorical variables of interest (e.g., race), log-linear analyses with follow-up chi-square tests were conducted. Findings suggested more similarities than differences for LGB people across R/S/A systems of belief. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

NIDA-Drug Addiction Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS) Relapse as a Function of Spirituality/Religiosity.

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Schoenthaler, Stephen J; Blum, Kenneth; Braverman, Eric R; Giordano, John; Thompson, Ben; Oscar-Berman, Marlene; Badgaiyan, Rajendra D; Madigan, Margaret A; Dushaj, Kristina; Li, Mona; Demotrovics, Zsolt; Waite, Roger L; Gold, Mark S

The connection between religion/spirituality and deviance, like substance abuse, was first made by Durkheim who defined socially expected behaviors as norms. He explained that deviance is due in large part to their absence (called anomie), and concluded that spirituality lowers deviance by preserving norms and social bonds. Impairments in brain reward circuitry, as observed in Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS), may also result in deviance and as such we wondered if stronger belief in spirituality practice and religious belief could lower relapse from drugs of abuse. The NIDA Drug Addiction Treatment Outcome Study data set was used to examine post hoc relapse rates among 2,947 clients who were interviewed at 12 months after intake broken down by five spirituality measures. Our main findings strongly indicate, that those with low spirituality have higher relapse rates and those with high spirituality have higher remission rates with crack use being the sole exception. We found significant differences in terms of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and marijuana relapse as a function of strength of religious beliefs (x 2 = 15.18, p = 0.028; logistic regression = 10.65, p = 0.006); frequency of attending religious services (x 2 = 40.78, p Durkheim's social bond theory. Stronger spiritual/religious beliefs and practices are directly associated with remission from abused drugs except crack. Much like the value of having a sponsor, for clients who abuse drugs, regular spiritual practice, particularly weekly attendance at the religious services of their choice is associated with significantly higher remission. These results demonstrate the clinically significant role of spirituality and the social bonds it creates in drug treatment programs.

"To cherish each day as it comes": a qualitative study of spirituality among persons receiving palliative care.

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Asgeirsdottir, Gudlaug Helga; Sigurbjörnsson, Einar; Traustadottir, Rannveig; Sigurdardottir, Valgerdur; Gunnarsdottir, Sigridur; Kelly, Ewan

2013-05-01

Spirituality is one of the main aspects of palliative care. The concept is multidimensional and encompasses the existential realm as well as value-based and religious considerations. The aim of this study was to explore spirituality from the perspective of persons receiving palliative care and examine their experience of spirituality and its influence on their lives and well-being. Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten persons receiving palliative care from Palliative Care Services in Iceland. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed. The study is in the field of practical theology and used the theoretical approach of hermeneutical phenomenology. Thematic analysis found that the spiritual dimension was of significance for the participants who understood it as a vital element connected to seeking meaning, purpose and transcendence in life. Religious and non-religious aspects of spirituality were expressed including strong spiritual components of family relationships, the meaning of God/a higher being and spiritual practices which served as a key factor in giving strength, activating inner resources and motivating hope. Nine of the participants expressed their spirituality as faith. Spirituality was experienced broadly as an important dimension of how participants lived with terminal illness. Religious and non-religious characteristics were recognised which reveals the complex nature of the phenomenon. Faith was a significant part of the participants' spirituality indicating the importance of attending to this aspect of palliative care. The study suggests the potential contributions of theological approaches which are relevant for palliative care research and practice.

Andrew Wright’s critical radicalism, Clive Erricker’s radical postmodernism and teenage perceptions of spirituality

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Barbara Wintersgill

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This article is a report of the author's doctoral research completed in 2007. The research was carried out among secondary school pupils in England aged 12–17. Its purpose was to find out what they understood spirituality to be. ‘Spirituality’ here does not mean religious spirituality or the ‘alternative’ or ‘countercultural’ spirituality which was the primary focus of this conference. Instead the author addresses the distinctive debate in England about the nature of that spirituality, or to use the exact term, ‘spiritual development’, which has to be promoted by law in English schools. This is referred to this as spirituality-in-education. Students’ rationales for selecting religious education are dependent on their understanding and experience of the subject and what they get out of it. Students regard content as more important in religious education than any other subject, but as a means to ends (developing beliefs, developing in one’s religion, understanding others than as an end in itself. What is apparent here is that many students from different perspectives have found religious education to make a significant contribution to their spiritual development, but that contribution varies for each person.

Iranian nurses' perception of spirituality and spiritual care: a qualitative content analysis study.

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Mahmoodishan, Gholamreza; Alhani, Fatemeh; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Kazemnejad, Anoshirvan

2010-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore nurses' perception about spirituality and spiritual care. A qualitative content analysis approach was conducted on 20 registered nurses interviewed using unstructured strategy in 2009. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: 1) "meaning and purpose of work and life" including 'spiritualistic view to profession', 'commitment and professional responsibility', and 'positive attitude'; 2) "religious attitude" including 'God approval', 'spiritual reward', 'taking advice', 'inner belief in the Supreme Being', 'faith-based interactions and altruism'; 3) "transcendence-seeking" including 'need for respect' and 'personal-professional transcendence'. Therefore, the spirituality produces maintenance, harmony and balance in nurses in relation to God. Spiritual care focuses on respecting patients, friendly and sympathetic interactions, sharing in rituals and strengthening patients and nurses' inner energy. This type of spirituality gives a positive perspective to life and profession, peaceful interactions, a harmonious state of mind, and acts as a motivator among nurses to promote nursing care and spirituality.

Spiritual and Sexual Identity: Exploring Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients' Perspectives of Counseling.

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Goodrich, Kristopher M; Buser, Juleen K; Luke, Melissa; Buser, Trevor J

2016-06-01

Although religious and spiritual issues have emerged as areas of focus in counseling, very few scholars have explored the meaning and experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients who addressed their sexual and religious/spiritual identities in counseling. Using consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill, 2012), the current study explores the perspectives of 12 LGB persons who sought counseling that involved religious/spiritual concerns. Four themes in participant interviews are identified, including (a) self-acceptance, (b) goals of counseling, (c) identification with counselor, and (d) counseling environment and relationship. Implications of findings for the counseling field are discussed.

Evaluating Spiritual Experiences and Some Psychological Components in Medical Students

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Zahra Taheri Kharameh

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Spiritual experiences seem to be an important component in Religious and spiritual life of some one. Aim of the present study was to determinate relation between daily spiritual experiences, and psychological variables in students of Qom University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 138 students of the Qom University of Medical Sciences were selected via random sampling methods. These students completed the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21 and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12. Data were analyzed in SPSS16 software environment utilizing descriptive statistics and the Independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Mean and standard deviations of daily spiritual experiences scores was 28.27(4.90.  The daily spiritual experiences was associated with mental health (r = -0.22, P-value = 0.01 depression(r = -0.25, P-value = 0.005, and stress (r = -0.23, P-value = 0.01. Conclusion: The findings indicated that spiritual experiences were respectively the most important religious - spiritual components which may affect psychological health in students.

Integrating Religion and Spirituality into Counselor Education: Barriers and Strategies

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Adams, Christopher M.; Puig, Ana; Baggs, Adrienne; Wolf, Cheryl Pence

2015-01-01

Despite a professionally recognized need for training in religion/spirituality, literature indicates that religious and spirituality issues continue to be inconsistently addressed in counselor education. Ten experts were asked to identify potential barriers to integrating religion and spirituality into counselor education and indicate strategies…

Development of Specific Aspects of Spirituality during a 6-Month Intensive Yoga Practice

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Arndt Büssing

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The majority of research on yoga focuses on its psychophysiological and therapeutic benefits, while the spiritual aspects are rarely addressed. Changes of specific aspects of spirituality were thus investigated among 160 individuals (91% women, mean age 40.9±8.3 years; 57% Christians starting a 2-year yoga teacher training. We used standardized questionnaires to measure aspects of spirituality (ASP, mindfulness (FMI—Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, life satisfaction (BMLSS—Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale, and positive mood (lightheartedness/relief. At the start of the course, scores of the respective ASP subscales for search for insight/wisdom, transcendence conviction, and conscious interactions/compassion were high, while those for religious orientation were low. Within the 6 month observation period, both conscious interactions/compassion (effect size, Cohen’s =.33, Religious orientation (=.21, Lightheartedness/Relief (=.75 and mindfulness (=.53 increased significantly. Particularly non-religious/non-spiritual individuals showed moderate effects for an increase of conscious interactions/compassion. The results from this study suggest that an intensive yoga practice (1 may significantly increase specific aspects of practitioners’ spirituality, mindfulness, and mood, (2 that these changes are dependent in part on their original spiritual/religious self-perception, and (3 that there are strong correlations amongst these constructs (i.e., conscious interactions/compassion, and mindfulness.

Spirituality and caring in old age and the significance of religion - a hermeneutical study from Norway.

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Rykkje, Linda L R; Eriksson, Katie; Raholm, Maj-Britt

2013-06-01

Spirituality is an important part of caring for the whole human being. However, there is lack of consensus about the concept parameter, and there is an ongoing discussion in nursing regarding the relation between religion and spirituality. Spirituality and religion is found to support health and well-being in old age, and this article portrays how older Norwegians understand religion and religious support as part of spirituality and caring. The theoretical framework in this study is Eriksson's caritative caring theory, and the research aim is to broaden the understanding of spirituality from a caring science perspective. The methodology is hermeneutical according to Gadamer. The study is based upon qualitative content analysis of 30 interviews with 17 participants above 74 years, six men and 11 women. The findings portray connectedness with a Higher power, including how Christianity has influenced upon the philosophy of life of the participants, wonders about the end of life/afterlife, and the meaning of religious symbols and rituals. The study also portrays how religious support may foster dignity, especially near the end of life, and experiences and opinions regarding support from nursing personnel. The study concludes that religiousness cannot be separated from spirituality, and that nurses should be able to provide spiritual care to a certain extent. Spiritual care including religious support according to patients' desires may foster health and preserve human dignity. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Secular spirituality versus secular dualism: Towards postsecular ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The term “secular spirituality” is meant to convey the contemporary phenomenon of spirituality as experienced in different spheres not associated with structured, institutionalised religion. An outline is given of the relation between secular reality (the natural realm) and religious/spiritual reality (the supernatural realm), as it ...

Exploring the role of religiosity and spirituality in amniocentesis decision-making among Latinas.

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Seth, Sarah Guerra; Goka, Thomas; Harbison, Andrea; Hollier, Lisa; Peterson, Susan; Ramondetta, Lois; Noblin, Sarah Jane

2011-12-01

Given the complex array of emotional and medical issues that may arise when making a decision about amniocentesis, women may find that their spiritual and/or religious beliefs can comfort and assist their decision-making process. Prior research has suggested that Latinas' spiritual and/or religious beliefs directly influence their amniocentesis decision. A more intimate look into whether Latinas utilize their beliefs during amniocentesis decision-making may provide an opportunity to better understand their experience. The overall goal of this study was to describe the role structured religion and spirituality plays in Latinas' daily lives and to evaluate how religiosity and spirituality influences health care decisions, specifically in prenatal diagnosis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven women who were invited to describe their religious beliefs and thoughts while considering the option of amniocentesis. All participants acknowledged the influence of religious and/or spiritual beliefs in their everyday lives. Although the women sought comfort and found validation in their beliefs and in their faith in God's will during their amniocentesis decision-making process, results suggest the risk of procedure-related complications played more of a concrete role than their beliefs.

There be dragons: effects of unexplored religion on nurses' competence in spiritual care.

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Pesut, Barbara

2016-09-01

On ancient maps unexplored lands were simply labeled 'there be dragons' indicating the fear that attends the unknown. Despite three decades of theoretical and empirical work on spirituality in nursing, evidence still suggests that nurses do not feel competent to engage in spiritual care. In this paper I propose that one of the reasons for this is a theory-theory gap between religion and spirituality. Generalized anxiety about the role of religion in society has led to under-theorizing in nursing about religious care. As a result, when religion and spirituality overlap at the point of care, nurses are left without the substantive knowledge required for practice. Robust religious theorizing should include thick accounts of lived religion and integrative work that enables nurses to understand commonalities across religions that are relevant to practice. As a starting point to this integrative work, nurses can be introduced to the nature and lexicon of lived religion, religious perspectives on suffering, and religious reasoning that holds meaning and mystery in tension. Such an approach will better prepare them for the realities of practice where the complexities of spirituality and religion come to play. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nature meets nurture in religious and spiritual development.

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Granqvist, Pehr; Nkara, Frances

2017-03-01

We consider nurture's (including culture's) sculpting influences on the evolved psychological predispositions that are expressed in religious and spiritual (R&S) development. An integrated understanding of R&S development requires a move away from the largely one-sided (nature-or-nurture) and additive (nature + nurture) accounts provided in the extant literature. R&S development has been understood as an expression of evolved cognitive modules (nature) on the one hand, and of socialization and social learning (nurture) on the other, or in similar albeit additive terms (e.g., nature produces the brain/mind, culture fills in the details). We argue that humans' evolved psychological predispositions are substantially co-shaped by environmental/cultural input, such as relational experiences and modelling at the microlevel through belief and value systems at the macrolevel. Nurture's sculpting of nature is, then, expressed in R&S development. Finally, for heuristic purposes, we illustrate a fully integrated nature-nurture model with attachment theory and its application to R&S development. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Development unfolds as a function of nature-nurture interaction. R&S development has mostly been understood from the point of view of separate nature or nurture models. What does this study add? A collected consideration of the intricate interactions between nature and nurture in development. A sketch, examples, and a conceptual toolbox of how nature and nurture interact in R&S development. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Why the cognitive science of religion cannot rescue 'spiritual care'.

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Paley, John

2015-10-01

Peter Kevern believes that the cognitive science of religion (CSR) provides a justification for the idea of spiritual care in the health services. In this paper, I suggest that he is mistaken on two counts. First, CSR does not entail the conclusions Kevern wants to draw. His treatment of it consists largely of nonsequiturs. I show this by presenting an account of CSR, and then explaining why Kevern's reasons for thinking it rescues 'spirituality' discourse do not work. Second, the debate about spirituality-in-health is about classification: what shall count as a 'spiritual need' and what shall count as 'spiritual care'. It is about the politics of meaning, an exercise in persuasive definition. The function of 'spirituality' talk in health care is to change the denotation of 'spiritual', and attach its indelibly religious connotations to as many health-related concepts and practices as possible. CSR, however plausible it may be as a theory of the origins and pervasiveness of religious belief, is irrelevant to this debate. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Matters of spirituality at the end of life in the pediatric intensive care unit.

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Robinson, Mary R; Thiel, Mary Martha; Backus, Meghan M; Meyer, Elaine C

2006-09-01

Our objective with this study was to identify the nature and the role of spirituality from the parents' perspective at the end of life in the PICU and to discern clinical implications. A qualitative study based on parental responses to open-ended questions on anonymous, self-administered questionnaires was conducted at 3 PICUs in Boston, Massachusetts. Fifty-six parents whose children had died in PICUs after the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies participated. Overall, spiritual/religious themes were included in the responses of 73% (41 of 56) of parents to questions about what had been most helpful to them and what advice they would offer to others at the end of life. Four explicitly spiritual/religious themes emerged: prayer, faith, access to and care from clergy, and belief in the transcendent quality of the parent-child relationship that endures beyond death. Parents also identified several implicitly spiritual/religious themes, including insight and wisdom; reliance on values; and virtues such as hope, trust, and love. Many parents drew on and relied on their spirituality to guide them in end-of-life decision-making, to make meaning of the loss, and to sustain them emotionally. Despite the dominance of technology and medical discourse in the ICU, many parents experienced their child's end of life as a spiritual journey. Staff members, hospital chaplains, and community clergy are encouraged to be explicit in their hospitality to parents' spirituality and religious faith, to foster a culture of acceptance and integration of spiritual perspectives, and to work collaboratively to deliver spiritual care.

Spirituality and medical practice: using the HOPE questions as a practical tool for spiritual assessment.

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Anandarajah, G; Hight, E

2001-01-01

The relationship between spirituality and medicine has been the focus of considerable interest in recent years. Studies suggest that many patients believe spirituality plays an important role in their lives, that there is a positive correlation between a patient's spirituality or religious commitment and health outcomes, and that patients would like physicians to consider these factors in their medical care. A spiritual assessment as part of a medical encounter is a practical first step in incorporating consideration of a patient's spirituality into medical practice. The HOPE questions provide a formal tool that may be used in this process. The HOPE concepts for discussion are as follows: H--sources of hope, strength, comfort, meaning, peace, love and connection; O--the role of organized religion for the patient; P--personal spirituality and practices; E--effects on medical care and end-of-life decisions.

Cultural and Religious/Spiritual Beliefs and the Impact on Health that Fear to Death has on Gender and Age, Among a Romani Minority Group from Southern Spain.

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Restrepo-Madero, Eugenio; Trianes-Torres, María Victoria; Muñoz-García, Antonio; Alarcón, Rafael

2017-04-01

The Romani cultural minority living in Spain has cultural values and beliefs, religious/spiritual expressions and a particular vision of death. The relationship between these aspects and health is unknown. A sample of 150 people responded to a socio-demographic questionnaire and well-being measures of religious/spiritual experience, paranormal beliefs and fear of death. Age, a negative sense of life, fear of the death of others, being a woman and having low paranormal beliefs have a negative impact on health. Results allow for extending the relationships found in the general population to the Romani population as well. The novelty is that, in the latter, paranormal beliefs protect against disease. Additionally, fear of the death of others damages health more than fear of one's own death. These results make sense in the context of the Romani culture and religion.

A Spiritual Philosophy of Recovery: Aquinas and Alcoholics Anonymous

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A. William McVey

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The article is an attempt to formulate a Thomistic spiritual philosophy of recovery. The author faces two issues. One, what do recovering alcoholics mean when they say: “I am spiritual, but not religious?” He comes to the conclusion that it means recovering alcoholics are experiencing spiritual healing in their willingness to trust a loving God who has performed a miracle of recovery from alcoholism in their life. As a result of this experience, they are prepared to live a life of virtuous habit. Two, recovering alcoholics have discovered a spiritual second nature of moral character. The author explains why there are many in A.A. who discover that as God comes into their life and they turn to the path of virtue they rediscover religious worship and devotion is essential to the one day at a time journey.

Dreams and spirituality : A handbook for ministry, spiritual direction and counselling

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Koet, B.J.; Adams, Kate; Koning, Barbara

2015-01-01

Dreams and Spirituality is a pastoral handbook that offers a comprehensive overview of the nature of dreams as understood from a range of diverse professional perspectives. Dreams are a universal phenomenon, feature frequently in biblical narratives and have a long established role in religious

Religion, an obstacle to workplace spirituality and employee wellness?

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Alan Bester

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A desperate need for employee wellness is echoed in work-related stories. Workplace spirituality is presented as an integral part of achieving and maintaining employee wellness. However, there is an observed gap of spirituality in employee wellness programmes and in the absence of the workplace spiritual helper in multidisciplinary wellness teams. Using a postfoundational notion of practical theology, I have explored one of the reasons for this gap, namely workplace spirituality�s association to religion. When spirituality is viewed through the lens of religion, it is overlooked as a vehicle of help. This is a consequence of the obstacles of the taboo of religious discussion, the complexity of religious plurality, the dominant voice of secularism and unhelpful religiosity. A proposal is made for a definition of spirituality that describes the relationship between spirituality and religion that overcomes the religionrelated obstacles to the development of workplace spirituality and so enable spirituality�s contribution in wellness.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research includes an interdisciplinary collaboration with a Human Resource (HR manager, social worker, arts therapist, clinical pastoral counsellor, medical practitioner, psychologist, businessperson and two psychiatrists that underscores the collaborative effort in wellness. There is an intradisciplinary challenge to those who restrict the view of spirituality to the experience of religion.

Using Drama Therapy to Explore Religion and Spirituality in Counselor Education

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Meyer, Dixie D.

2012-01-01

Exploring spirituality and religion continues to be an important component when considering multicultural issues. However, understanding how to incorporate spiritual and religious diversity into counseling courses continues to be a challenge for educators. An exercise using drama therapy was developed to explore religion and spirituality.

Nursing research on religion and spirituality through a social justice lens.

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Reimer-Kirkham, Sheryl

2014-01-01

Critical theories such as postcolonial feminism and intersectionality can provide new and vital perspectives on the interplay between social justice, religion, spirituality, health, and nursing. Criticality prompts us to examine taken-for-granted assumptions, such as the neutrality and universality of spirituality, while analyzing social relations of power, including the racialization of religion and religious patriarchy, that may result in oppressive conditions and social exclusion. The argument is made that when refracted through critical, intersectional lenses, religious and spiritual traditions can be rich sources of theoretical foundations and practical services that could inform nursing's recent re/turn toward social justice.

The Notion of Spirituality in Modern Russian Literature

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Ksenia Kolkunova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an analysis of contemporary Russian academic literature on spirituality. The authors single out key features of these texts, especially their approach to defi ning their subject. They formulate major semantic contexts within which spirituality is discussed by sociologists and psychologists, as well as practical implications of the term. The authors compare the academic usage of the term ‘spirituality’ with its usage in everyday language; the comparison is based on a mass survey conducted in 2006. In the literature that served as the material for the present study, we can observe political, cultural and religious aspects of spirituality. It can be viewed as a form of patriotism, as religious worldview, as overcoming the limitations of human nature, as erudition, as a means to fi ght the non-spiritual character of modern society, or as an aspiration towards the ideal. The overall fuzziness of the term is a consequence of its emotional and utopian connotations in the Russian language.

Spiritual Distress in Bereavement: Evolution of a Research Program

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Laurie A. Burke

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Many mourners turn to their spiritual beliefs and traditions when confronted by the death of a loved one. However, prior studies have either focused primarily on the benefits of faith following loss or studied spiritual struggle outside the context of bereavement. Moreover, scales to measure bereavement-related crises of faith and interventions specifically designed for spiritually inclined, distressed grievers are virtually non-existent. Our program of research, which to date has consisted of working with Christian grievers and is outlined below, elucidates complicated spiritual grief (CSG—a spiritual crisis following the loss of a loved one. For example, our longitudinal examination of 46 African American homicide survivors established the relation between positive religious coping, CSG, and complicated grief (CG, to clarify whether religious coping more strongly predicted bereavement distress or vice versa, with a follow-up study that determined the relation between religious coping and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD and depression. We replicated and expanded these findings with a diverse sample of 150 grievers to explore the complex relation between CSG, CG, and meaning making in a comparison study of mourners who had experienced traumatic-versus natural death losses. In a companion study, we qualitatively analyzed 84 grievers’ narratives and interviewed a 5-member focus group to capture and learn from their firsthand experiences of spiritual distress. To close the gap in terms of CSG assessment, we also developed and validated the Inventory of Complicated Spiritual Grief (ICSG. Currently, our ongoing CSG investigation extends in several directions: first, to a sample of family members anticipating the loss of their hospice-eligible loved one in palliative care; and, second, to the development and testing of a writing-intensive intervention for newly bereaved, spiritually inclined grievers.

Spiritual beliefs and barriers among managed care practitioners.

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McCauley, Jeanne; Jenckes, Mollie W; Tarpley, Margaret J; Koenig, Harold G; Yanek, Lisa R; Becker, Diane M

2005-01-01

Ninety percent of American adults believe in God and 82% pray weekly. A majority wants their physicians to address spirituality during their health care visit. However, clinicians incorporate spiritual discussion in less than 20% of visits. Our objectives were to measure clinician beliefs and identify perceived barriers to integrating spirituality into patient care in a statewide, primary care, managed care group. Practitioners completed a 30-item survey including demographics and religious involvement (DUREL), spirituality in patient care (SPC), and barriers (BAR). We analyzed data using frequencies, means, standard deviations, and ANOVA. Clinicians had a range of religious denominations (67% Christian, 14% Jewish, 11% Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist, 8% agnostic), were 57% female and 24% had training in spirituality. Sixty-six percent reported experiencing the divine. Ninety-five percent felt that a patient's spiritual outlook was important to handling health difficulties and 68% percent agreed that addressing spirituality was part of the physician's role. Ninety-five percent of our managed care group noted 'lack of time' as an important barrier, 'lack of training' was indicated by 69%, and 21% cited 'fear of response from administration'. Managed care practitioners in a time constrained setting were spiritual themselves and believed this to be important to patients. Respondents indicated barriers of time and training to implementing these beliefs. Comparing responses from our group to those in other published surveys on clinician spirituality, we find similar concerns. Clinician education may overcome these barriers and improve ability to more fully meet their patients' expressed needs regarding spirituality and beliefs.

A Qualitative Content Analysis of Spirituality and Religiosity amongst Greek COPD Patients

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Efthymios Tzounis

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD is a chronic and common disease throughout the world. Spiritual/religious beliefs are often central to patients with serious illnesses and could serve as a resource for coping with such illnesses. A qualitative methodology was chosen in order to gain a thorough understanding of 75 (male n = 69, 92%, female n = 6, 8% Greek COPD patients’ perceptions of spirituality and religiosity and explore the importance of practicing their beliefs while 25 patients refused to participate in the study. The fewer female participant patients in the study are related to the lower percentage of women suffering from COPD in Greece, which can be further linked to the low smoking habit of women. A total of four patients (5.3% stated that they had no religious or spiritual understanding of their life; 41 (54.7% reported a religious belief; eight (10.7% told of a spiritual belief; and 22 (29.3% of the participants reported both a religious and a spiritual belief. Faith in the will of God seems to be a particularly strong feature of patients’ beliefs. Praying and church attendance were more likely to confirm the importance of practicing their beliefs in their daily lives but COPD seems to prevent patients from regular churchgoing. Religion and spirituality were found to be helpful while patients did not seem to have unrealistic expectations from God when dealing with illness. When asked, participants defined spirituality as “happiness”, “love”, “our God”, “the spirit”, and as an act of altruism. Adopting a more holistic perspective for COPD patients in the clinical setting, spirituality and religiosity can offer suggestions for interventions related to their health issues.

How core nursing textbooks inform holistic spiritual care.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

National and international health and nursing guidelines recommend that staff attend to patients' spiritual and religious needs, which suggests that spiritual care is an important aspect of holistic care. However, many nurses lack knowledge of the subject, and it is unclear whether core textbooks provide the information they need.

Factors Related to In-Class Spiritual Experience: Relationship between Pre-Class Scripture Reading, In-Class Note-Taking, and Perceived In-Class Spiritual Experiences

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Hilton, John, III; Sweat, Anthony R.; Plummer, Kenneth

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between student in-class note-taking and pre-class reading with perceived in-class spiritual and religious outcomes. This study surveyed 620 students enrolled in six different sections of an introductory religion course at a private religious university. Full-time religious faculty members…

Religious Literacy or Spiritual Awareness? Comparative Critique of Andrew Wright's and David Hay's Approaches to Spiritual Education

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Filipsone, Anta

2009-01-01

On the basis of a comparison of the educational approaches of Andrew Wright and David Hay this paper illustrates the persisting problem of dichotomising cognitive and trans-cognitive aspects of spiritual development and education. Even though both Wright and Hay speak of the same topic--spirituality and spiritual education--they define these terms…

Contemporary environmentalism as a current of spiritual post-secular practice

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Laura Wickström

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Contemporary spirituality often bears the stamp of an eco-discourse. It is characteristic of post-spiritual practices that there is a blurring of the boundaries between the sacred and profane and in this sphere, influenced by the eco-consciousness, nature and the body can be sacralised. In this article the author looks into environmentalism as a current in spirituality. First spirituality as a concept is discussed. Second follows a section on aspects of contemporary environmentalism, dealing with new social movements, new identity and the main directions of environmentalism. After that, the distinction between environmentally motivated spirituality and spir­itually motivated environmentalism is presented. At the end there is a short discussion of post-secular issues concerning environmentalism. Worldviews are no longer necessarily either religious or secular, but may also combine elements of rational secularity with enchanted spirituality. The blurring of the boundaries between secular and religious views and motives occur, as well as the separation of mind and body, rationality and belief, and human and nature.

Peningkatan Spiritualitas melalui Wisata Religi di Makam Keramat Kwitang Jakarta

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Nur Indah Sari

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to describe and analyze religious tourism as an effort to increase the spirituality of visitors or pilgrims in the Tomb of Kwitang Jakarta. Increased spirituality is a process of change from bad to better by constantly carrying out God's command and away from God’s prohibition consistently with the guidance of the values of faith to recognize and understand feelings Self, others, self-motivated, and able to manage emotions in relation to others. Meanwhile, the Sacred Tomb of the Mosque Ar-Riyadh Kwitang is one of the famous religious tourism sites in Jakarta, which is visited by many individuals and groups. This research uses descriptive qualitative approach with the respondent of the sacred grave of Masjid Ar-Riyadh Kwitang Jakarta. This research produces some important points about the process of improving spiritual intelligence through religious tourism. Keywords: Spirituality, Religious Tourism, Sacred Grave Kwitang. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dan menganalisis wisata religi sebagai upaya untuk peningkatan spiritualitas pada pengunjung atau peziarah di Makam Keramat Kwitang Jakarta. Peningkatan spiritualitas merupakan suatu proses perubahan dari yang tidak baik menjadi lebih baik dengan senantiasa melaksanakan perintah dan menjauhi larangan Allah secara konsisten dengan bimbingan nilai-nilai rukun iman untuk mengenali dan memahami perasaan sendiri, orang lain, memotivasi diri, serta mampu mengelola emosi dalam berhubungan dengan orang lain. Sedangkan, Makam Keramat Masjid Ar-Riyadh Kwitang merupakan salah satu tempat wisata religi terkenal di DKI Jakarta, yang banyak dikunjungi oleh masyarakat secara perseorangan maupun kelompok. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dengan responden pengunjung makam keramat Masjid Ar-Riyadh Kwitang Jakarta. Penelitian ini menghasilkan beberapa poin penting mengenai proses peningkatan kecerdasan spiritualitas melalui wisata religi. Kata Kunci

Use of spiritual coping strategies by gender, race/ethnicity, and religion at 1 and 3 months after infant's/child's intensive care unit death.

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Hawthorne, Dawn M; Youngblut, JoAnne M; Brooten, Dorothy

2017-10-01

In the United States, 57,000 children (newborn to 18 years) die annually. Bereaved parents may rely on religious or spiritual beliefs in their grief. The study's purpose was to examine differences in parents' use of spiritual and religious coping practices by gender, race/ethnicity, and religion at 1 and 3 months after infant/ICU death. The sample consisted of 165 bereaved parents, 78% minority. The Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale was used to measure religious and spiritual coping practices, separately. One-way ANOVAs indicated that Black non-Hispanic mothers used significantly more religious coping practices at 3 months than White non-Hispanic mothers. Protestant and Catholic parents used more religious coping practices than the "no" and "other" religion groups at 1 and 3 months. Within the 30 mother-father dyads (paired t-tests), mothers reported significantly greater use of religious coping practices at 1 and 3 months and spiritual coping practices at 3 months than fathers. Religious coping practices were most commonly used by Black mothers and Protestant and Catholic parents. Within dyads, mothers used more spiritual and religious coping practices than fathers. These findings are beneficial for healthcare personnel in providing support to bereaved parents of diverse races/ethnicities and religions. ©2017 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Marginal Christian spirituality: An example from a meditation group

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Versteeg, P.G.A.

2006-01-01

Spirituality is one of the forms of religion that seems to thrive in secularised Western societies. It has become an umbrella term for a variety of experience-oriented religious practices in Western societies. The popularity of spirituality is clearly visible within Christian settings, both inside

Discussing spirituality with patients: a rational and ethical approach.

Science.gov (United States)

McCord, Gary; Gilchrist, Valerie J; Grossman, Steven D; King, Bridget D; McCormick, Kenelm E; Oprandi, Allison M; Schrop, Susan Labuda; Selius, Brian A; Smucker, D O William D; Weldy, David L; Amorn, Melissa; Carter, Melissa A; Deak, Andrew J; Hefzy, Hebah; Srivastava, Mohit

2004-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine when patients feel that physician inquiry about spirituality or religious beliefs is appropriate, reasons why they want their physicians to know about their spiritual beliefs, and what they want physicians to do with this information. Trained research assistants administered a questionnaire to a convenience sample of consenting patients and accompanying adults in the waiting rooms of 4 family practice residency training sites and 1 private group practice in northeastern Ohio. Demographic information, the SF-12 Health Survey, and participant ratings of appropriate situations, reasons, and expectations for physician discussions of spirituality or religious beliefs were obtained. Of 1,413 adults who were asked to respond, 921 completed questionnaires, and 492 refused (response rate = 65%). Eighty-three percent of respondents wanted physicians to ask about spiritual beliefs in at least some circumstances. The most acceptable scenarios for spiritual discussion were life-threatening illnesses (77%), serious medical conditions (74%) and loss of loved ones (70%). Among those who wanted to discuss spirituality, the most important reason for discussion was desire for physician-patient understanding (87%). Patients believed that information concerning their spiritual beliefs would affect physicians' ability to encourage realistic hope (67%), give medical advice (66%), and change medical treatment (62%). This study helps clarify the nature of patient preferences for spiritual discussion with physicians.

Integrating Spiritual Care into a Baccalaureate Nursing Program in Mainland China.

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Yuan, Hua; Porr, Caroline

2014-09-01

Holistic nursing care takes into account individual, family, community and population well-being. At the level of individual well-being, the nurse considers biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. However, in Mainland China spiritual factors are not well understood by nursing students. And accordingly, nursing faculty and students are reluctant to broach the topic of spirituality because it is either unknown to students or students believe that the provision of spiritual care is beyond their capabilities. We wonder then, what can we do as nurse educators to integrate spiritual care into a baccalaureate nursing program in Mainland China? The purpose of this article is to propose the integration of Chinese sociocultural traditions (namely religious/spiritual practices) into undergraduate nursing curricula as a means to enter into dialogue about spiritual well-being, to promote spiritual care; and to fulfill the requirements of holistic nursing care. However, prior to discussing recommendations, an overview of the cultural context is in order. Thus, this article is constructed as follows: first, the complexity of Chinese society is briefly described; second, the historical evolution of nursing education in Mainland China is presented; and, third, strategies to integrate Chinese religious/spiritual practices into curricula are proposed. © The Author(s) 2014.

SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP BERBASIS AL-QUR’AN

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Sodiman Sodiman

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ian Marshall and Danah Zohar predicted theoretically that in the context of modern business will appear spirituality without religion as the moral basis of the business which he described as spiritual capital. But look at the phenomenon in Indonesia, sharia economic development is rapidly increasing which in fact appears based on religious values, then the theory Marshal and the Zohar indisputable. Spiritual entrepreneurship based on the Koran in Indonesia is growing; the ideas, thoughts, willingness (iradah, passion (ghirah and determination ('azm owned by an individual or group (community Muslims to strive in commerce (material or services that are based on the values of faith in God who taught the Koran. Spirituality entrepreneurship models based al-Qur'an that life (living values is very varied, among the models discussed in this paper are (1 spirituality entrepreneurship kaafah models, (2 spirituality entrepreneurship ukhuwah models, (3 spirituality entrepreneurship tareqat models, (4 spirituality entrepreneurship models keep ablution, (5 spirituality entrepreneurship models do not sell cigarettes, (6 the spirituality of entrepreneurship model- publication that profit to charity. Key Words : Spiritual, entrepreneurship, and models of bussines.

Using Spiritual Genograms in Family Therapies

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Yahya Şahin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The genogram was developed by Bowen, a pioneer of the psychodynamic family theory, and has been used in therapies in different ways. Genogram types are named according to the area in which they are used, and spiritual genograms are one of these. Due to the increase in studies focusing on spirituality in family therapies, this research is conducted over the use of spiritual genograms as a therapeutic tool. Although Turkey has great potential for religiousness and spirituality, no study has yet been observed there on the use of spiritual genograms in the therapeutic process. This deficiency has led us to introduce spiritual genograms and provide a place for their use in therapy. This study also aims to provide information on the stages of spiritual genograms and how they should be used as a tool in therapy. Furthermore, results have been shared regarding the effect of using genograms in the therapeutic process based on sample cases employed by various researchers in therapy.

Spirituality/Religiosity: A Cultural and Psychological Resource among Sub-Saharan African Migrant Women with HIV/AIDS in Belgium.

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Agnes Ebotabe Arrey

Full Text Available Spirituality/religion serves important roles in coping, survival and maintaining overall wellbeing within African cultures and communities, especially when diagnosed with a chronic disease like HIV/AIDS that can have a profound effect on physical and mental health. However, spirituality/religion can be problematic to some patients and cause caregiving difficulties. The objective of this paper was to examine the role of spirituality/religion as a source of strength, resilience and wellbeing among sub-Saharan African (SSA migrant women with HIV/AIDS. A qualitative study of SSA migrant women was conducted between April 2013 and December 2014. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling and snowball techniques from AIDS Reference Centres and AIDS workshops in Belgium, if they were 18 years and older, French or English speaking, and diagnosed HIV positive more than 3 months beforehand. We conducted semi-structured interviews with patients and did observations during consultations and support groups attendances. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. 44 women were interviewed, of whom 42 were Christians and 2 Muslims. None reported religious/spiritual alienation, though at some point in time many had felt the need to question their relationship with God by asking "why me?" A majority reported being more spiritual/religious since being diagnosed HIV positive. Participants believed that prayer, meditation, regular church services and religious activities were the main spiritual/religious resources for achieving connectedness with God. They strongly believed in the power of God in their HIV/AIDS treatment and wellbeing. Spiritual/religious resources including prayer, meditation, church services, religious activities and believing in the power of God helped them cope with HIV/AIDS. These findings highlight the importance of spirituality in physical and mental health and wellbeing among SSA women with HIV/AIDS that should be taken into

Integrating Religion and Spirituality into Mental Health Care, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

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René Hefti

2011-01-01

Integrating spirituality into mental health care, psychiatry and psychotherapy is still controversial, albeit a growing body of evidence is showing beneficial effects and a real need for such integration. In this review, past and recent research as well as evidence from the integrative concept of a Swiss clinic is summarized. Religious coping is highly prevalent among patients with psychiatric disorders. Surveys indicate that 70–80% use religious or spiritual beliefs and activities to cope wi...

Spiritual Intelligence and Transformational Leadership: A New Theoretical Framework

OpenAIRE

Stephen R. White; Precious Guramatunhu-Mudiwa; Barbara B. Howard

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to establish a connection between spiritual intelligence and transformational leadership in an effort to encourage further debate about the legitimacy of spiritual intelligence in educational discourse. In this context we define spiritual intelligence as an interconnected configuration of affective orientations intimately linked to create meaning through connecting ideas, events, and persons rather than to a specific religious tradition or orientation. An explorat...

Exploring Nurse Communication About Spirituality.

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Wittenberg, Elaine; Ragan, Sandra L; Ferrell, Betty

2017-07-01

Although spiritual care is considered one of the pillars of palliative care, many health-care providers never receive formal training on how to communicate about spirituality with patients and families. The aim of this study was to explore the spiritual care experiences of oncology nurses in order to learn more about patient needs and nurse responses. A survey was circulated at a communication training course for oncology nurses in June 2015. Nurses recalled a care experience that included the initiation of a spiritual care topic and their response to the patient/family. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Nurses reported that communication about spirituality was primarily initiated by patients, rather than family members, and spiritual topics commonly emerged during the end of life or when patients experienced spiritual distress. Nurses' experiences highlighted the positive impact spiritual conversations had on the quality of patient care and its benefit to families. Spiritual communication was described as an important nursing role at the end of patients' lives, and nonverbal communication, listening, and discussing patients' emotions were emphasized as important and effective nurse communication skills during spiritual care conversations. Approximately one-third of nurses in the sample reported sharing their own personal spiritual or religious backgrounds with patients, and they reported that these sharing experiences strengthened their own faith. It is evident that patients want to discuss spiritual topics during care. Study findings illustrate the need to develop a spiritual communication curriculum and provide spiritual care communication training to clinicians.

Towards a Spirituality of Peace | De Villiers | Acta Theologica

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article contributes towards designing a Spirituality of Peace within Spirituality as a discipline. It first analyses the increasing attention to violence and peace generally and within religious contexts specifically. It then critically evaluates some approaches that view violence and peace as moral issues and shows how these ...

Spiritual needs of patients with chronic pain diseases and cancer - validation of the spiritual needs questionnaire

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Büssing A

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose For many patients confronted with chronic diseases, spirituality/religiosity is a relevant resource to cope. While most studies on patients' spiritual needs refer to the care of patients at the end of life, our intention was to develop an instrument to measure spiritual, existential and psychosocial need of patients with chronic diseases. Methods In an anonymous cross-sectional survey, we applied the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ version 1.2. to 210 patients (75% women, mean age 54 ± 12 years with chronic pain conditions (67%, cancer (28%, other chronic conditions (5%. Patients were recruited at the Community Hospital Herdecke, the Institute for Complementary Medicine (University of Bern, and at a conference of a cancer support group in Herten. Results Factor analysis of the 19-item instrument (Cronbach's alpha = .93 pointed to 4 factors which explain 67% of variance: Religious Needs, Need for Inner Peace, Existentialistic Needs (Reflection/Meaning, and Actively Giving. Within the main sample of patients with chronic pain and cancer, Needs for Inner Peace had the highest scores, followed by Self competent Attention; Existentialistic Needs had low scores, while the Religious Needs scores indicate no interest. Patients with cancer had significantly higher SpNQ scores than patients with chronic pain conditions. There were just some weak associations between Actively Giving and life satisfaction (r = .17; p = .012, and negatively with the symptom score (r = -.29; p Need for Inner Peace was weakly associated with satisfaction with treatment efficacy (r = .24; p Conclusion The preliminary results indicate that spiritual needs are conceptually different from life satisfaction, and can be interpreted as the patients' longing for spiritual well-being. Methods how health care professionals may meet their patients' spiritual needs remain to be explored.

Religious and Non-religious Activity Engagement as Assets in Promoting Social Ties Throughout University: The Role of Emotion Regulation.

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Semplonius, Thalia; Good, Marie; Willoughby, Teena

2015-08-01

Emerging adulthood is a time of many changes. For example, one change that occurs for a subset of emerging adults is leaving home and starting university. Importantly, the creation of social ties can aid in promoting positive adjustment during university. This study investigated whether involvement in religious activities promotes social ties among university students directly and/or indirectly through emotion regulation. Importantly, involvement in religious activities may promote self-regulatory skills, and the ability to effectively regulate emotions can aid in navigating social interactions. To rule out potentially important confounding variables, spirituality and involvement in non-religious clubs were statistically controlled in all analyses. The participants included 1,132 university students (70.5 % female) from a university in Ontario, Canada who were surveyed each year over a period of 3 years. The results indicated that involvement in religious activities indirectly predicted more social ties over time through emotion regulation. Spirituality did not predict social ties or emotion regulation. Furthermore, non-religious clubs directly predicted more social ties over time. Thus, although involvement in religious and non-religious activities both predicted more social ties in a university setting over time, the mechanism by which these activities promote social ties differed.

Care of the spirit that transcends religious, ideological and philosophical boundaries

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Hegarty Meg

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Spirit and spirituality are human universals, which are understood, expressed and lived out in different ways. Care of the spirit is an integral component of holistic palliative care, respecting the individual spirituality and experience of the person for whom we care. Whatever be the religious, ideological or philosophical background of the patient and the clinician/carer, certain skills, knowledge and attitudes are essential in providing effective care of the spirit. Rather than using a single perspective, such as either a secular or a religious approach, to meet the needs of all in a pluralistic setting, effective, patient-centered spiritual care draws on the (often shared wisdoms of the great spiritual and philosophical traditions and of the evolving understandings of these, science and art. Carers need both an awareness of their own spirituality and spiritual practice and an ability to ′bracket′ this in focusing on the needs and care of the patient′s spirit.

Iranian and English women's use of religion and spirituality as resources for coping with infertility.

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Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Allan, Helen T; Smith, Pam A

2014-06-01

The study reported in this paper explores how infertile women cope with infertility using their religious and spiritual beliefs. In total, 30 infertile women affiliated to different denominations of Christianity and Islam were interviewed in the UK and Iranian fertility clinics using grounded theory. The categories which emerged included governing ones' 'Self' through gaining control of emotions, adopting religious coping strategies, and handling the burden of infertility peacefully, which all related to the core category of 'relying on a higher being'. We argue that infertile women employ a variety of religious and spiritual coping strategies which are associated with adaptive health outcomes. Further scientific inquiry is required to investigate how religion and spirituality promote adaptation to infertility.

Religious Involvement, Humility, and Self-Rated Health

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Krause, Neal

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and test a conceptual model that assesses the following theoretical linkages: (1) people who go to church more often tend to receive more spiritual support from fellow church members (i.e., encouragement to adopt religious teachings and principles); (2) individuals who get more frequent spiritual support are…

Embracing a broad spirituality in end of life discussions and advance care planning.

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Churchill, Larry R

2015-04-01

Advance care planning for end of life typically focuses on the mechanics of completing living wills and durable power of attorney documents. Even when spiritual aspects of end of life care are discussed, the dominant assumptions are those of traditional religious systems. A broad view of spirituality is needed, one that may involve traditional religious beliefs but also includes personal understandings of what is holy or sacred. Embracing this broad practice of spirituality will help both familial and professional caregivers honor an essential aspect of end of life discussions and promote greater discernment of the deep meaning in advance care documents.

Spiritual well-being and mental health outcomes in adolescents with or without inflammatory bowel disease.

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Cotton, Sian; Kudel, Ian; Roberts, Yvonne Humenay; Pallerla, Harini; Tsevat, Joel; Succop, Paul; Yi, Michael S

2009-05-01

The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to describe spiritual well-being (existential and religious well-being) in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus healthy peers; 2) to examine associations of spiritual well-being with mental health outcomes (emotional functioning and depressive symptoms); and 3) to assess the differential impact of existential versus religious well-being on mental health. A total of 155 adolescents aged 11-19 years from a children's hospital and a university hospital filled out questionnaires including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Covariates in multivariable models included demographics, disease status, and interactions. Participants' mean (SD) age was 15.1 (2.0) years; 80 (52%) were male; and 121 (78%) were of white ethnicity. Levels of existential and religious well-being were similar between adolescents with IBD and healthy peers. In multivariable analyses, existential well-being was associated with mental health (partial R(2) change = .08-.11, p religious well-being and depressive symptoms: that is, the relationships were stronger in adolescents with IBD as compared with healthy peers. Religious well-being was only marginally significantly associated with mental health after controlling for other factors. Although both healthy adolescents and those with IBD had high levels of spiritual well-being, having IBD moderated the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health. Meaning/purpose was related to mental health more than was connectedness to the sacred.

Spiritual Dryness as a Measure of a Specific Spiritual Crisis in Catholic Priests: Associations with Symptoms of Burnout and Distress

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Arndt Büssing

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Spirituality/religiosity is recognized as a resource to cope with burdening life events and chronic illness. However, less is known about the consequences of the lack of positive spiritual feelings. Spiritual dryness in clergy has been described as spiritual lethargy, a lack of vibrant spiritual encounter with God, and an absence of spiritual resources, such as spiritual renewal practices. To operationalize experiences of “spiritual dryness” in terms of a specific spiritual crisis, we have developed the “spiritual dryness scale” (SDS. Here, we describe the validation of the instrument which was applied among other standardized questionnaires in a sample of 425 Catholic priests who professionally care for the spiritual sake of others. Feelings of “spiritual dryness” were experienced occasionally by up to 40%, often or even regularly by up to 13%. These experiences can explain 44% of variance in daily spiritual experiences, 30% in depressive symptoms, 22% in perceived stress, 20% in emotional exhaustion, 19% in work engagement, and 21% of variance of ascribed importance of religious activity. The SDS-5 can be used as a specific measure of spiritual crisis with good reliability and validity in further studies.

Asian Shades of Spirituality: Implications for Multicultural School Counseling

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Hanna, Fred J.; Green, Alan

2004-01-01

In the current practice of school counseling, little consideration is given to the spiritual background of students of Asian cultures. Although there is a body of literature on Asian culture in counseling, the authors could find remarkably few articles pertaining to counseling students in the context of Asian religious and spiritual traditions. In…

Structural Model of Drug Use among Students: The Role of Spirituality, Social Modeling and Attitude to Drugs

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samira yavari

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study was an attempt to explore the structural relationship between religious activity, religious struggle, attitude to drugs, social modeling, spiritual well-being, and cigarette and tobacco smoking among students. Method: For this purpose, 504 male and female students from Kharazmi University, Agricultural Paradise, and Azad University of Karaj were selected by cluster sampling and they were asked to complete spiritual well-being scale, religious activity scale, religious struggle scale, social modeling scale, negative beliefs about drugs, and the tobacco section of the high-risk behavior questionnaire. Results: The results showed that the effect of religious activity on cigarette and tobacco smoking was mediated by negative beliefs about drugs, social modeling, spiritual well-being, and incentives for drug use. Similarly, the effect of religious struggle on cigarette and tobacco smoking was mediated by spiritual well-being. Conclusion: It seems that religion prevents people joining the unhealthy peer groups by the establishment of moral discipline, internal and external rules, and healthy coping styles therefore, people get less attracted to cigarette and tobacco smoking. Accordingly, these factors should be paid more attention in prevention programs for drug use, particularly cigarette and tobacco that are considered as the gateway to other drugs.

Stigma and Spiritual Well-being among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Appalachia.

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Hutson, Sadie P; Darlington, Caroline K; Hall, Joanne M; Heidel, R Eric; Gaskins, Susan

2018-06-01

The Appalachian South is disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Partly due to the negative connotation that this disease carries in religiously conservative areas, HIV-related stigma remains a critical barrier to HIV care in the South. However, spirituality is a well-documented, effective coping mechanism among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between HIV-related stigma and spiritual well-being among a sample of PLWH (n = 216) in Appalachian counties of Tennessee and Alabama using the HIV Stigma Scale and the Spiritual Well-being Scale. Overall, disclosure of HIV status was the most highly reported stigma concern. Women reported higher levels of stigma and religious well-being than men. While existential well-being was negatively correlated with stigma, no significant overall correlation was found between religious well-being and stigma. Our findings reveal the importance of defining theology and differentiating between cultural religious conditioning and internalized beliefs.

Spiritual Criminology: The Case of Jewish Criminology.

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Ronel, Natti; Ben Yair, Y

2018-05-01

Throughout the ages and in most cultures, spiritual and religious thinking have dealt extensively with offending (person against person and person against the Divine), the response to offending, and rehabilitation of offenders. Although modern criminology has generally overlooked that body of knowledge and experience, the study of spirituality and its relation to criminology is currently growing. Frequently, though, it is conducted from the secular scientific perspective, thus reducing spiritual knowledge into what is already known. Our aim here is to present a complementary perspective; that is, spiritual criminology that emerges from the spiritual perspective. Following a description of the state-of-the-art in criminological research concerning spirituality and its impact upon individuals, we focus on Jewish criminology as an illustrative case study, and present a spiritual Jewish view on good and evil, including factors that lead to criminality, the issue of free choice, the aim of punishment and societal response, crime desistance, rehabilitation, and prevention. The proposed establishment of spiritual criminology can be further developed by including parallel schools of spirituality, to create an integrated field in criminology.

Exploring the Trajectory of Personal, Moral and Spiritual Values of 16- to 18-Year-Old Students Taking Religious Studies at A Level in the UK

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Francis, Leslie J.; Village, Andrew; Parker, Stephen G.

2017-01-01

This study set out to explore the trajectory of personal, moral and spiritual values of students taking Religious Studies at A level in the UK. A sample of 150 students completed a battery of measures at the beginning of their period of A level study and again at the end. The data found no difference over this period of time in personal values…

Influence of Spirituality and Religion on Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Adult HIV/AIDS Patients in Calabar, Nigeria

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Agam Ebaji Ayuk

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The emergence of a chronic medical illness such as Human Immune Deficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS may be the time when people turn to the Sacred through spirituality and religion. HIV is a chronic illness that requires strict adherence to medication regimens that may be influenced by spirituality/religion. This study was aimed at finding the association between spirituality/religion and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART in adult HIV/AIDS patients. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of 370 patients. Adherence was measured using an adapted adult AIDS clinical trial group (AACTG and visual analogue scale (VAS tools. Spirituality was assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality Expanded (FACIT-Sp-Ex scale, religiosity with Duke University Religion index (DUREL, and religious coping with Brief Religious Coping (RCOPE scale. Adherence rates were 86.2 and 43.8% using AACTG and VAS tools, respectively. Statistical significant correlation was found between spirituality and adherence to HAART (r = 0.265; p = 0.00. Also, significant correlation was found between positive religious coping and adherence (r = 0.15, p = 0.003. Odds ratio indicated that female respondents were 1.6 times more likely to be adherent, compared with males. Similarly, every unit rise in spirituality score yielded a 1.3 times increased likelihood of adherence to HAART on multiple logistic regression of adherence to HAART with relevant predictors. Both spirituality and positive religious coping have positive influence on optimal adherence. Therefore, the training of health care personnel to assess and provide spiritual care and involvement of chaplains/religious leaders is advocated for improved adherence.

Individual belief and practice in neopagan spirituality

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Britta Rensing

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This article deals with Neopaganism, which is one of the fastest growing spiritual practices today. Neopagans are often placed in the field of new religions and new religious movements. When focussing on the world-view shared by these groups, this classification is correct, but no neopagan practitioner believes and practices like another. Neopagan spirituality is flexible and personal, which is often expressed in the art of poetry. Practitioners of this way of spirituality, where there are no texts or other sources telling them what to believe and how, turn to producing art for their personal spiritual development. While dogma is strictly rejected in postmodern spirituality, art obviously has become a very important element on the individual’s way to find her or his place in life and in the world.

Daily Spiritual Experiences and Psychological Well-Being among US Adults

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Ellison, Christopher G.; Fan, Daisy

2008-01-01

This study focuses on one of the most significant recent innovations in the conceptualization and measurement of religiousness and spirituality, the Daily Spiritual Experience scale (DSES; Underwood (2006) "Archive for the Psychology of Religion/Archiv fur Religion Psychologie," 28, 181-218). Using data from 1998 and 2004 NORC General…

About Human Condition and Spirituality

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Adriana Mihaela MACSUT

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the mankind is enthused about a real informational explosion but it the anxiety about the human mission also appears: “the humankind, enthused about its own discoveries and its power asks itself with anxiety which is its place and role in the Universe (Gaudim et Spes 3. Yesterday and today, the human being realized that he cannot “answer these fundamental questions which always have tormented his heart regarding the end and the beginning and hence his sense of existence” (Benedict XVI, Discourse, Pontifical Gregorian University Rome, the 4-th of November 2006. The 21st century is marked by a return to spirituality because the need for spirituality “reaffirms with power, so far that the observers... reach the conclusion attributed to Andre Malraux: «The 21st century will be religious or will not be at all»”.1 Nowadays, spirituality means searching for wisdom and there are questions as: who are the humans, where do they come from and where do they go. Under these circumstances, we have to establish some ethical benchmarks.2 This void makes place for the religious fundamentalism, a laic spirituality based of consumerism described as “a process through which goods are the services created, produced, used and exhausted”.3 But the human must switch from the state of consumer to the state of citizen.”4 Here is about “the necessity of surpassing a selfish ethics.”5

Spirituality and Wellbeing in the Context of a Study on Suicide Prevention in North India

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Rekha Wagani

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The connection between spirituality and wellbeing, including its benefits for physical and mental health, has been recognized in the Eastern cultures for a very long time, although the sharp division between science and religion has caused, for the most part, its neglect inWestern cultures until recently. Nevertheless, limited efforts have been made to explore the impact of spirituality and religion on wellbeing, including the prevention of suicide. We begin with an overview of the literature on religiousness, spirituality, and health and wellbeing. Further, we present a novel study focused on a sample of 160 Indian students from a spiritually oriented university in North India with the aim to understand how spirituality affects their lives and wellbeing and their views about suicide. Our results show that spirituality, generally, has a positive impact on participants’ wellbeing with a potential protective effect against suicidal behavior, although more research on spiritual/religious beliefs as a source of difficulties is warranted.

[Evolutionary Concept Analysis of Spirituality].

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Ko, Il Sun; Choi, So Young; Kim, Jin Sook

2017-04-01

This study was done to clarify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of spirituality. Rodgers's evolutionary concept analysis was used to analyze fifty seven studies from the literature related to spirituality as it appears in systematic literature reviews of theology, medicine, counseling & psychology, social welfare, and nursing. Spirituality was found to consist of two dimensions and eight attributes: 1) vertical dimension: 'intimacy and connectedness with God' and 'holy life and belief', 2) horizontal dimension: 'self-transcendence', 'meaning and purpose in life', 'self-integration', and 'self-creativity' in relationship with self, 'connectedness' and 'trust' in relationship with others·neighbors·nature. Antecedents of spirituality were socio-demographic, religious, psychological, and health related characteristics. Consequences of spirituality were positive and negative. Being positive included 'life centered on God' in vertical dimension, and among horizontal dimension 'joy', 'hope', 'wellness', 'inner peace', and 'self-actualization' in relationship with self, 'doing in love' and 'extended life toward neighbors and the world' in relationship with others·neighbors·nature. Being negative was defined as having 'guilt', 'inner conflict', 'loneliness', and 'spiritual distress'. Facilitators of spirituality were stressful life events and experiences. Spirituality is a multidimensional concept. Unchangeable attributes of spirituality are 'connectedness with God', 'self-transcendence', 'meaning of life' and 'connectedness with others·nature'. Unchangeable consequences of spirituality are 'joy' and 'hope'. The findings suggest that the dimensional framework of spirituality can be used to assess the current spiritual state of patients. Based on these results, the development of a Korean version of the scale measuring spirituality is recommended. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Embedded spirituality: gardening in daily life and stressful life experiences.

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Unruh, Anita; Hutchinson, Susan

2011-09-01

There is a limited body of research examining the relationship between spirituality and leisure, or the impact of leisure in the context of daily life, and life with stressful events. To examine the meaning of gardens and gardening across different life experiences using hermeneutic phenomenology to focus on the lived experience of leisure gardening. Most participants were interviewed once in each season over a 1 year period usually in their home. There were 42 participants (27 women and 15 men) in this study. Fifteen individuals had been diagnosed with cancer and were in varying stages of diagnosis and treatment. Three people had a chronic and progressive disease. Four women were grieving the death of their spouse. Participants ranged in age from 32 to 80 years. In this paper, we focus on the spirituality-related themes in this study: spirituality as connectedness; spirituality as an expression of inner being; the garden as a spiritual place and gardening as spiritual activity; gardening as a spiritual journey; and, stewardship. Participants with religious views saw their garden as an extension of their spirituality and a confirmation of their beliefs. Participants with secular or sacred views of spirituality that was not related to any religious beliefs were more likely to embed their spirituality in their relationship with nature as manifested in their garden. This study extends current theory regarding leisure and its contribution to meaning focused coping, and spirituality as a significant component of leisure in living with stressful health and life events. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2011 Nordic College of Caring Science.

A Qur’anic Framework for Spiritual Intelligence

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Benaouda Bensaid

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the perspective of the Qur’an on spiritual intelligence in an attempt to understand its foundations, meaning and nature, as well as derive its indicators, in an effort to develop a competency-based criterion for it. This paper draws on some illustrations that effectively highlight the Qur’anic perspective on the subject of spiritual intelligence. The paper concludes that spiritual intelligence developed in accordance with a Qur’anic framework that incorporates spiritual consciousness into a system of belief, worship, morality and social responsibility. The understanding of the Qur’anic perspective helps uncover some of the broad underlying theoretical principles and values of Islamic spiritual intelligence which shapes much of Muslim spiritual undertaking with relation to a wider spectrum of interaction with faith-groups and society; effectively developing more inclusive models of evaluation and capacity-building in contemporary multi-religious societies.

Parental spirituality in life-threatening pediatric cancer.

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Nicholas, David B; Barrera, Maru; Granek, Leeat; D'Agostino, Norma Mammone; Shaheed, Jenny; Beaune, Laura; Bouffet, Eric; Antle, Beverley

2017-01-01

This study addressed parental spirituality in the context of pediatric cancer with a poor prognosis. Drawing upon previous research implementing a longitudinal grounded theory design examining parental hope, 35 parents were interviewed regarding their experiences with an emergent description of the role of spirituality in parents' daily lives. Spirituality included religious beliefs and practices, notions of a higher force or cosmos, relationship with a divine being, as well as elements emerging from meaning-making and relationships. Parental expectations of spirituality remained relatively constant across data collection time points (3-9 months postdiagnosis), although limited variation occurred relative to shifting circumstance (e.g., deterioration of the child's condition). Spirituality appeared to offer: greater acceptance of parents' inability to protect their child from harm related to her/his life-threatening illness, guidance and emotion decompression, and support from one's faith community. Recommendations for integrating spiritual assessment in clinical care practice are offered.

Spirituality Phenomenon and the Ideal-Realism Method in Modern Education

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A. P. Vetoshkin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper is devoted to the spiritual revival of modern Russia. In the author’s view, the Russian Idea with its basic principles, moral, spiritual and semantic concepts should provide the guidelines for education, upbringing and the youth policy, guaranteeing the spiritual transformation and mobilization of the moral power for the benefit of the motherland, local society and family, as well as the personal growth. The theoretical and methodological bases for developing and implementing the above idea could be found in Russian national religious and philosophic thinking with its balanced dialectics of spiritual and social aspects. The experience of the ideal-realism, as the leading trend of the national spiritual culture, is being analyzed and summarized. The correlation between the ideal and material in social and individual life is demonstrated along with the dialectics and wholeness of the divine and human, religious and secular, ecclesiastical and civil.The author addresses the philosophic heritage of I. A. Ilyin, V. S. Solovyev, S. N. Trubetskoy, S. N. Bulgakov, N. A. Berdyayev, N. O. Losskiy etc, and regards spirituality as the basic defining, systematic and leading origin of the whole socio-historical process including human being formation and development, education and upbringing. 

Exploring spirituality in Iranian healthy elderly people: A qualitative content analysis.

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Rahimi, Abolfazl; Anoosheh, Monireh; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Foroughan, Mahshid

2013-03-01

Spirituality is recognized as a personally important matter to the elderly, and there are evidences of its impact on their health. The aim of this study was to explore the concept of spirituality from the perspectives of Iranian healthy elderly individuals. A conventional qualitative content analysis of carried out with 21 healthy elderly people from both male and female genders were chosen using a purposive sampling method in Tehran in 2010-2011. Data collection was done through semi structured interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the participants' experiences and perceptions on spirituality, using a central question 'what characterizes the spirituality in the Iranian healthy elderly people?' THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES EMERGED FROM THE DATA ANALYSIS: (1) Spiritual health, with four sub categories including saying prayer as a calming factor; beneficence as a way to God; loss of psychological and spiritual support; faith as a way to happiness; (2) spiritual beliefs, with three sub categories including seeking help from God in difficulties; God's power over life and death; doing good deeds is the God's will; and (3) religious practice with three sub categories including saying prayer; reading Quran; and going to mosque, religious ceremonies and pilgrimage. In this study was found that spirituality was a fundamental element in elderly individuals' lives that help them to adapt with daily living conditions.

[Development of Spiritual Care in Cancer Treatment in Japan].

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Shimazono, Susumu

2017-01-01

Spiritual care started worldwide in the late 1960s with the development of the hospice movement and death studies. Why did spiritual care start duringthis time in history ? In some Christian societies, of that time,"pastoral care" evolved into an interfaith "spiritual care" where in the caretaker was the main agent instead of the caregiver. On the other hand, the importance of palliative care for cancer patients was gradually acknowledged. In addition, this progress was accompanied by the academic development of "death studies" which is called "death and life studies" in Japan. The Japanese hospice care and death studies movement started in the late 1970s. In the precedingperiod, the spiritual quest of cancer patients facingdeath was already gaining public attention. A scholar of religious studies, Hideo Kishimoto of the University of Tokyo, was diagnosed with cancer in 1954; he survived many operations until his death in 1964. Duringthose years, he wrote about his personal experience of acceptinghis approachingdeath. Although he did not believe in any specific faith, he had studied various religious teachings. It is important to understand his perception of his own death. His book, On Facing Death, was published immediately after his death. Therefore, it provided a prominent discourse on copingwith spiritual pain of approachingdeath even before the growth of spiritual care in Japan.

Postmodern spirituality and the culture of individualism

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Dominika Motak

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the thesis about a fundamental shift in Western religiosity has become increasingly prominent in the scientific study of religion. Many new phenomena of today’s religious scene are seen as the manifestation of a resacralization/re-enchantment of the world, or even of spirituality/a spiritual revolution. The new religious world view that is taking shape presupposes an essential oneness of microcosm and macrocosm and a presence of the divine in man and in the world. The radical distinction between the temporal and supernatural worlds disappears, which seems to herald the advent of a new type of spirituality based on the idea of immanence. This new ‘all-inclusive spirituality’ has many forms of expression and is concerned with ‘the sacredness of life, nature and the universe’ and ‘all pathways that lead to meaning and purpose’. This ‘subjective turn’ means ‘a turn away from life lived in terms of external or “objective” roles, duties and obligations, and a turn towards life lived by reference to one’s own subjective experiences (relational as much as individualistic’. All the above-mentioned explanatory frameworks to a certain extent employ the concept of individualization.This presentation examines the the concept of individualization as an approach for the understanding of today’s religious scene.

The Spiritual Needs of the Religiously Unaffiliated Airmen and Trainees in Basic Military Training

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2016-05-24

and Trainees in Basic Military Training presented at/published to the Division 19 Section, APA Conference 2016, Denver, CO 5 Aug 2016 with MDWI 41...demonstrated at meeting: name of meeting, city, state. and date of meeting.) Division 19 Section, APA Conference 2016, Denver, CO, 05 AUG 16 D 11d. PLATFORM...of this population. The program includes an 8-week sequential format through the following topics: (1) Humanism, Communication, and Military Life, (2

Religious Fundamentalism/Religious Modernism: Conceptual Adversaries or Ambivalent Phenomena?

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D. GOLOVUSHKIN

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Both religious modernism and religious fundamentalism appeared as problems in academic and theological literature at the beginning of the 20th century. They came about as the result of the dynamic development of modernistic ideology in Russia, the United States, Western Europe and the Islamic world. Today, the concepts of religious modernism and religious fundamentalism are widely used to describe religious processes and phenomena which are the result of interaction between religion (as a dynamic spiritual and social subsystem and society - as a social system experiencing evolution. The concept of religious modernism is traditionally associated with religious renewal, the contemporary world, and innovation. Fundamentalism, on the contrary, is an ideological commitment to the “roots and origins” of religion. Under the aegis of fundamentalism, any religious idea, value or concept has a right to exist. Religious Studies, during the course of time and the production of ever new material, encountered a serious theoretic-methodological problem: How can various religious movements and religious traditions be organized into groups since some of them combine elements of religious modernism and of religious fundamentalism? Already at the end of the nineteen-eighties, the well-established view defining “fundamentalism-modernism” as contrary positions had to be rethought. Studies dating from the nineteen-nineties and the beginning of the new millennium concentrated on noting the social origins and the political character of these phenomena. They demonstrated that neither fundamentalism nor modernism present the whole picture. The lines dividing them are so blurred, that they become confl uent. Consequently, the author concludes that religious fundamentalism and religious modernism are ambivalent phenomena, which can, on occasion, interact with each other.

"Heart trouble" and religious involvement among older white men and women.

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Thompson, Edward H; Killgore, Leslie; Connors, Heather

2009-09-01

Objective Few studies examine how older adults' health status affects spiritual and religious involvement. This study examined the effects of gender and poor cardiac health on older adults' ends, means, and quest religious motivations and frequency of private devotion. Method Longitudinal data (12 months between the T1 and T2 interviews) with 182 older adults sampled from a Northeast city were used to examine in a multivariate analysis of covariance whether gender and the existence of cardiac health problems at T1 affected older adults' spiritual and religious involvement at T2. Findings A gender and cardiac health condition interaction showed older men with heart trouble had more changes in religious involvement-they engaged in more religious doubt, prayed less, and were not as intrinsically oriented at T2. Discussion The findings strongly suggest that older men with heart trouble may maintain a masculine style and shun seeking divine help.

Transforming Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours through Eco-Spirituality and Religion

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Crowe, Jessica L.

2013-01-01

Incorporating spirituality and religious themes in environmental education is a way to link learners to their meaning systems. Research has shown that incorporation of a spiritual element in education provides a way for students to have authentic learning experiences and make meaning of the knowledge they acquire in the classroom. This mixed…

[Spiritual care of a terminal liver cancer patient: a nursing experience].

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Chien, Hui-Chi

2010-04-01

Death, an unavoidable event in the human experience, causes physical as well as mental and spiritual suffering. This paper reports on a nursing experience giving spiritual care to a terminal liver cancer patient between January 17 and February 9, 2009. Eleven nursing logs were used as the source of data for daily information. During the care period, patient religious needs featured prominently, including his desire to become a Christian and his eagerness to know about and help in the arrangement of his funeral. Taking the initiative, the nurse helped link him with religious resources, arranged a minister for his baptism ceremony, had the priest explain funeral proceedings, and assisted with the completion of his entrusted plans. The function of this nursing care intervention was to provide a personal touch to a patient who was in desperate need of warm spiritual care. It is hoped that this report can help caregivers increase their sensitivity toward patient spiritual needs and enhance routine nursing care quality.

Effects of Religious Priming Concepts on Prosocial Behavior Towards Ingroup and Outgroup.

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Batara, Jame Bryan L; Franco, Pamela S; Quiachon, Mequia Angelo M; Sembrero, Dianelle Rose M

2016-11-01

Several studies show that there is a connection between religion and prosociality (e.g., Saroglou, 2013). To investigate whether there is a causal relationship between these two variables, a growing number of scholars employed priming religious concepts and measure its influence on prosocial behavior (e.g., Pichon, Boccato, & Saroglou, 2007). In the recent development of religious priming, Ritter and Preston (2013) argued that different primes (agent prime, spiritual/abstract prime, and institutional prime) may also have varying influence on prosocial behavior specifically helping an ingroup or an outgroup target. With this in mind, a 2 (social categorization of the target of help) by 3 (agent prime, institutional prime, spiritual prime) experiment was conducted to directly investigate this hypothesis. Results suggest that priming religious concepts especially the spiritual prime can increase prosocial behaviors. However, no significant effect was found on the social categorization which implies that Filipino participants elicit prosocial behavior regardless of the social categorization (be it ingroup or outgroup) of the target of help. The present study's findings contribute to further the literature on religious priming and its influence on prosocial behavior.

Religious leaders' opinions and guidance towards oral health maintenance and promotion: a qualitative study.

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Zini, Avraham; Sgan-Cohen, Harold D; Feder-Bubis, Paula

2015-04-01

Religions emphasize the supreme value of life. However, potential or concrete conflicts of perception between dictates of faith and science often present an inescapable dilemma. The aim of this qualitative research was to examine the views of spiritual and religious leaders towards general and oral health issues. A total of 11 eminent Jewish spiritual and religious community leaders were purposively chosen. They were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The verbatim transcriptions of the interviews were analysed in the spirit of grounded theory, using qualitative data analysis software. Open, axial, and thematic coding served to build categories and themes. Analysis of participants' perspectives reflected that they, based upon Jewish theology, attributed high importance to primary prevention at both personal and community levels. Religious and orthodox people were depicted as being motivated towards maintaining oral health behaviours due to a sense of obligation to follow religious edicts, strong social support, and elevated perceived spiritual levels. We offer a theoretical model that can explain the potential high motivation among these communities towards implementing positive general and oral health behaviours. Religiosity may be regarded as an example of a psycho-social health determinant, encompassing spiritual belief ("psycho") and social support ("social") components.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Positive and Negative Impact of Spiritual Religious Coping on Quality of Life and Depression in Dialysis Patients.

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Vitorino, Luciano Magalhães; Soares, Renata de Castro E Santos; Santos, Ana Eliza Oliveira; Lucchetti, Alessandra Lamas Granero; Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Cortez, Paulo José Oliveira; Lucchetti, Giancarlo

2017-08-01

Studies have shown that spiritual/religious beliefs are associated with mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, few studies evaluated how spiritual/religious coping (SRC) could affect hemodialysis patients. The present study investigated the role of SRC behaviors on HRQoL and depressive symptoms in hemodialysis patients. This was cross-sectional study with 184 patients. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Brief SRC Scale, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and a Sociodemographic and Health Characterization Questionnaire. From 218 patients, 184 (84.4%) were included (53.8% male with a median age of 55.9 years). Negative SRC, but not positive SRC, was associated with depressive symptoms. Positive SRC presented significant effects in SF-36 pain and physical and social functioning. On the other hand, negative SRC exhibited significant effects in SF-36 role emotional, energy/fatigue, pain, and physical functioning. SRC influences the mental health and HRQoL in Brazilian hemodialysis patients in two distinct ways. If used positively, it may have positive outcomes. However, if used negatively, it may lead to dysfunctional consequences such as greater depressive symptomatology and affect HRQoL. Health professionals must be aware of these "two sides of the same coin."

Spiritual and religious experiences of adolescent psychiatric inpatients versus healthy peers.

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Grossoehme, Daniel H; Cotton, Sian; Leonard, Anthony

2007-01-01

One hundred twenty-two adolescent psychiatric inpatients with depressive disorders and 80 healthy peers were administered the INSPIRIT, a measure of core spiritual experiences. Healthy adolescents reported a greater frequency of spiritual experiences and a more positive impact of such experiences on their belief in God than did their inpatient peers. Adolescent inpatients reported higher frequencies of experiencing angels, demons, God or guiding spirits; feeling unity with the earth and other living things; and with near death or life after death as compared to healthy peers. Overall, females reported higher frequency of spiritual experiences and higher impact of the experience on their belief in God than did males. It was concluded that the INSPIRIT is a feasible spiritual assessment tool for adolescent populations and may be used by chaplains as a means for guiding clinical conversations with adolescents.

Bienestar espiritual de enfermos terminales y de personas aparentemente sanas The spiritual wellbeing of terminally ill people and the spiritual well being of apparently healthy people

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Beatriz Sánchez Herrera

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: el objetivo principal del estudio fue describir y comparar el bienestar espiritual de personas con enfermedad terminal con el de personas aparentemente sanas. Metodología: se desarrolló con un método cuantitativo, descriptivo, comparativo. Incluyó 44 pacientes hospitalizados en la Clínica Luís Carlos Galán y 44 personas con características similares y aparentemente sanas. Para la medición del bienestar espiritual se empleó la Escala de Bienestar Espiritual de Ellison®. Resultados: el nivel general de bienestar espiritual de las personas con enfermedad terminal es alto, los niveles del componente religioso y el componente existencial del nivel de bienestar son medios. En las personas aparentemente sanas el nivel de bienestar general y por componentes es alto. Conclusión: al comparar el bienestar espiritual entre las personas con enfermedad terminal y las personas aparentemente sanas del estudio, se encontró un mayor bienestar espiritual general y del componente existencial en el grupo de las personas aparentemente sanas. No se encontró diferencia en el nivel de bienestar de la dimensión religiosa entre los grupos.Objective: The main objective of the study was to describe and compare the spiritual wellbeing of people with terminal illness with the spiritual well being of apparently healthy people. Methodology: the study was developed with a quantitative, descriptive and comparative approach. It included 44 patients hospitalized at the Luis Carlos Galan Clinic and 44 people with similar characteristics but apparently healthy. The spiritual well being was measured with the Ellison Spiritual Wellbeing Scale®. Results: the general level of spiritual well being of the people with terminal illness was high as well as its religious component. The level of the existential component of the spiritual well being in the same group was medium. In the apparently healthy people the general level of spiritual wellbeing and the level of

Spiritual Development--A Missing and Powerful Leverage When Building Learning Organizations

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Rupcic, Nataša

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss the role that spiritual development plays in the development of learning individuals and organizations. Spiritual development has been examined though the lens of various meditative practices (such as transcendental meditation, mindfulness and flow) and religious indoctrinations (such as…

Spiritual Well-Being Scale Differences between Caucasian Males and Females.

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Miller, Geri; Gridley, Betty; Chester, Terri; Nunn, David; Vickers, Valerie

This paper presents an exploratory factor analysis of the Spiritual Well-Being (SWB) Scale, which was developed to examine overall life satisfaction. It is a 20-item, self-report instrument that measures three dimensions: an overall Spiritual Well-Being score, a Religious Well-Being score, and an Existential Well-Being score. The findings show…

A Qualitative Inquiry into the Mediating Role of Religion and Spirituality in Adjusting Marital Relationships of Infertile Women

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Robab Latifnejad Roudsari

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Despite growing body of literature regarding marital adjustment of infertile women, to our knowledge, there is no study to address the role of religious and spiritual beliefs in adjusting marital relationships in infertile women. Considering the significance of marital cohesiveness and commitment in the long and stressful journey of infertile women, this study was designed to explore how marital relationships are experienced by infertile women who affiliated to different religious faiths.Methods: A group of 30 infertile women affiliated to different denominations of Christianity (Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodoxies and Islam (Shiite and Sunni were interviewed. The design was a grounded theory study including semi structured in-depth interviews. Data were collected in one Iranian and two UK fertility clinics through theoretical sampling and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s mode of grounded theory. Results: Religious infertile women using a religious/spiritual meaning-making framework tried adjust their marital relationships through going the following phases: being optimistic and positive, having supportive relationships, being grateful and appreciated for their marital life, offering spiritual sympathy and adopting religious role models. These strategies aided infertile women to be more understanding, sympathetic and gentle towards maintaining the family cohesion.Conclusion: I argue that awareness of health professionals of the potential ways in which religion and spirituality assist infertile women to deal with their marital issues could be important. This knowledge will help them to support emotional wholeness and integrity of infertile women, offering religious and spiritual coping strategies which can help adjusting their marital relationships.  

The Religious Facebook Experience: Uses and Gratifications of Faith-Based Content

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Pamela Jo Brubaker

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study explores why Christians ( N  = 335 use Facebook for religious purposes and the needs engaging with religious content on Facebook gratifies. Individuals who access faith-based content on Facebook were recruited to participate in an online survey through a series of Facebook advertisements. An exploratory factor analysis revealed four primary motivations for accessing religious Facebook content: ministering, spiritual enlightenment, religious information, and entertainment. Along with identifying the uses and gratifications received from engaging with faith-based Facebook content, this research reveals how the frequency of Facebook use, the intensity of Facebook use for religious purposes, and also religiosity predict motivations for accessing this social networking site for faith-based purposes. The data revealed those who frequently use Facebook for posting, liking, commenting, and sharing faith-based content and who are more religious are more likely to minister to others. Frequent use also predicted seeking religious information. The affiliation with like-minded individuals afforded by this medium provides faith-based users with supportive content and communities that motivate the use of Facebook for obtaining spiritual guidance, for accessing religious resources, and for relaxing and being entertained.

Healing bodies: Contemporary spirituality, practice and therapeutic landscapes

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Matejskova, Tatiana

In response to the reductionist accounts of contemporary non-religious spiritual practices as simply a by-product of post-modern consumerism, geographers have recently stressed the need to take such practices seriously. This paper heeds this call by focusing on a particular aspect of modern spiri...... therapeutic and spiritual landscapes - traditionally relying on impoverished conceptions of body – as dynamic and relational emergences effectuated quite literally in and through the bodily...

Spiritual Politics, Political Religion, and Religious Freedom in Burma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gravers, Mikael

2013-01-01

A state of the art artcle on academic work on religion, politics, and religious freedom in Burma......A state of the art artcle on academic work on religion, politics, and religious freedom in Burma...

Unbuckling the Bible Belt: A State-Level Analysis of Religious Factors and Google Searches for Porn.

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Whitehead, Andrew L; Perry, Samuel L

2018-01-01

While the link between individual religious characteristics and pornography consumption is well established, relatively little research has considered how the wider religious context may influence pornography use. Exceptions in the literature to date have relied on relatively broad, subjective measures of religious commitment, largely ignoring issues of religious belonging, belief, or practice. This study moves the conversation forward by examining how a variety of state-level religious factors predict Google searches for the term porn, net of relevant sociodemog raphic and ideological controls. Our multivariate findings indicate that higher percentages of Evangelical Protestants, theists, and biblical literalists in a state predict higher frequencies of searching for porn, as do higher church attendance rates. Conversely, higher percentages of religiously unaffiliated persons in a state predict lower frequencies of searching for porn. Higher percentages of total religious adherents, Catholics, or mainline Protestants in a state are unrelated to searching for porn with controls in place. Contrary to recent research, our analyses also show that higher percentages of political conservatives in a state predicted lower frequencies of porn searches. Our findings support theories that more salient, traditional religious influences in a state may influence residents-whether religious or not-toward more covert sexual experiences.

Atheist spirituality: a follow on from New Atheism?

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Teemu Taira

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Books about well-being, self-improvement, life management and spirituality have been popular for many years. It is not news to anybody that such topics sell. However, books on atheism have never become bestsellers until the early years of the twenty-first century. Now the so-called New Atheist books have altogether sold millions. It may sound surprising, but atheism sells. It may have been the idea of a publishers’ marketing department to put the two selling points together, but in recent years a number of books about atheist spirituality, spiritual atheism and atheist self-help have been published. That has been one aspect of the increased visibility of atheism and spirituality in public discourse. Atheist discourse which is combined with ‘spirituality’ might be called ‘post-secular’ as it does not fit easily into the neat binary classification between religious and non-religious secular. This article examines this hybrid area in atheist discourse in relation to three aspects: monotheism, spirituality and meditation. Atheist discourse situates itself against monotheism, but some spokespersons combine atheism with spirituality and meditation. This works as an example of a wider and recent trend in society where a blurring of the earlier normative boundaries between religion and non-religion has become fairly common, not necessarily in terms of beliefs, but of practices. Even though there is a long tradition of non-theistic and atheistic readings of Buddhism, for example, they have rarely been combined with an explicit criticism of monotheistic traditions and atheist consciousness-raising.

The role of religion and spirituality in coping with kidney disease and haemodialysis in Thailand.

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Yodchai, Kantaporn; Dunning, Trisha; Savage, Sally; Hutchinson, Alison M

2017-06-01

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face various problems including psychological, socioeconomic and physical effects associated with CKD and its treatment. They need to develop strategies to help them cope with CKD and life challenges. Religion and spirituality are important coping strategies, but their role in helping people cope with CKD and haemodialysis (HD) in Thailand is relatively unknown. To investigate the role of religion and spirituality in coping with CKD and its treatment in Thailand. An exploratory, qualitative approach was undertaken using semistructured individual interviews. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews using open questions were conducted during January and February 2012. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using the framework method of qualitative data analysis. Twenty people receiving HD participated: age range 23-77 years, mean 53.7 (±16.38 SD). Ten were women. Participants reported use of religious and spiritual practices to cope with CKD and its treatment, including religious and spiritual explanations for developing CKD, karmic disease, making merit, reading Dharma books, praying and chanting to save life and making a vow to Pran-Boon. Religion and spirituality provide powerful coping strategies that can help Thai people with CKD overcome the associated distress and difficulties. Religion and spirituality cannot be separated in Thai culture because Thai people are both religious and spiritual. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Effectiveness of Spiritual Group Therapy on Quality of Life and Spiritual Well-Being among Patients with Breast Cancer

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Sakineh Zamaniyan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Cancer is deemed the century’s major health problem, and its increasing growth during the last decades has made experts concerned more than ever. Of all types of cancer, breast cancer is regarded as the second most common disease among women. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of spiritual group therapy on quality of life and spiritual well-being among patients suffering from breast cancer. The present research was carried out between March and June 2011. The sample consisted of 24 participants randomly assigned to 2 groups: an experimental group (n, 12 and a control group (n, 12. All the subjects completed questionnaires on quality of life and spiritual well-being in pretest and posttest. The experimental group received 12 sessions of spiritual group therapy. The results demonstrated improvement in quality of life and spiritual well-being in the experimental group. In conclusion, spiritual group therapy can be used to improve quality of life and spiritual well-being (religious health and existential health among patients with breast cancer.

Mysticism and spirituality

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Nils G. Holm

2009-01-01

Full Text Available How does the popular correspond to the grand terms of the title? Are not mysticism and spirituality something very exclusive, reserved for a few individuals? No they are not, as this presentation of both the author's own studies and the research of others will provide a different picture of these two concepts. Mysticism and spirituality are notions that are very difficult to define. Traditionally mysticism has been regarded as a way to reach the inner dimensions of human life, dimensions where man even achieves unity with the Divine Being. Such traditions have been found in all the major religions, and since the times of William James a hundred years ago, the features of mysticism in various religions have been analysed. Spirituality is a concept that can hold various meanings. It has often been associated with religious traditions where inner life and its growth are emphasized. These include, in particular, various schools, orders and movements that aim at cultivating a deeper spiritual life. In its more recent use, the term spirituality has, to a fairly large extent, been dissociated from religion and has become a notion that seeks to grasp the searching of modern man for ethics and norms in a globalised world, where pollution is accelerating and where stress and entertainment disrupt the inner harmony of people. Keywords

Developments in spiritual care education in German--speaking countries.

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Paal, Piret; Roser, Traugott; Frick, Eckhard

2014-06-05

This article examines spiritual care training provided to healthcare professionals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The paper reveals the current extent of available training while defining the target group(s) and teaching aims. In addition to those, we will provide an analysis of delivered competencies, applied teaching and performance assessment methods. In 2013, an anonymous online survey was conducted among the members of the International Society for Health and Spiritual Care. The survey consisted of 10 questions and an open field for best practice advice. SPSS21 was used for statistical data analysis and the MAXQDA2007 for thematic content analysis. 33 participants participated in the survey. The main providers of spiritual care training are hospitals (36%, n = 18). 57% (n = 17) of spiritual care training forms part of palliative care education. 43% (n = 13) of spiritual care education is primarily bound to the Christian tradition. 36% (n = 11) of provided trainings have no direct association with any religious conviction. 64% (n = 19) of respondents admitted that they do not use any specific definition for spiritual care. 22% (n = 14) of available spiritual care education leads to some academic degree. 30% (n = 19) of training form part of an education programme leading to a formal qualification. Content analysis revealed that spiritual training for medical students, physicians in paediatrics, and chaplains take place only in the context of palliative care education. Courses provided for multidisciplinary team education may be part of palliative care training. Other themes, such as deep listening, compassionate presence, bedside spirituality or biographical work on the basis of logo-therapy, are discussed within the framework of spiritual care. Spiritual care is often approached as an integral part of grief management, communication/interaction training, palliative care, (medical) ethics, psychological or religious counselling

Spirituality, religiosity, aging and health in global perspective: A review

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Zachary Zimmer

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Persistent population aging worldwide is focusing attention on modifiable factors that can improve later life health. There is evidence that religiosity and spirituality are among such factors. Older people tend to have high rates of involvement in religious and/or spiritual endeavors and it is possible that population aging will be associated with increasing prevalence of religious and spiritual activity worldwide. Despite increasing research on religiosity, spirituality and health among older persons, population aging worldwide suggests the need for a globally integrated approach. As a step toward this, we review a subset of the literature on the impact of religiosity and spirituality on health in later life. We find that much of this has looked at the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and longevity as well as physical and mental health. Mechanisms include social support, health behaviors, stress and psychosocial factors. We identify a number of gaps in current knowledge. Many previous studies have taken place in the U.S. and Europe. Much data is cross-sectional, limiting ability to make causal inference. Religiosity and spirituality can be difficult to define and distinguish and the two concepts are often considered together, though on balance religiosity has received more attention than spirituality. The latter may however be equally important. Although there is evidence that religiosity is associated with longer life and better physical and mental health, these outcomes have been investigated separately rather than together such as in measures of health expectancy. In conclusion, there is a need for a unified and nuanced approach to understanding how religiosity and spirituality impact on health and longevity within a context of global aging, in particular whether they result in longer healthy life rather than just longer life. Keywords: Aging, Global aging, Health expectancy, Older adults, Mindfulness, Mortality, Religion

Psychometric testing of the properties of the spiritual health scale short form.

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Hsiao, Ya-Chu; Chiang, Yi-Chien; Lee, Hsiang-Chun; Han, Chin-Yen

2013-11-01

To further examine the psychometric properties of the spiritual health scale short form, including its reliability and validity. Spirituality is one of the main factors associated with good health outcomes. A reliable and valid instrument to measure spirituality is essential to identify the spiritual needs of an individual and to evaluate the effect of spiritual care. A cross-sectional study design was used. The study was conducted in six nursing schools in northern, central and southern Taiwan. The inclusion criterion for participants was nursing students with clinical practice experience. Initially, 1141 participants were recruited for the study, but 67 were absent and 48 did not complete the questionnaires. A total of 1026 participants were finally recruited, indicating a response rate of 89·9%. The psychometric testing of the spiritual health scale short form included construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, known-group validity and internal consistency reliability. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor model as an acceptable model fit. In the known-group validity, the results indicated that people who are in the category of primary religious affiliation have better spiritual health than people in the category of secondary religious affiliation and atheism. The result also indicated that the 24-item spiritual health scale short form achieved an acceptable internal consistency coefficient. The findings suggest that the spiritual health scale short form is a valid and reliable instrument for the appraisal of individual spiritual health. The spiritual health scale short form could provide useful information to guide clinical practice in assessing and managing people's spiritual health in Taiwan. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dying, mourning, and spirituality: a psychological perspective.

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Marrone, R

1999-09-01

Based in an unfortunate tradition that stretches back in time to Watson's behaviorism and Freud's psychoanalysis, psychology has tended to reject and to pathologize matters of the spirit. In the past 30 years, however, with the advent of what has been termed the cognitive revolution, psychology has greatly expanded the scope of its subject matter. Psychologists and thanatologists have begun to unravel the cognitive underpinnings of our assumptive world and the transformation of those underpinnings in times of crisis and stress. This article examines the cognitive basis of the spiritual experience and the use of cognitive assimilation, accommodation strategies during the process of mourning the death of a loved one, as well as during the process of living our own dying. Of special importance to mental health professionals and clergy, new research on dying, mourning, and spirituality suggests that the specific ways in which people rediscover meaning--such as belief in traditional religious doctrine, the afterlife, reincarnation, philanthropy, or a spiritual order to the universe--may be less important than the process itself. In other words, in the midst of dealing with profound loss in our lives, the ability to reascribe meaning to a changed world through spiritual transformation, religious conversion, or existential change may be more significant than the specific content by which that need is filled.

Spirituality and spiritual care in in the context of nursing education in South Africa

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Sandhya Chandramohan

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: In order for nursing education to prepare nurses for holistic patient care, it is critical that educators become more aware of the religious and spiritual dimensions in patien tcare and be able to provide adequate knowledge and skills for nurses to offer spiritually-basedc are in an ethical way. Furthermore, spiritual care is an essential component in the nursing context, as nurses have to care for patients who may often turn to the spiritual dimension to cope and heal. These aspects are important issues to be considered in planning what should be taught as part of spiritual care. Objectives: This paper presents findings from a study on nursing practitioners’ views on the role of spiritual care in nursing practice and whether current nursing education has integrated this dimension into teaching. Method: A descriptive survey using a cross-sectional design with 385 nurses was conducted between December 2012 and February 2013. Participants were recruited through multistage random sampling. Data analysis was undertaken using SSPS 0.20. Results: All the participants (n = 385 concurred that spiritual care was a salient component of holistic patient care. They however stated that the primary barriers to providing spiritual care related to uncertainty on how to provide this type of care, and a lack of educational preparedness for this role. Conclusion: The study found that nurses were very accepting of the need for spiritual care as part of their nursing role but that nursing education had not paid adequate attention to integrating this dimension into the nursing curriculum.

Religion, spirituality, and health: a review and update.

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Koenig, Harold G

2015-01-01

This article summarizes research prior to 2010 and more recent research on religion, spirituality, and health, including some of the latest work being done by research teams at Columbia University, Harvard University, Duke University, and other academic medical centers. First, terms such as religion, humanism, and spirituality are defined. Second, based on his research team's previous systematic review of quantitative studies published in the peer-reviewed literature prior to 2010, the author discusses the findings from that research on the effects of religion and spirituality (R/S) on (1) mental health-well-being, purpose in life, hope, optimism, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse; (2) health behaviors-exercise, diet, cigarette smoking, and risky sexual activity; and (3) physical health-coronary artery disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Third, the author examines the latest research on the prevalence of spiritual needs among individuals with serious or terminal medical illnesses, the consequences of ignoring those needs, and the results of clinical trials that have examined the effects of spiritual assessments by physicians. Finally, the author reviews the research currently being conducted at Duke University on the efficacy of religious cognitive-behavioral therapies and on the effects of religious involvement on telomere length in stressed caregivers. Resources are provided that will assist seasoned researchers and clinicians who might be interested in doing research in this novel and expanding area of whole-person medicine.

What Impact Do Chaplains Have? A Pilot Study of Spiritual AIM for Advanced Cancer Patients in Outpatient Palliative Care.

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Kestenbaum, Allison; Shields, Michele; James, Jennifer; Hocker, Will; Morgan, Stefana; Karve, Shweta; Rabow, Michael W; Dunn, Laura B

2017-11-01

Spiritual care is integral to quality palliative care. Although chaplains are uniquely trained to provide spiritual care, studies evaluating chaplains' work in palliative care are scarce. The goals of this pre-post study, conducted among patients with advanced cancer receiving outpatient palliative care, were to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of chaplain-delivered spiritual care, utilizing the Spiritual Assessment and Intervention Model ("Spiritual AIM"), and to gather pilot data on Spiritual AIM's effects on spiritual well-being, religious and cancer-specific coping, and physical and psychological symptoms. Patients with advanced cancer (N = 31) who were receiving outpatient palliative care were assigned based on chaplains' and patients' outpatient schedules, to one of three professional chaplains for three individual Spiritual AIM sessions, conducted over the course of approximately six to eight weeks. Patients completed the following measures at baseline and post-intervention: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, Steinhauser Spirituality, Brief RCOPE, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual (FACIT-Sp-12), Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC), Patient Dignity Inventory, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (10 items), and Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory. From baseline to post-Spiritual AIM, significant increases were found on the FACIT-Sp-12 Faith subscale, the Mini-MAC Fighting Spirit subscale, and Mini-MAC Adaptive Coping factor. Two trends were observed, i.e., an increase in Positive religious coping on the Brief RCOPE and an increase in Fatalism (a subscale of the Mini-MAC). Spiritual AIM, a brief chaplain-led intervention, holds potential to address spiritual needs and religious and general coping in patients with serious illnesses. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Religious Priming Concepts on Prosocial Behavior Towards Ingroup and Outgroup

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Jame Bryan L. Batara

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Several studies show that there is a connection between religion and prosociality (e.g., Saroglou, 2013. To investigate whether there is a causal relationship between these two variables, a growing number of scholars employed priming religious concepts and measure its influence on prosocial behavior (e.g., Pichon, Boccato, & Saroglou, 2007. In the recent development of religious priming, Ritter and Preston (2013 argued that different primes (agent prime, spiritual/abstract prime, and institutional prime may also have varying influence on prosocial behavior specifically helping an ingroup or an outgroup target. With this in mind, a 2 (social categorization of the target of help by 3 (agent prime, institutional prime, spiritual prime experiment was conducted to directly investigate this hypothesis. Results suggest that priming religious concepts especially the spiritual prime can increase prosocial behaviors. However, no significant effect was found on the social categorization which implies that Filipino participants elicit prosocial behavior regardless of the social categorization (be it ingroup or outgroup of the target of help. The present study’s findings contribute to further the literature on religious priming and its influence on prosocial behavior.

Musical Spirituality: Reflections on Identity and the Ethics of Embodied Aesthetic Experience in/ and the Academy

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Bogdan, Deanne

2003-01-01

Throughout the history of Eastern and Western thought, the spiritual quality of musical experience has been associated with religion or religious experience. The author writes auto biographically and shares the evolution of her own musical spirituality. An inquiry is launched into the relationship between musical spirituality, and her struggle…

Making Sense of Genetic Uncertainty: The Role of Religion and Spirituality

OpenAIRE

White, Mary T.

2009-01-01

This paper argues that to the extent that religious and spiritual beliefs can help people cope with genetic uncertainty, a limited spiritual assessment may be appropriate in genetic counseling. The paper opens by establishing why genetic information is inherently uncertain and why this uncertainty can be medically, morally, and spiritually problematic. This is followed by a review of the range of factors that can contribute to risk assessments, including a few heuristics commonly used in resp...

Spiritual Mapping: The Turbulent Career of a Contested American Missionary Paradigm, 1989-2005

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Holvast, R.

2008-01-01

Spiritual Mapping was an international Evangelical and Neo-Pentecostal movement which specialized in the use of religious techniques to wage a territorial spiritual war against unseen non-human beings. These techniques were considered to be of divine origin and their intended function was primarily

RELIGIOUS EXCLUSIVITY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING.

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Gegelashvili, M; Meca, A; Schwartz, S J

2015-01-01

In the present study we sought to clarify links between religious exclusivity, as form of intergroup favoritism, and indices of psychosocial functioning. The study of in group favoritism has generally been invoked within Social Identity Theory and related perspectives. However, there is a lack of literature regarding religious exclusivity from the standpoint of social identity. In particular, the ways in which religious exclusivity is linked with other dimensions of religious belief and practice, and with psychosocial functioning, among individuals from different religious backgrounds are not well understood. A sample of 8545 emerging-adult students from 30 U.S. universities completed special measures. Measure of religious exclusivity was developed and validated for this group. The results suggest that exclusivity appears as predictor for impaired psychosocial functioning, low self-esteem and low psychosocial well-being for individuals from organized faiths, as well as for those identifying as agnostic, atheist, or spiritual/nonreligious. These findings are discussed in terms of Social Identity Theory and Terror Management Theory (TMT).

Health-related religious rituals of the Greek Orthodox Church: their uptake and meanings.

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Fouka, Georgia; Plakas, Sotirios; Taket, Ann; Boudioni, Markella; Dandoulakis, Michael

2012-12-01

To examine the uptake of religious rituals of the Greek Orthodox Church by relatives of patients in critical condition in Greece and to explore their symbolic representations and spiritual meanings. Patients and their relatives want to be treated with respect and be supported for their beliefs, practices, customs and rituals. However nurses may not be ready to meet the spiritual needs of relatives of patients, while the health-related religious beliefs, practices and rituals of the Greek Orthodox Christian denomination have not been explored. This study was part of a large study encompassing 19 interviews with 25 informants, relatives of patients in intensive care units of three large hospitals in Athens, Greece, between 2000 and 2005. In this paper data were derived from personal accounts of religious rituals given by six participants. Relatives used a series of religious rituals, namely blessed oil and holy water, use of relics of saints, holy icons, offering names for pleas and pilgrimage. Through the rituals, relatives experience a sense of connectedness with the divine and use the sacred powers to promote healing of their patients. Nurse managers should recognize, respect and facilitate the expression of spirituality through the practice of religious rituals by patients and their relatives. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Spirituality, religiosity, aging and health in global perspective: A review.

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Zimmer, Zachary; Jagger, Carol; Chiu, Chi-Tsun; Ofstedal, Mary Beth; Rojo, Florencia; Saito, Yasuhiko

2016-12-01

Persistent population aging worldwide is focusing attention on modifiable factors that can improve later life health. There is evidence that religiosity and spirituality are among such factors. Older people tend to have high rates of involvement in religious and/or spiritual endeavors and it is possible that population aging will be associated with increasing prevalence of religious and spiritual activity worldwide. Despite increasing research on religiosity, spirituality and health among older persons, population aging worldwide suggests the need for a globally integrated approach. As a step toward this, we review a subset of the literature on the impact of religiosity and spirituality on health in later life. We find that much of this has looked at the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and longevity as well as physical and mental health. Mechanisms include social support, health behaviors, stress and psychosocial factors. We identify a number of gaps in current knowledge. Many previous studies have taken place in the U.S. and Europe. Much data is cross-sectional, limiting ability to make causal inference. Religiosity and spirituality can be difficult to define and distinguish and the two concepts are often considered together, though on balance religiosity has received more attention than spirituality. The latter may however be equally important. Although there is evidence that religiosity is associated with longer life and better physical and mental health, these outcomes have been investigated separately rather than together such as in measures of health expectancy. In conclusion, there is a need for a unified and nuanced approach to understanding how religiosity and spirituality impact on health and longevity within a context of global aging, in particular whether they result in longer healthy life rather than just longer life.

PENDIDIKAN SPIRITUAL KEAGAMAAN MELALUI SASTRA DAERAH: DESKRIPSI DAN ANALISIS TEKS SASTRA LISAN BAUDA

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Fatmahwati A. Fatmahwati A.

2013-10-01

  Religious Spiritual Education through Local Literature: Description and Analysis of Oral literature Bauda.   Education is considered as alternative which is preventive to build young generation moral so it can minimized the cause of various culture problems and nation character.  One of learning resource to provide moral education is culture heritage in the form of oral literature which contain ideas and meaning of philosophy which are rooted from local culture.  Oral literature bauda is one of culture heritage of Melayu Tapung community in Riau Province which convey advise and message, custom rule, and stories which contain wisdom.  The aim of this study is analyze values of religious spiritual and moral education which are contained in oral literature bauda. The design of this study is in the form of qualitative descriptive which explain and analyze data in accord with the aim of study.  The result of study show that oral literature bauda contain religion education values which can be used to enhance the spiritual power.  Character education through this oral literature is hope capable to shape the individual who have lofty behavior, self control, intelligence, and skill which are needed by him/herself, society, nation and country. Keywords: Education, religious spiritual, oral literature, Bauda

Spiritual Dominance of the Sakha People Traditional Belief in the Personality Development of Children

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Baisheva, Mariia I.; Grigoryeva, Antonina A.; Neustroeva, Anna N.; Borisova, Tatyana M.; Sidorova, Evdokia E.; Iliynova, Tamara L.

2017-01-01

The relevance of the article stems from the need to comprehend the spiritual dominance of the traditional belief of the Sakha people. The essential idea of the article is to consider the religious worldview of the Sakha people as a source of spiritual values. The purpose of the article is to justify the spiritual potential of the Sakha people in…

Religious perspectives on organ donation.

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Gillman, J

1999-11-01

A donor's or family's religious beliefs are to be ascertained in discussions about organ donation. The positions of the major faith groups about donation are reviewed, leading to the conclusion that the large majority of faiths take a positive stance toward donation. Other factors such as the emotional response, the cultural values, and the spiritual issues may be even more compelling for family members than religious beliefs. Conflicts between one's personal beliefs and the position of one's faith group about donation are to be assessed and processed.

The Spiritual Approach to Group Psychotherapy Treatment of Psychotraumatized Persons in Post-War Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Mark Agius

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD may have an intensive negative impact on a patient’s spiritual beliefs or his/her belief in God; this effect may diminish the social and professional skills of many survivors. In the same time researches showed that religion plays a coping role among patients with medical and mental health illnesses. During the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-1995 the whole population, regardless of age, gender, nationality or profession, suffered severely. During the pre-war period in communistic Yugoslavia religious believes altered with atheistic public life styles. Additionally, war traumatization had a negative impact on spirituality and religious beliefs. In the series of case reports we intended to describe and assess the impact of a session of group psychotherapy, with spiritual topics and content, which was offered to patients who needed to reestablish religious beliefs. The patients who come to the Psychiatry Clinic because of trauma-induced mental health problems and who we are interested in strengthening their spirituality met each other in the group regardless of their religious or spiritual conviction. We described the conceptualization and development of such a group and present some self-reported views of clients who took part in these groups. The supportive and empathetic presence of such group in the community helps to prevent withdrawal and isolation, alienation and deviation of traumatized persons. The presence of such group facilitates the rehabilitation process of the victims, allowing them to understand that people are available to them in certain critical moments, to help, to offer protection or to console. Groups like this one, offer long term social and spiritual support to extremely severely traumatized victims.

Spiritual Health through Pilgrimage Therapy: A Qualitative Study

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Zahra Moaven; Majid Movahed; Mohammad Taghi Iman Iman; Mansour Tabiee

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Going on a pilgrimage for spiritual and religious purposes is not a new phenomenon and can be considered one of the oldest tourism typologies. This form of travel is related to the task social perception, which is stronger than leisure or pleasure. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to study how spiritual well-being is achieved through pilgrimages trips. Methods: This qualitative research was carried out using ethnographic methodology. Data collection was...

The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on Rural Parents' Health Decision Making and Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Choices.

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Thomas, Tami; Blumling, Amy; Delaney, Augustina

2015-01-01

General health implications of religiosity and spirituality on health have been associated with health promotion, so the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of religiosity and spirituality on rural parents' decision making to vaccinate their children against human papillomavirus (HPV). The associations of religiosity and spirituality with parental HPV vaccine decisions were examined in a sample of parents residing in small rural communities (N = 37). Parents of children aged 9 to 13 years participated in focus groups held in rural community contexts. Religiosity (i.e., participation in religious social structures) was a recurring and important theme when discussing HPV vaccination. Spirituality (i.e., subjective commitment to spiritual or religious beliefs) was found to influence the ways in which parents perceived their control over and coping with health issues potentially related to HPV vaccination. Together, religiosity and spirituality were found to play integral roles in these parents' lives and influenced their attitudes toward HPV vaccination uptake for their children.

Celtic spirituality and contemporary environmental issues

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Graham Duncan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Celtic spirituality has a long and distinguished ancestry with its origins in pre-Christian times. It was inculturated among peoples in the far west of Europe, particularly in Ireland, Scotland and the north and south-west of England. It was different from Roman Christianity in distinct ways until the mid-7th century CE when Roman Christianity became the norm in Britain and Ireland. This spirituality has endured throughout the centuries and has experienced a revival from the latter half of the 20th century. From its inception, it has been closely linked to the environment. Over the years many key aspects of Celtic spirituality have been integrated in many religious traditions and shows similarities with and can contribute to a new ethical perspective on environmental issues. This article investigates the current environmental crisis from a faith perspective and attempts to draw lessons from Celtic traditions of spirituality in a scientific age.

Six Understandings of the Word Spirituality in a Secular Country

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

la Cour, Peter; Ausker, Nadja Hørdam; Hvidt, Niels Christian

2012-01-01

Spirituality is a growing research theme, especially in relation to health issues. The term is often poorly defined and one's understanding is often so broad that it becomes a mere frame word devoid of meaning. In this study, we asked 514 adult Danes about their understanding of the word...... `spirituality'. Factor analysis of the answers resulted in six different understandings of spirituality: (1) positive dimensions in human life and well-being; (2) New Age ideology; (3) an integrated part of established religious life; (4) a vague striving, opposed to religion; (5) selfishness; and (6) ordinary...

Spiritual stress and coping model of divorce: a longitudinal study.

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Krumrei, Elizabeth J; Mahoney, Annette; Pargament, Kenneth I

2011-12-01

This study represents the first longitudinal effort to use a spiritual stress and coping model to predict adults' psychosocial adjustment following divorce. A community sample of 89 participants completed measures at the time of their divorce and 1 year later. Though the sample endorsed slightly lower levels of religiosity than the general U.S. population, most reported spiritual appraisals and positive and negative religious coping tied to divorce. Hierarchical regression analyses controlling general religiousness and nonreligious forms of coping indicated that (a) appraising divorce as a sacred loss or desecration at the time it occurred predicted more depressive symptoms and dysfunctional conflict tactics with the ex-spouse 1 year later; (b) positive religious coping reported about the year following divorce predicted greater posttraumatic growth 1 year after divorce; and (c) negative religious coping reported about the year following divorce predicted more depressive symptoms 1 year after the divorce. Bootstrapping mediation analyses indicated that negative religious coping fully mediated links between appraising the divorce as a sacred loss or desecration at the time it occurred and depressive symptoms 1 year later. In addition, moderation analyses revealed that negative religious coping is more strongly associated with depressive symptoms among those who form high versus low appraisals of their divorce as a sacred loss or desecration. These findings are relevant to divorce education and intervention provided by professionals in legal, family, mental health, and clerical roles. Implications are discussed for clinical and counseling psychology and religious communities.

A Sociological Look at the Growth of the Emerging Spirituality in Tabriz

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N. Jaberian

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The conversion of a large number of people to the emerging spiritual sect (hereafter mentioned as “the M sect” in the current study indicates a socio-cultural trend and the current study attempts to identify its causes and effective factors. Qualitative methodology in the form of Grounded Theory has been applied. Data were collected through distributing a semi-structured questionnaire in an in-depth interview from fourteen participants. Findings constitute a two-step paradigm model where the dimensions and major elements include: A preliminary conditions: stresses of religious life in the modern age, lack of acceptability in the traditional religious culture, emotional detachment; B causal conditions: spiritual needs, epistemic crisis, physical or mental illnesses; C1 The central phenomenon and context: the feeling of distress with regard to intensity, continuity, and diversity; D1 Strategy: reference to traditional religious texts, medical treatment, psychotherapy, counseling, exercise; E1 intervening conditions: lack of acceptability in the religious culture; F1 Result: inefficient or partially efficient of strategy and continuity of the feeling of distress; C2 the feeling of distress with desperation; D2 choosing the spiritual method proposed by M; E2 value system, religious socialization and lack of congruence with the religious culture, the congruence of the sect with the general culture, having fresh viewpoints and the acceptability of explanations provided by the sect, objective reports on the effectiveness of the practices in the sect, open membership, and the quality and quantity of the network of relations with members in the sect; F2 Conversion that has instrumental and ultimate interpretations.

Religion, Spirituality and Speech-Language Pathology: A Viewpoint for Ensuring Patient-Centred Holistic Care.

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Mathisen, Bernice; Carey, Lindsay B; Carey-Sargeant, Christa L; Webb, Gwendalyn; Millar, CaraJane; Krikheli, Lilli

2015-12-01

This paper presents a viewpoint concerning the largely neglected clinical relevance of spirituality and religious belief in speech-language pathology (SLP) assessments, interventions and outcomes across the lifespan. An overview of the refereed SLP literature is presented with regard to religion and spirituality. It was found that while there is increasing research with regard to spirituality, health and well-being, there is very little specific to SLP. What is available and clinically relevant, generally relates to holistic care and/or cultural and linguistic diversity. Amidst the health care literature, however, there is a growing number of recommended instruments (for religious/spiritual screening) sensitive to intercultural and interfaith issues that are currently available to medical, nursing, allied health and chaplaincy practitioners. These instruments can also be of value to SLPs to ensure holistic assessments and interventions. It would seem timely for SLPs (and other allied health practitioners) to consider including spiritual screenings/assessments as part of their clinical practice so as to ensure appropriate holistic care. This would also mean undertaking research and including relevant education within tertiary institutions and professional development programs.

Is failure to meet spiritual needs associated with cancer patients' perceptions of quality of care and their satisfaction with care?

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Astrow, Alan B; Wexler, Ann; Texeira, Kenneth; He, M Kai; Sulmasy, Daniel P

2007-12-20

Few studies regarding patients' views about spirituality and health care have included patients with cancer who reside in the urban, northeastern United States. Even fewer have investigated the relationship between patients' spiritual needs and perceptions of quality and satisfaction with care. Outpatients (N = 369) completed a questionnaire at the Saint Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York, NY. The instrument included the Quality of End-of-Life Care and Satisfaction with Treatment quality-of-care scale and questions about spiritual and religious beliefs and needs. The participants' mean age was 58 years; 65% were female; 67% were white; 65% were college educated; and 32% had breast cancer. Forty-seven percent were Catholic; 19% were Jewish; 16% were Protestant; and 6% were atheist or agnostic. Sixty-six percent reported that they were spiritual but not religious. Only 29% attended religious services at least once per week. Seventy-three percent reported at least one spiritual need; 58% thought it appropriate for physicians to inquire about their spiritual needs. Eighteen percent reported that their spiritual needs were not being met. Only 6% reported that any staff members had inquired about their spiritual needs (0.9% of inquiries by physicians). Patients who reported that their spiritual needs were not being met gave lower ratings of the quality of care (P = .009) and reported lower satisfaction with care (P = .006). Most patients had spiritual needs. A slight majority thought it appropriate to be asked about these needs, although fewer thought this compared with reports in other settings. Few had their spiritual needs addressed by the staff. Patients whose spiritual needs were not met reported lower ratings of quality and satisfaction with care.

Spirituality amid Dogma? Some Approaches to Educating for Religious Belief within in a State Religious School in Israel

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Sztokman, Elana Maryles

2009-01-01

The religious school, where young people are brought into religious life and practice, the development of a religious belief system is often neglected. Religiousness is often instilled as a linear end product, a monolithic corpus of ideas to be singularly transmitted and subsequently owned by youth. However, educational research by Gareth…

Development and psychometric testing of a new geriatric spiritual well-being scale.

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Dunn, Karen S

2008-09-01

Aims and objectives.  Assess the psychometric properties of a new geriatric spiritual well-being scale (GSWS), specifically designed for older adults. Background.  Religiosity and spiritual wellness must be measured as two distinct concepts to prevent confounding them as synonymous among atheist and agnostic population. Design.  A test-retest survey design was used to estimate the psychometric properties. Methods.  A convenience sample of 138 community-dwelling older adults was drawn from the inner city of Detroit. Data were collected using telephone survey interviews. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, structural equation modelling, reliability analyses, and point-biserial correlations. Results.  The factorial validity of the proposed model was not supported by the data. Fit indices were χ(2)  = 185.98, d.f. = 98, P atheists have spiritual needs that do not include religious beliefs or practices. Thus, assessing patients' religious beliefs and practices prior to assessing spiritual well-being is essential to prevent bias. © 2008 The Author. Journal compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Relationship of Spirituality with the Pain and Quality of Life in Patients with HIV/AIDS

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AK Pirasteh Motlagh

2012-10-01

Conclusion: Reinforcing the spiritual and religious attitude in patients with HIV/AIDS through spiritual and religion instruction may increase the social-mental health and reduce the feeling of suffering and improve quality of life of the patients.

Content of Spiritual Counselling for Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy in Iran: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Memaryan, Nadereh; Ghaempanah, Zeinab; Saeedi, Mir Majid; Aryankhesal, Aidin; Ansarinejad, Nafiseh; Seddigh, Ruohollah

2017-07-27

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of human death. Besides clinical treatment, cancer patients may need emotional and spiritual counselling to overcome their mental and morale problems. Such counselling sessions have been reported influential by many patients. We aimed to explore the structure of spiritual counselling sessions and their content as one of services provided to patients who experience chemotherapy in Iranian hospitals. Methods: Through a qualitative content analysis study, we recorded the discussions between a counsellor, who was a cleric as well, and cancer cases who were undergoing chemotherapy in a hospital in Tehran. The sessions were only recorded if the patient consented to attend at the study. All consideration were taken to avoid release of patients’ identity. The recorded discussions were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically after each session, until no new theme was emerged. Result: Twenty two sessions were held. The patients aged 53 years old on average. The content of discussions were analyzed along which 165 codes emerged. Four general themes or phases were recognized through counseling as (i) history-Taking (including demographic, disease-related and spiritual history and characteristics), (ii) general advice, (iii) spiritual-religious advice, and (iv) dealing with patients’ spiritual or religious ambiguities and paradoxes. Conclusion: Counselling of cancer patients needs special and in depth knowledge on spiritual and religious issues. The counsellor should be able to motivate patients, among whom many are disappointed, to follow the curative instructions well and stay hopeful about their treatment and life. Exploring and understanding what happens during a spiritual counselling session can counselling to the conformity and standardization of such interventions. Creative Commons Attribution License

Relationship of adherence determinants and parental spirituality in cystic fibrosis.

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Grossoehme, Daniel H; Opipari-Arrigan, Lisa; VanDyke, Rhonda; Thurmond, Sophia; Seid, Michael

2012-06-01

The course of cystic fibrosis (CF) progression in children is affected by parent adherence to treatment plans. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) posits that intentions are the best behavioral predictors and that intentions reasonably follow from beliefs ("determinants"). Determinants are affected by multiple "background factors," including spirituality. This study's purpose was to understand whether two parental adherence determinants (attitude towards treatment and self-efficacy) were associated with spirituality (religious coping and sanctification of the body). We hypothesized that parents' attitudes toward treatment adherence are associated with these spiritual constructs. A convenience sample of parents of children with CF aged 3-12 years (n = 28) participated by completing surveys of adherence and spirituality during a regular outpatient clinic visit. Type and degree of religious coping was examined using principal component analysis. Adherence measures were compared based on religious coping styles and sanctification of the body using unpaired t-tests. Collaborative religious coping was associated with higher self-efficacy for completing airway clearance (M = 1070.8; SD = 35.8; P = 0.012), for completing aerosolized medication administration (M = 1077.1; SD = 37.4; P = 0.018), and for attitude towards treatment utility (M = 38.8; SD = 2.36; P = 0.038). Parents who attributed sacred qualities to their child's body (e.g., "blessed" or "miraculous") had higher mean scores for self-efficacy (airway clearance, M = 1058.6; SD = 37.7; P = 0.023; aerosols M = 1070.8; SD = 41.6; P = 0.020). Parents for whom God was manifested in their child's body (e.g., "My child's body is created in God's image") had higher mean scores for self-efficacy for airway clearance (M = 1056.4; SD = 59.0; P = 0.039), aerosolized medications (M = 1068.8; SD = 42.6; P = 0.033) and treatment utility (M�

[Support to spiritual needs in hospital care. Integration perspective in modern hospitals].

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Proserpio, Tullio; Piccinelli, Claudia; Arice, Carmine; Petrini, Massimo; Mozzanica, Mario; Veneroni, Laura; Clerici, Carlo Alfredo

2014-01-01

Within the course of medical care in the most advanced health care settings, an increasing attention is being paid to the so-called care humanization. According to this perspective, we try to integrate the usual care pathways with aspects related to the spiritual and religious dimension of all people and their families, as well as the employees themselves. It is clearly important to establish this kind of practices on the basis of scientific evidences. That is the reason why it's a necessity to improve the knowledge about the importance that spiritual assistance can offer within the current health service. The aim of this work is to show the relevance of the integration of spiritual perspectives in the hospital setting according to a multidisciplinary point of view. In this work many data that emerge from the international scientific literature, as well as the definition that is given to the concept of "spirituality" are analyzed; about this definition in fact there is not unanimous consent even today. It is also analyzed the legal situation in force within the European territory according to the different laws and social realities. Finally, the possible organizational practices related to spiritual support are described and the opportunity to specific accreditation pathways and careful training of chaplains able to integrate traditional religious practices with modern spiritual perspectives is discussed.

Transforming Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours through Eco-spirituality and Religion

OpenAIRE

Jessica L. CROWE

2013-01-01

Incorporating spirituality and religious themes in environmental education is a way to link learners to their meaning systems.  Research has shown that incorporation of a spiritual element in education provides a way for students to have authentic learning experiences and make meaning of the knowledge they acquire in the classroom.  This mixed methods study examined the environmental attitudes, knowledge and actions of students in an introductory environmental sc...

Handling Stereotypes of Religious Professionals: Strategies Hospice Chaplains Use When Interacting with Patients and Families.

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Lindholm, Kristin

2017-12-01

Stereotypes of religious professionals can create barriers for those who provide spiritual/pastoral care. Through interviews and journal entries, hospice chaplains ( n = 45) identified the following stereotypes that affected their work: chaplains as people whom others try to impress, who only talk about spiritual and religious topics, who are male, and who try to convert others. Participants reported using a variety of communication strategies to counteract stereotypes and make meaningful connections with the people they serve.

Marital Well-Being and Religiousness as Mediated by Relational Virtue and Equality

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Day, Randal D.; Acock, Alan

2013-01-01

This study investigated religiousness and couple well-being as mediated by relational virtue and equality. Relational spiritual framework theory posits that religiousness is associated with couple well-being through relational virtues (e.g., forgiveness, commitment, and sacrifice). Theories of relational inequality postulate that religion…

Measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs for use in yoga research

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MacDonald, Douglas A; Friedman, Harris L

2009-01-01

This article presents information on standardized paper-and-pencil measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs that hold promise for use in yoga research. Nine instruments are discussed at length including the Assessment Schedule for Altered States of Consciousness, Ego Grasping Orientation, Expressions of Spirituality Inventory, Hindu Religious Coping Scale, Measures of Hindu Pathways, Self-Expansiveness Level Form, Spiritual Orientation Inventory, Spiritual Transcendence Scale, and the Vedic Personality Inventory. As well, a listing of an additional 14 measures, along with primary citations, is provided. In conclusion, the authors proffer recommendations for the use of psychometric tests and provide a general proposal for programmatic research. PMID:21234209

Excitatory stimulation of the right inferior parietal cortex lessens implicit religiousness/spirituality.

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Crescentini, Cristiano; Di Bucchianico, Marilena; Fabbro, Franco; Urgesi, Cosimo

2015-04-01

Although religiousness and spirituality (RS) are considered two fundamental constituents of human life, neuroscientific investigation has long avoided the study of their neurocognitive basis. Nevertheless, recent investigations with brain imaging and brain damaged patients, and more recently with brain stimulation methods, have documented important associations between RS beliefs and experiences and frontoparietal neural activity. In this study, we further investigated how individuals' implicit RS self-representations can be modulated by changes in right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) excitability, a key region associated to RS. To this end, we combined continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), and sham TBS with RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) and with a control self-esteem (SE) IAT in a group of fourteen healthy adult individuals. A specific decrease of implicit RS, as measured with the IAT effect, was induced by increasing IPL excitability with iTBS; conversely cTBS, which is supposedly inhibitory, left participants' implicit RS unchanged. The performance in the control SE-IAT was left unchanged by any TBS stimulation. These data showed the causative role of right IPL functional state in mediating plastic changes of implicit RS. Implications of these results are also discussed in the light of the variability of behavioral effects associated with TBS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Spirituality and Modesty on Acceptance of Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening.

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Eileen O Dareng

Full Text Available Whereas systematic screening programs have reduced the incidence of cervical cancer in developed countries, the incidence remains high in developing countries. Among several barriers to uptake of cervical cancer screening, the roles of religious and cultural factors such as modesty have been poorly studied. Knowledge about these factors is important because of the potential to overcome them using strategies such as self-collection of cervico-vaginal samples. In this study we evaluate the influence of spirituality and modesty on the acceptance of self-sampling for cervical cancer screening.We enrolled 600 participants in Nigeria between August and October 2014 and collected information on spirituality and modesty using two scales. We used principal component analysis to extract scores for spirituality and modesty and logistic regression models to evaluate the association between spirituality, modesty and preference for self-sampling. All analyses were performed using STATA 12 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA.Some 581 (97% women had complete data for analysis. Most (69% were married, 50% were Christian and 44% were from the south western part of Nigeria. Overall, 19% (110/581 of the women preferred self-sampling to being sampled by a health care provider. Adjusting for age and socioeconomic status, spirituality, religious affiliation and geographic location were significantly associated with preference for self-sampling, while modesty was not significantly associated. The multivariable OR (95% CI, p-value for association with self-sampling were 0.88 (0.78-0.99, 0.03 for spirituality, 1.69 (1.09-2.64, 0.02 for religious affiliation and 0.96 (0.86-1.08, 0.51 for modesty.Our results show the importance of taking cultural and religious beliefs and practices into consideration in planning health interventions like cervical cancer screening. To succeed, public health interventions and the education to promote it must be related to the

Spirituality and religiosity in psychotherapy--a representative survey among German psychotherapists.

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Hofmann, Liane; Walach, Harald

2011-03-01

We report a survey in a near-representative sample of 895 German psychotherapists. Fifty-seven percent of the respondents referred to themselves as either spiritual or religious. Psychotherapists estimated that on average 22% of their patients bring in topics around spirituality and religion during the course of therapy. Two-thirds thought that topics around spirituality and religion should be part of the postgraduate and/or graduate curriculum. There was a clear difference between therapeutic orientations regarding how they felt about such issues, with CBT and psychodynamically oriented therapists placing less emphasis on spiritual issues and integrative and humanistic therapists more. However, differences between schools were less important than commonalities. We conclude that spirituality and religiosity are important topics for training and further research.

Assessment of Religious Beliefs Form.

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Faiver, Christopher M.; O'Brien, Eugene M.

1993-01-01

Notes that religion may be source of spiritual strength or source of conflict and guilt. Outlines importance of assessing religious beliefs of clients for treatment purposes and provides format for counselor to use. Says that, because counselors may be unaware of clients' individual perspectives, it is important to evaluate client's belief system…

The Integration of Christian Spirituality and Learning in Counselor Education: A Lesson from Adler.

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McCurdy, Kenneth

The relationship between spirituality, and counseling and psychotherapy has been given increased attention in recent years. The author suggests that the teachings of Alfred Adler may assist counselor educators in integrating faith and learning in an unimposing manner respectful of religious tenets, focusing on spirituality, which can include…

WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY:A GENDERED PERSPECTIVE

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Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad

2017-01-01

Full Text Available There are a very few studies available to gain insight into the impact ofyoga andalternative therapies1on stress management, conflict resolution and workproductivity. In previous studies the focus fell on the gendered perspective,exploring the impact of spiritual modalities on the physical and mental wellness ofmale and female employees.Spiritual practices such as yogaandother alternativetherapies have been found to be significant to enhance work productivity, hence bepart of organisational wellness programmes. However, this aspect is not fullyimplemented due to various reasons including a lack of spiritual understanding,religious preferences and organisational cultures.The aim of this article is to expandupon and enhance this analysis by aligning spiritual practices to workplaceproductivity.Books, journal articles, dissertations, and conference proceedingsdealing with spirituality at the workplacewere reviewed. Based on the literatureavailable, two hypotheses are explored, namely(a that workplace spiritualityenhances employee wellness and has a positive impact on improved productivity;and(b that workplace spirituality impacts differently on male and femaleemployees (gendered perspective and leads to improved productivity. The articleformulates a model called Workplace Spirituality for Gender-based Productivity(WSG-bP for consideration under the umbrella of existing Employee WorkWellness programmes

Incorporating spiritual beliefs into a cognitive model of worry.

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Rosmarin, David H; Pirutinsky, Steven; Auerbach, Randy P; Björgvinsson, Thröstur; Bigda-Peyton, Joseph; Andersson, Gerhard; Pargament, Kenneth I; Krumrei, Elizabeth J

2011-07-01

Cognitive theory and research have traditionally highlighted the relevance of the core beliefs about oneself, the world, and the future to human emotions. For some individuals, however, core beliefs may also explicitly involve spiritual themes. In this article, we propose a cognitive model of worry, in which positive/negative beliefs about the Divine affect symptoms through the mechanism of intolerance of uncertainty. Using mediation analyses, we found support for our model across two studies, in particular, with regards to negative spiritual beliefs. These findings highlight the importance of assessing for spiritual alongside secular convictions when creating cognitive-behavioral case formulations in the treatment of religious individuals. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

God imagery and affective outcomes in a spiritually integrative inpatient program.

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Currier, Joseph M; Foster, Joshua D; Abernethy, Alexis D; Witvliet, Charlotte V O; Root Luna, Lindsey M; Putman, Katharine M; Schnitker, Sarah A; VanHarn, Karl; Carter, Janet

2017-08-01

Religion and/or spirituality (R/S) can play a vital, multifaceted role in mental health. While beliefs about God represent the core of many psychiatric patients' meaning systems, research has not examined how internalized images of the divine might contribute to outcomes in treatment programs/settings that emphasize multicultural sensitivity with R/S. Drawing on a combination of qualitative and quantitative information with a religiously heterogeneous sample of 241 adults who completed a spiritually integrative inpatient program over a two-year period, this study tested direct/indirect associations between imagery of how God views oneself, religious comforts and strains, and affective outcomes (positive and negative). When accounting for patients' demographic and religious backgrounds, structural equation modeling results revealed: (1) overall effects for God imagery at pre-treatment on post-treatment levels of both positive and negative affect; and (2) religious comforts and strains fully mediated these links. Secondary analyses also revealed that patients' generally experienced reductions in negative emotion in God imagery over the course of their admission. These findings support attachment models of the R/S-mental health link and suggest that religious comforts and strains represent distinct pathways to positive and negative domains of affect for psychiatric patients with varying experiences of God. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spiritual Needs of Patients with Chronic Diseases

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Harold G. Koenig

2010-11-01

Full Text Available For many patients confronted with chronic diseases, spirituality/religiosity is an important resource for coping. Patients often report unmet spiritual and existential needs, and spiritual support is also associated with better quality of life. Caring for spiritual, existential and psychosocial needs is not only relevant to patients at the end of their life but also to those suffering from long-term chronic illnesses. Spiritual needs may not always be associated with life satisfaction, but sometimes with anxiety, and can be interpreted as the patients’ longing for spiritual well-being. The needs for peace, health and social support are universal human needs and are of special importance to patients with long lasting courses of disease. The factor, Actively Giving, may be of particular importance because it can be interpreted as patients’ intention to leave the role of a `passive sufferer´ to become an active, self-actualizing, giving individual. One can identify four core dimensions of spiritual needs, i.e., Connection, Peace, Meaning/Purpose, and Transcendence, which can be attributed to underlying psychosocial, emotional, existential, and religious needs. The proposed model can provide a conceptual framework for further research and clinical practice. In fact, health care that addresses patients’ physical, emotional, social, existential and spiritual needs (referring to a bio-psychosocial-spiritual model of health care will contribute to patients’ improvement and recovery. Nevertheless, there are several barriers in the health care system that makes it difficult to adequately address these needs.

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE SPIRITUAL COPING STRATEGIES SCALE ARABIC VERSION IN SAUDI PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS.

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Cruz, Jonas P; Baldacchino, Donia R; Alquwez, Nahed

2016-06-01

Patients often resort to religious and spiritual activities to cope with physical and mental challenges. The effect of spiritual coping on overall health, adaptation and health-related quality of life among patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) is well documented. Thus, it is essential to establish a valid and reliable instrument that can assess both the religious and non-religious coping methods in patients undergoing HD. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale Arabic version (SCS-A) in Saudi patients undergoing HD. A convenience sample of 60 Saudi patients undergoing HD was recruited for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected between May and June 2015. Forward-backward translation was used to formulate the SCS-A. The SCS-A, Muslim Religiosity Scale and the Quality of Life Index Dialysis Version III were used to procure the data. Internal consistency reliability, stability reliability, factor analysis and construct validity tests were performed. Analyses were set at the 0.05 level of significance. The SCS-A showed an acceptable internal consistency and strong stability reliability over time. The EFA produced two factors (non-religious and religious coping). Satisfactory construct validity was established by the convergent and divergent validity and known-groups method. The SCS-A is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure the religious and non-religious coping strategies of patients undergoing HD in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim and Arabic-speaking countries. © 2016 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CULTURE MEDIA

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Maria S. Petrushkevych

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of the work is to determine the features of media culture that bind it with mass culture and mass communications and have the most significant effect on the general principles of the religious mass communication. In addition, the objective is to identify the skills system and traits of mass human that are necessary for using media culture. Methodology. The methodological basis is related to structuring, analytical analysis and synthesis of media features; highlighting phenomena that illustrate modern communicative situation; characteristics of media trends influence for the specific functioning of religious communication. Scientific novelty. Main part of the work is devoted to the analysis of the progressive media culture, mass-media and their main features, design of religious communication in this culture. Media gradually form the appearance of religious communication quietly, especially the mass one, they adapt the modern religious discourse to rates of transfer and perception of information. Modern believer gets a lot of different kinds of religious information, on any subject, any explanation of the religious question, with respect to any religion. Such volume of religious information and the speed with which a person receives it, does not usually make it religious or spiritually advanced, but only informed. Spiritual perfection and religious development, religious communication is possible only when the customer is aware of media culture and way of seeing the ultimate goal of such communications using the Mass Media. So far these mechanisms are perfectly designed in traditional religious communication. Phenomena, that reflects the dramatic changes in the communicative environment are: mediatization of body and mind, the new practice of processing / reading information, the phenomenon of simultaneous perception of a large number of information channels – similar or different. Features of media culture that connect it with

Spiritual well-being among outpatients with cancer receiving concurrent oncologic and palliative care.

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Rabow, Michael W; Knish, Sarah J

2015-04-01

Spiritual well-being is threatened by cancer, but its correlation with other illness symptoms and the efficacy of palliative care (PC) to ameliorate spiritual suffering are not well understood. We conducted a retrospective study using a convenience sample of oncology patients at a comprehensive cancer center who received concurrent oncologic and palliative care between 2008 and 2011 and completed ESAS, QUAL-E, and Steinhauser Spiritual well-being survey questions was conducted. Descriptive, correlation, and t test statistics. Eight hundred eighty-three patients surveyed had an average age of 65.6 years, with 54.1 % female, 69.3 % white, and 49.3 % married. Half (452, 51.2 %) had metastatic disease. Religious affiliation was reported as Christian by 20.3 %, Catholic by 18.7 %, and "none" by 39.0 %. Baseline spiritual well-being was not significantly correlated with age, gender, race, cancer stage, marital status, insurance provider, or having a religious affiliation. Greater spiritual well-being was correlated with greater quality of life (well-being (spiritual well-being and anxiety, depression, fatigue, and quality of life (R (2) = 0.677). Spiritual well-being improved comparing mean scores immediately prior to initial PC consultation with those at first follow-up (2.89 vs. 3.23 on a 1-5 scale, p = 0.005). Among patients with cancer receiving concurrent oncologic and palliative care, spiritual well-being was not associated with patient age, gender, or race, or disease stage. It was correlated with physical and emotional symptoms. Spiritual well-being scores improved from just prior to the initial PC consultation to just prior to the first PC follow-up visit.

Spiritual needs in health care settings: a qualitative meta-synthesis of clients' perspectives.

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Hodge, David R; Horvath, Violet E

2011-10-01

Spiritual needs often emerge in the context of receiving health or behavioral health services. Yet, despite the prevalence and salience of spiritual needs in service provision, clients often report their spiritual needs are inadequately addressed. In light of research suggesting that most social workers have received minimal training in identifying spiritual needs, this study uses a qualitative meta-synthesis (N=11 studies) to identify and describe clients'perceptions of their spiritual needs in health care settings. The results revealed six interrelated themes: (1) meaning, purpose, and hope; (2) relationship with God; (3) spiritual practices; (4) religious obligations; (5) interpersonal connection; and (6) professional staff interactions. The implications of the findings are discussed as they intersect social work practice and education.

Spirituality in Contemporary Paradigms: An Integrative Review

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Monir Ramezani

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: As two of the most prominent cultural components, spirituality and religion give sense to our human values, conducts, and experiences. The spiritual dimension is one of the four significant aspects of holistic care. However, the diversity of views has resulted in different interpretations of the reality of spirituality and its origins and consequences. Aim: This study aimed to examine the available approaches and paradigms in the realm of spirituality. Method: In the present integrative review, the initial search was performed in national and international databases, including Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Sage, Medline, Wiley, SID, MagIran, IranMedex, and IranDoc, using the keyword, "spirituality", without considering any time limits. Articles relevant to the objectives of the study were then fully reviewed. Results: Since ancient times, spirituality has been sporadically discussed in human intellectual and artistic artifacts. This concept was expanded as an independent, systematic, and conscious movement since the second half of the 19th century in Europe, USA, and Canada. The three prominent approaches to spirituality include religious, secular, and holistic health perspectives. Implications for Practice: Despite the growing interest in research on spirituality, it is difficult to reach a unanimous decision about this concept. However, it should be noted that spiritual concerns cannot be disregarded, considering the holistic perspective to humanity as the building block of holistic nursing care. Overall, every patient is a unique human being whose spiritual needs are affected by his/her cultural beliefs and values.

Influence of religiosity and spiritual coping on health-related quality of life in Saudi haemodialysis patients.

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Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Colet, Paolo C; Alquwez, Nahed; Inocian, Ergie P; Al-Otaibi, Raid Salman; Islam, Sheikh Mohammed Shariful

2017-01-01

Patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) are frequently troubled by psychiatric disorders and coping problems, which can pose a serious threat to their physical and mental well-being. Using religious and spiritual interventions as a means of coping with physical and mental challenges is widely recognized. Although this topic has been well studied, in the Middle East regions, where Islam is the dominant religion, studies are limited. Thus, this study was performed to explore the influence of religiosity and spiritual coping (SC) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi patients receiving HD. A total of 168 HD patients from three hospitals in Saudi Arabia formed a convenient sample for this descriptive, cross-sectional hospital-based study. Data collection was done via questionnaire-guided interviews using the Muslim Religious Index as well as the Arabic Versions of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale and Quality of Life Index Dialysis. Regression analysis enabled identification of the factors influencing HRQoL. Older patients were found to reveal higher levels of religiosity, whereas the younger ones expressed a lesser degree of religious and nonreligious coping. Unemployed patients reported greater involvement in religious practices (RP) and more frequently used religious coping than those employed. The latter showed lower intrinsic religiosity and nonreligious coping usage than the unemployed. The respondents reported the greatest satisfaction scores on their psychological/spiritual dimension and the least scores on the social and economic dimension. Therefore, the factors that could influence the HRQoL of the respondents were identified as involvement in RP, intrinsic religious beliefs, religious coping usage and age. This study revealed significant findings regarding the importance of religiosity and SC on the HRQoL of the Saudi HD patients. Therefore, it has been highly recommended to integrate religiosity into the health-care process for such

Validity and Reliability of the Hebrew Version of the SpREUK Questionnaire for Religiosity, Spirituality and Health: An Application for Oral Diseases

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Harold D. Sgan-Cohen

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Research has examined the connection between religiosity, spirituality (SpR and health, and the potential of these variables to prevent, heal and cope with disease. Research indicated that participation in religious meetings or services was associated with a lower risk of developing oral disease. We intended to test a Hebrew version of the SpREUK 1.1 questionnaire, which is reported to be a reliable and valid measure of distinctive issues of SpR, and to test its relevance in the context of oral illness among a Jewish population. Methods: In order to validate the SpREUK-Hebrew instrument, minor translational and cultural/religious adaptations were applied. Reliability and factor analyses were performed, using standard procedures, among 134 Jewish Israeli subjects (mean age 38.4 years. Results: Analysis of reliability for internal consistency demonstrated an intra-class correlation of Cronbach's alpha = 0.90 for the intrinsic religiosity/spiritual and the appraisal scales, and of 0.90 for the support through spirituality/religiosity scales. Inter reliability agreement by kappa ranged between 0.7 and 0.9. We were able to approve the previously described factorial structure, albeit with some unique characteristics in the Jewish population. Individuals´ time spent on spiritual activity correlated with the SpREUK scales. The instrument discriminated well between religious subgroups (i.e., ultra Orthodox, conventional religious and less-religious. Preliminary results indicate an association between measures of spirituality and oral health. Conclusions: The traditional and cultural adaptation of the tool was found to be appropriate. SpREUK-Hebrew was reliable and valid among a Jewish population. This method could therefore be employed in comparative studies among different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Spiritual Needs of Elderly Living in Residential/Nursing Homes

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Nora-Beata Erichsen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available While the research on spiritual needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases increases, there is limited knowledge about psychosocial and spiritual needs of elderly living in residential/nursing homes. We were interested in which needs were of relevance at all, and how these needs are related to life satisfaction and mood states. For that purpose we enrolled 100 elderly living in residential/nursing homes (mean age years, 82% women and provided standardized questionnaires, that is, Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ, Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale (BMLSS, Quality of Life in Elders with Multimorbidity (FLQM questionnaire, and a mood states scale (ASTS. Religious needs and Existential needs were of low relevance, while inner peace needs were of some and needs for giving/generativity of highest relevance. Regression analyses revealed that the specific needs were predicted best by religious trust and mood states, particularly tiredness. However, life satisfaction and quality of life were not among the significant predictors. Most had the intention to connect with those who will remember them, although they fear that there is limited interest in their concerns. It remains an open issue how these unmet needs can be adequately supported.

The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-Being

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John Fisher

2011-01-01

Full Text Available At our core, or coeur, we humans are spiritual beings. Spirituality can be viewed in a variety of ways from a traditional understanding of spirituality as an expression of religiosity, in search of the sacred, through to a humanistic view of spirituality devoid of religion. Health is also multi-faceted, with increasing evidence reporting the relationship of spirituality with physical, mental, emotional, social and vocational well-being. This paper presents spiritual health as a, if not THE, fundamental dimension of people’s overall health and well-being, permeating and integrating all the other dimensions of health. Spiritual health is a dynamic state of being, reflected in the quality of relationships that people have in up to four domains of spiritual well-being: Personal domain where a person intra-relates with self; Communal domain, with in-depth inter-personal relationships; Environmental domain, connecting with nature; Transcendental domain, relating to some-thing or some‑One beyond the human level. The Four Domains Model of Spiritual Health and Well‑Being embraces all extant world-views from the ardently religious to the atheistic rationalist.

Religion and Spirituality in Group Counseling: Beliefs and Practices of University Counseling Center Counselors

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Post, Brian C.; Cornish, Marilyn A.; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Tucker, Jeritt R.

2013-01-01

Fifty-four counselors at 9 university counseling centers participated in a study regarding religion and spirituality (R/S) in group counseling. The majority indicated that R/S is an appropriate topic for group counseling and that some religious and spiritual interventions are appropriate to use. However, counselors rarely use these interventions.…

Gender Differences in the Association Between Religion/Spirituality and Simultaneous Polysubstance Use (SPU).

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Acheampong, Abenaa B; Lasopa, Sonam; Striley, Catherine W; Cottler, Linda B

2016-10-01

While religion/spirituality strongly protects against drug use (Cheney et al. in J Drug Issues 44(1):94-113, 2014), little is known about gender differences in the association of religion/spirituality on simultaneous polysubstance use (SPU) among those who use prescription opioids. Data come from a community-based study that recruited community members from the St Louis area (N = 632). Participants were asked whether they used prescription opioids when not prescribed for them or in ways other than prescribed in the past 12 months. Religion/spirituality was categorized as high, medium, or low based on personal views on the importance of religion and spirituality, attendance at religious services, and advice seeking from religious leaders. SPU was defined as non-medical use of opioids simultaneously with use of cocaine, alcohol, ecstasy, or marijuana. Multivariate logistic regression determined the association between religion/spirituality, demographic variables, and SPU. Men with high levels of religion/spirituality had 63 % decreased odds of SPU compared with men with low levels. Other variables associated with SPU in men were four or more arrests (AOR 2.21), multiple sex partners (AOR 2.11), and opioid use without a prescription (AOR 3.04). Women with high or medium levels of religion/spirituality had 58 and 62 % decreased odds of SPU compared with women with low levels. Variables that predicted SPU in women also included 4+ arrests (AOR 5.00) and never being married (AOR 2.13). Being African-American was associated with decreased odds of SPU in women (AOR 0.32). Overall, a high level of religion/spirituality was associated with lower odds of SPU. Gender differences in this association were evident, whereas women with even a medium level of religion/spirituality had significantly decreased odds of SPU. Future drug prevention and interventions should consider the relevance of religion/spirituality in SPU.

Religiosidade e espiritualidade no transtorno bipolar do humor Religiosity and spirituality in bipolar disorder

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André Stroppa

2009-01-01

articles published between 1957 and 2008. RESULTS: The studies indicate that bipolar patients have a greater religious/spiritual concern and involvement, more reports of conversion, experiences of salvation and a more frequent use of spiritual/religious coping, than people with other mental disorders. It also indicates a frequent and significant relationship between manic symptoms and mystical experiences, and changes in the intensity of faith after the onset of the disorder. The most relevant studies in the literature were distributed by subjects: mystical delusions, religiosity and spirituality, spiritual-religious coping, community resources and traditional communities. CONCLUSION: The number of studies about healthy religious practices, spirituality, and coping among bipolar patients should be expanded, as soon as its relation to accession, compliance with treatment and recurrences of the disease. Greater attention should be given to investigate the relationships between religiosity, religious coping, psychotherapeutic interventions, and based-spiritual psychoeducation.

Experiences of patients with cancer and their nurses on the conditions of spiritual care and spiritual interventions in oncology units.

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Rassouli, Maryam; Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Ghahramanian, Akram; Abbaszadeh, Abbas; Alavi-Majd, Hamid; Nikanfar, Alireza

2015-01-01

Although nurses acknowledge that spiritual care is part of their role, in reality, it is performed to a lesser extent. The purpose of the present study was to explore nurses' and patients' experiences about the conditions of spiritual care and spiritual interventions in the oncology units of Tabriz. This study was conducted with a qualitative conventional content analysis approach in the oncology units of hospitals in Tabriz. Data were collected through purposive sampling by conducting unstructured interviews with 10 patients and 7 nurses and analyzed simultaneously. Robustness of data analysis was evaluated by the participants and external control. Three categories emerged from the study: (1) "perceived barriers for providing spiritual care" including "lack of preparation for spiritual care," "time and space constraints," "unprofessional view," and "lack of support"; (2) "communication: A way for Strengthening spirituality despite the limitations" including "manifestation of spirituality in the appearances and communicative behaviors of nurses" and "communication: Transmission of spiritual energy"; and (3) "religion-related spiritual experiences" including "life events as divine will and divine exam," "death as reincarnation," "trust in God," "prayer/recourse to Holy Imams," and "acceptance of divine providence." Although nurses had little skills in assessing and responding to the patients' spiritual needs and did not have the organizational and clergymen's support in dealing with the spiritual distress of patients, they were the source of energy, joy, hope, and power for patients by showing empathy and compassion. The patients and nurses were using religious beliefs mentioned in Islam to strengthen the patients' spiritual dimension. According to the results, integration of spiritual care in the curriculum of nursing is recommended. Patients and nurses can benefit from organizational and clergymen's support to cope with spiritual distress. Researchers should

Brain-Based Learning, Neuroscience, and Their Impact on One Religious Educator

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Winings, Kathy

2011-01-01

The constellation of religious education courses that are offered in the author's school seek to equip students with the tools and knowledge they need to not only provide a solid understanding of faith for those they will teach but also a passion to seek out profound spiritual growth. Since she teaches most of the religious education courses, the…

Charitable Sporting Events as a Context for Building Adolescent Generosity: Examining the Role of Religiousness and Spirituality

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Nathaniel A. Fernandez

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Previous research demonstrates an association between religiousness, spirituality, and generosity in adolescents, but few studies have tested the mechanisms by which religion might facilitate the development of generosity in real-world contexts. In this paper, a theoretical model is presented describing the potential mechanisms by which engagement in transformational contexts (i.e., participating in charity marathon training may lead to the development of generosity in adolescents. Participation in charity sporting events is theorized to increase generosity through both higher-order mechanisms, such as sanctification and the development of transcendent identity, and lower-order mechanisms, such as increased entitativity, positive emotions, and dissonance reduction. An empirical strategy for testing the model is presented; suggested methods for inquiry are longitudinal mixed method designs incorporating observations, questionnaires, and qualitative interviewing. Additionally, a case study of ongoing research on adolescents running with Team World Vision is described as an application of the model to an actual research context.

The role of spiritual intelligence in employees’ withdrawal behaviors in physical education organization

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Davoud Noroozi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Spiritual intelligence is the mind’s capacity to handle substantial and spiritual aspects of life. According to previous studies, spiritual intelligence can be effective in reducing the withdrawal behavior of employees. This study investigated the effect of spiritual intelligence on employees’ withdrawal behavior in Ardabil Physical Education organization. The statistical population of this study included all the employees of Physical Education organization of Ardabil (N=60. Descriptive Statistics, Pearson Correlation, and Linear Regression Analyses were used to assess the association between spiritual intelligence and withdrawal behaviors. The results of the study revealed that spiritual intelligence had positive and significant effect on reducing employees’ withdrawal behavior. The findings supported that spiritual intelligence training as a new psychological and religious construction may reduce psychological and physical withdrawal behaviors and improve the employees’ perception of themselves.

On the Wave of Spiritual Tension (Late 60s of the 20th Century -the Beginning of the 21th Century

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B. FILIPPOV

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Here the author continues to consider the cyclic-wave character of religious (spiritual life. During the last third of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century, a global phenomenon emerged which can be described (by sociologists, researchers of religions and political scientists as «de-secularization», «religious revival» or «spiritual awakening». The author made an attempt to structure this phenomenon, to show stages of its development (the rise, the highest point and the recession as well as its main features and characteristics. As the beginning of the wave the author considers the mass exodus of hippies into sects in the late 60’s — early 70’s and the formation of the Catholic «base communities» in Latin America. The first signs of change in the attitudes of the young toward religion were perceived by Soviet sociologists in 1969. At an individual level, a new religious wave in the European countries (including the USSR began when people started to study and practice Eastern spiritual practices and ardently search for ways of spiritual perfection. This new religious revival was largely «interdenominational and non-institutional». This is evidenced by the rapid growth of new religious movements (NRM, especially the charismatic movement. The new religion was not connected with any religious education or with elementary theological literacy. This wave chronologically coincided with the emergence of the new worldwide information and communication medium — the Internet, which has become «the most organic medium channel for religious organizations». By the beginning of the second decade of the XXI century the religious tension has exhausted itself.

Development and Validation of the Spiritual Care Needs Inventory for Acute Care Hospital Patients in Taiwan.

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Wu, Li-Fen; Koo, Malcolm; Liao, Yu-Chen; Chen, Yuh-Min; Yeh, Dah-Cherng

2016-12-01

Spiritual care is increasingly being recognized as an integral aspect of nursing practice. The aim of this study was to develop a new instrument, Spiritual Care Needs Inventory (SCNI), for measuring spiritual care needs in acute care hospital patients with different religious beliefs. The 21-item instrument was completed by 1,351 adult acute care patients recruited from a medical center in Taiwan. Principal components analysis of the SCNI revealed two components, (a) meaning and hope and (b) caring and respect, which together accounted for 66.2% of the total variance. The internal consistency measures for the two components were 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. Furthermore, younger age, female sex, Christian religion, and regularly attending religious activities had significantly higher mean total scores in both components. The SCNI was found to be a simple instrument with excellent internal consistency for measuring the spiritual care needs in acute care hospital patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Religion and spirituality in education and nursing assistance].

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Gussi, Maria Aparecida; Dytz, Jane Lynn Garrison

2008-01-01

Intersectional study between nursing discourse and precepts which embrace religion/religiousness and spirituality, and how these were incorporated and their reflection upon nursing practice, education and the history of the organization of the profession. For bibliographic review LILACS and BDENF databases of the Electronic Health Library were used. A total of 57 full-text articles, published from 1957 to 2007, were analyzed upon the light of the ideas of Maurice Halbwachs, about " collective memory" . The results show that Brazilian nursing has a religious root with profound ramifications on its development. This configuration is so embedded in the collective memory that, even with the expansion of non-religious institutions, the Christian precepts remain present and strong.

Psychiatry and Religion: Opponents or Collaborators? The Power of Spirituality in Contemporary Psychiatry.

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Jakovljević, Miro

2017-04-01

Religion and psychiatry have had complicated, sometimes neutral or friendly and cooperative, sometimes competitive and antagonistic relations over their long histories. Relations between psychiatry and religion are influenced by complex belief systems, each diverse and changing. Psychiatry has often ignored spiritual and religious dimension in health and illness while religions influenced the treatment of mental disorders directly by defining mental disorders as evil spirit possessions and prescribing exorcism as treatment. It has been a long way to prevail looking for natural over supra-natural explanations for mental disorders. Psychiatry and religion as social practices should be regarded as allies against pseudoscientific nonsense and superstitions. This alliance is based on the next evidence: 1. religious and spiritual well-being is an important component of mental health as well as of health in general; 2. research and empirical evidence reveals that healthy-minded and distorted or sick faith are quite distinct in the effects in the lives of the faithful; 3. psychiatrists are professionally expected to always respect and be sensitive to the spiritual and religious beliefs and practices of their patients; 4. religious and spiritual beliefs and practice is very important aspect of person-centered psychiatry. The enduring task for both psychiatry and religion is to enable human beings to live their lives with courage, sense, and optimism, to strive towards creating conditions of well-being and individual, public and global mental health as well as to dispel beliefs and patterns which trap people in lives of misery and mental disorders. Psychiatry and religion in creative dialogues as allies can significantly contribute to the healing of our broken world and promoting compassionate society and empathic civilization. When psychiatry and religion see each other as opponents or even enemies this is only because of their mutual misreading and pseudoscientific

A randomized controlled evaluation of a spiritually integrated treatment for subclinical anxiety in the Jewish community, delivered via the Internet.

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Rosmarin, David H; Pargament, Kenneth I; Pirutinsky, Steven; Mahoney, Annette

2010-10-01

This study evaluated the efficacy of a spiritually integrated treatment (SIT) for subclinical anxiety in the Jewish community. One hundred and twenty-five self-reported religious Jewish individuals with elevated levels of stress and worry received SIT (n=36), progressive muscle relaxation (PMR, n=42), or a waitlist control condition (WLC, n=47). SIT and PMR participants accessed Internet-based treatment on a daily basis for a period of 2 weeks. All participants completed self-report assessments at pre-treatment (T1), post-treatment (T2), and 6-8-week follow-up (T3). SIT participants reported large improvements in primary (stress and worry) and secondary (depression and intolerance of uncertainty) outcomes, and moderate improvements in spiritual outcomes (positive/negative religious coping; trust/mistrust in God). SIT participants reported greater belief in treatment credibility, greater expectancies from treatment and greater treatment satisfaction than PMR participants. SIT participants also reported better improvements in both primary outcomes (stress and worry), one of two secondary outcomes (intolerance of uncertainty), and two of four spiritual outcomes (positive religious coping and mistrust in God) compared to the WLC group, whereas PMR and WLC participants did not differ on most outcomes. Results of this investigation offer initial support for the efficacy of SIT for the treatment of subclinical anxiety symptoms among religious Jews. Results further suggest that it is important to incorporate spiritual content into treatment to help facilitate the delivery of psychotherapy to religious individuals. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satisfaction with life and character strengths of non-religious and religious people: it's practicing one's religion that makes the difference.

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Berthold, Anne; Ruch, Willibald

2014-01-01

According to systematic reviews, religious beliefs and practices are related to higher life satisfaction, happiness, and positive affect (Koenig and Larson, 2001). The present research extends previous findings by comparing satisfaction with life and character strengths of non-religious people, religious people, who practice their religion and people that have a religious affiliation but do not practice their religion. We assessed life satisfaction (SWLS), character strengths (VIA-IS) and the orientations to happiness (OTH) in a sample of N = 20538 participants. People with a religious affiliation that also practice their religion were found to be more satisfied with their life and scored higher on life of meaning than those who do not practice their religion and than non-religious people. Also religious people who practice their religion differed significantly from those who do not practice their religion and non-religious people regarding several character strengths; they scored higher on kindness, love, gratitude, hope, forgiveness, and on spirituality. There were no substantial differences between people who had no religious affiliation and those with a religious affiliation that do not practice their religion (all [Formula: see text]s religious affiliation if they also actively practice their religion.

Methodological and Methodical Principles of the Empirical Study of Spiritual Development of a Personality

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Olga Klymyshyn

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article reveals the essence of the methodological principles of the spiritual development of a personality. The results of the theoretical analysis of psychological content of spirituality from the positions of system and structural approach to studying of a personality, age patterns of the mental personality development, the sacramental nature of human person, mechanisms of human spiritual development are taken into consideration. The interpretation of spirituality and the spiritual development of a personality is given. Initial principles of the organization of the empirical research of the spiritual development of a personality (ontogenetic, sociocultural, self-determination, system are presented. Such parameters of the estimation of a personality’s spiritual development as general index of the development of spiritual potential, indexes of the development of ethical, aesthetical, cognitive, existential components of spirituality, index of religiousness of a personality are described. Methodological support of psychological diagnostic research is defined.

Spirituality, religion, and healing in palliative care.

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Puchalski, Christina M; Dorff, Rabbi Elliot; Hendi, Imam Yahya

2004-11-01

In end-of-life care, attending to spiritual needs ensures that a dying patient has the opportunity to find meaning in the midst of suffering and to have the opportunity for love, compassion, and partnership in their final journey. This article summarizes some of the beliefs and traditions from Judaism, Islam, and Christianity that affect people as they face their own dying and mortality. People who do not participate in any formal religion also have a drive to find meaning in the midst of suffering and dying. They may find this in personal ways. This article presents some practical tools to help clinicians address and respect spiritual and religious issues of patients. It is crucial that our culture and our systems of care for the dying include a spiritual approach so that dying can be meaningful and even filled with hope.

Ratings of Essentialism for Eight Religious Identities.

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Toosi, Negin R; Ambady, Nalini

2011-01-01

As a social identity, religion is unique because it contains a spectrum of choice. In some religious communities, individuals are considered members by virtue of having parents of that background, and religion, culture, and ethnicity are closely intertwined. Other faith communities actively invite people of other backgrounds to join, expecting individuals to choose the religion that best fits their personal beliefs. These various methods of identification influence beliefs about the essentialist nature of religious identity. Essentialism is when social groups are considered to have deep, immutable, and inherent defining properties. In this study, college students (N=55) provided ratings of essentialism for eight religious identities: Atheist, Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, and Spiritual-but-not-religious. Significant differences in essentialism were found between the target groups. Results and implications for intergroup relations are discussed.

Religious well-being in noninstitutionalized elderly women.

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Zorn, C R; Johnson, M T

1997-01-01

Spirituality is recognized as an important component of health care practice with elderly people. Yet, discussion of the role it plays in elderly women on a day-to-day basis is minimal, and it is frequently not addressed in quality-of-life studies in this population. The purposes of this study were to describe the level of religious well-being and selected characteristics of religiosity in a sample of 114 non-institutionalized, largely rural elderly women (Mdn age = 75), as well as to identify the relationship between selected factors and the level of religious well-being. Descriptive research revealed a high level of religious well-being among the participants and significant positive correlation between religious well-being and the variables of social support and hope (p hope emerged as the single significant predictor of religious well-being (p religious activities, highly rated the value or influence of religious beliefs in their lives, and identified that religious beliefs become increasingly important with age. Conducting a comprehensive assessment and implementing focused interventions associated with religious well-being will strengthen the scope of health care practice for elderly women.

A Phenomenological Study of Gay and Lesbian College Students' Spiritual Experiences at Religious Higher Education Institutions

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Bryan, Vanessa Roberts

2017-01-01

Despite recent scholarly interest in college students' spirituality and spiritual development, as well as research indicating that students are interested in spirituality and have a strong desire to integrate spirituality into their lives, few researchers have addressed the spiritual experiences of gay and lesbian college students. Utilizing a…

Finding a Moral Homeground: Appropriately Critical Religious Education and Transmission of Spiritual Values

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Thanissaro, Phra Nicholas

2010-01-01

Values-inspired issues remain an important part of the British school curriculum. Avoiding moral relativism while fostering enthusiasm for spiritual values and applying them to non-curricular learning such as school ethos or children's home lives are challenges where spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development might benefit from…

The role of religious leaders in promoting healthy habits in religious institutions.

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Anshel, Mark H; Smith, Mitchell

2014-08-01

The growing obesity epidemic in the West, in general, and the U.S.A., in particular, is resulting in deteriorating health, premature and avoidable onset of disease, and excessive health care costs. The religious community is not immune to these societal conditions. Changing health behavior in the community requires both input from individuals who possess knowledge and credibility and a receptive audience. One group of individuals who may be uniquely positioned to promote community change but have been virtually ignored in the applied health and consulting psychology literature is religious leaders. These individuals possess extraordinary credibility and influence in promoting healthy behaviors by virtue of their association with time-honored religious traditions and the status which this affords them-as well as their communication skills, powers of persuasion, a weekly (captive) audience, mastery over religious texts that espouse the virtues of healthy living, and the ability to anchor health-related actions and rituals in a person's values and spirituality. This article focuses on ways in which religious leaders might promote healthy habits among their congregants. By addressing matters of health, nutrition, and fitness from the pulpit and in congregational programs, as well as by visibly adopting the tenets of a healthier lifestyle, clergy can deliver an important message regarding the need for healthy living. Through such actions, religious leaders can be effective agents in promoting critical change in these areas.

Spiritual coping of older people in Malta and Australia (part 1).

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Baldacchino, Donia R; Bonello, Lilian; Debattista, Clifford J

This descriptive sequential explanatory study, which forms part of a larger study, investigated the use of spiritual coping strategies by three cohort groups of Maltese older residents in three phases. The theoretical model of causal pathway for mental health based on monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) guided the study. Participants were recruited from four private homes: two in Australia (n=30), two in Malta (n=43) and two state residences also in Malta (n=64). The residents (n=137; men n=103, women n=34), mean (M) age 72.8 years, were all Roman Catholics, mobile and with a minimum residence of 6 months. The quantitative data (phase I) were collected by the Maltese version of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale ( Baldacchino and Buhagiar, 2003 ). The qualitative findings in phase II derived from the face-to-face interviews and focus groups explain the use of spiritual coping strategies and how they contributed toward coping with institutionalisation. Significant differences were found in spiritual coping (F=11.434; p=0.001; degree of freedom (df)=2) whereby the cohort in Australia scored the highest scores in the total spiritual coping (M=48.60; standard deviation (SD)=6.251), religious coping (M=23.47; SD=2.145) and existential coping (M=25.13; SD=6.033). No significant differences were found in the total spiritual coping between subgroups of mobility and demographic characteristics except by gender (Student's t-test (t)=2.455; p=0.015) whereby women (M=22.09; SD=4.325) scored higher than the men (M=19.67; SD=4.508). Australian private homes reported the highest (significant) mean scores in total spiritual coping, religious coping and existential coping. Recommendations were set for clinical practice and management, nursing education, and further research.

Silent God in a Wordy World. Silence in Ignatian Spirituality

OpenAIRE

García de Castro Valdés, S.J., José

2016-01-01

The Society of Jesus is an apostolic religious order involved in many different activities and missions. Jesuits live far away from monasteries and strict contemplative life. Nevertheless, one of the most well-known peculiarities of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises is that a complete and absolute silence is required during the time of the retreat. Where and how should we place “silence” in the life of an Ignatian spiritual and mystical experience?

Spiritual Well-Being and Suicidal Ideation among College Students

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Taliaferro, Lindsay A.; Rienzo, Barbara A.; Pigg, R. Morgan, Jr.; Miller, M. David; Dodd, Virginia J.

2009-01-01

Objective: This study explored whether specific dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious well-being and existential well-being) relate to reduced suicidal ideation, and whether associations persisted after controlling for religiosity and psychosocial variables associated with suicide. Participants: Participants were 457 college students who…

Daily Spiritual Experiences and Adolescent Treatment Response.

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Lee, Matthew T; Veta, Paige S; Johnson, Byron R; Pagano, Maria E

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study is to explore changes in belief orientation during treatment and the impact of increased daily spiritual experiences (DSE) on adolescent treatment response. One-hundred ninety-five adolescents court-referred to a 2-month residential treatment program were assessed at intake and discharge. Forty percent of youth who entered treatment as agnostic or atheist identified themselves as spiritual or religious at discharge. Increased DSE was associated with greater likelihood of abstinence, increased prosocial behaviors, and reduced narcissistic behaviors. Results indicate a shift in DSE that improves youth self-care and care for others that may inform intervention approaches for adolescents with addiction.

Daily Spiritual Experiences and Adolescent Treatment Response

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LEE, MATTHEW T.; VETA, PAIGE S.; JOHNSON, BYRON R.; PAGANO, MARIA E.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore changes in belief orientation during treatment and the impact of increased daily spiritual experiences (DSE) on adolescent treatment response. One-hundred ninety-five adolescents court-referred to a 2-month residential treatment program were assessed at intake and discharge. Forty percent of youth who entered treatment as agnostic or atheist identified themselves as spiritual or religious at discharge. Increased DSE was associated with greater likelihood of abstinence, increased prosocial behaviors, and reduced narcissistic behaviors. Results indicate a shift in DSE that improves youth self-care and care for others that may inform intervention approaches for adolescents with addiction. PMID:25525291

Divine Intersections: Hindu Ritual and the Incorporation of Religious Others

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Kathinka Frøystad

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This article throws the study of multireligious sociality in Western contexts into sharp relief by examining the case of India. Much of the current scholarship of cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism tends to assume that religious beliefs, practices and spaces make the respective religious communities close entirely in upon themselves. While this assumption may hold true for most of the Western settings we study, it does not necessarily give an accurate description of the conditions for multireligious sociality in other parts of the world. In India, for instance, religious boundaries still display signs of malleability despite the religious politicization and occasional interreligious violence of the past decades. Drawing on recent anthropological research, this article shows that people of different religious denominations still visit Sufi shrines, that Hindus still incorporate ritual elements and divine beings from the religious traditions of their Others and that they exercise a wide personal choice in terms of spiritual activities, thus enabling spiritual paths that cross in and out of Hinduism. In a Hindu context rituals do not necessarily have an insulating effect; they may also provide points of intersection that open up toward the Other, thus fostering familiarity and recognition. Similar arguments have been made for Buddhist settings. The question is thus whether the current scholarship of cosmopolitanism may entail a certain monotheistic bias that needs to accounted for, something that is of particular importance when theorizing in ways that make universal claims.

Physician assistant program education on spirituality and religion in patient encounters.

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Berg, Gina M; Whitney, Melissa P; Wentling, Callie J; Hervey, Ashley M; Nyberg, Sue

2013-01-01

To describe educational practices of physician assistant (PA) programs regarding spirituality and religion discussions during patient encounters. Patients want their health care provider to be aware of their spiritual and religious beliefs. This topic is addressed in physician and nursing education but may not be included in PA programs. Data regarding curriculum were collected via electronic survey emailed to 143 PA programs across the United States. Thirty-eight programs responded for a response rate of 27%. Most (68.4%) program respondents reported students' desire to be trained to discuss spirituality and religion, yet 36.8% do not offer this training. Just over half (69.2%) would consider adding curriculum to teach students to discuss spirituality, but the majority (92.3%) would not add curriculum to discuss religion during patient encounters. PA programs offer training to discuss spirituality in patient encounters but not to discuss religiosity. Programs may want to consider adding some curriculum to increase PAs awareness of spirituality and religion needs of patients.

Spirituality - the Story of a concept in the psychology of religion

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Říčan, Pavel

2004-01-01

Roč. 26, - (2004), s. 135-156 ISSN 0084-6724 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA7025301 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z7025918 Keywords : Spirituality * religiousness * psychology Subject RIV: AN - Psychology

Religion and spirituality in contemporary dreams

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Werner Nell

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This article examines the spiritual value and role of dreams in the lives of South African Christians, based on the findings of a qualitative research project in which semistructured interviews were used to examine the dream-related beliefs and practices of contemporary Christians. The findings indicated that dreams are still considered to be of distinct religious value and importance by a significant number of the Christian participants who took part in the study. Specifically, the participants reported that their dreams often serve as source of spiritual inspiration, insight and guidance, as well as feedback on decisions and ways of living. It was also indicated that dreams sometimes constituted an important natural resource in coming to terms with bereavement. In response to this, the article closes with a call for a re-evaluation of the position and value of dreams in contemporary Christianity, and offers several practical suggestions for working with dreams in a spiritual context.

Twenty-five years later--what do we know about religion/spirituality and psychological well-being among breast cancer survivors? A systematic review.

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Schreiber, Judith A; Brockopp, Dorothy Y

2012-03-01

A diagnosis of cancer is a life-changing event for most people. The trauma and uncertainties of a breast cancer diagnosis can affect survivors' psychological well-being. Religion and/or spirituality can provide a means of support for many women as they live with the realities of a diagnosis of cancer. The purpose of this focused review is to critically analyze and synthesize relationships among psychological well-being, religion, and spirituality among women with breast cancer. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Cochrane CENTRAL, and PsycINFO databases were searched: January 1985-March 2010. The search terms religi*(religious/religion), spiritu*(spiritual/spirituality), breast cancer, psychological adjustment, psychological outcomes, psychological distress, psychological well-being, and outcomes were searched for separately and in combination. Eighteen quantitative studies were analyzed in order to examine associations among religion, spirituality, and psychological well-being for women diagnosed with breast cancer. These three variables were operationally defined as follows: (a) religious practice, religious coping, and perception of God; (b) spiritual distress, spiritual reframing, spiritual well-being, and spiritual integration; and (c) combined measure of both the religion and spirituality constructs. Results of this review suggest that within this population, limited relationships exist among religion, spirituality, and psychological well-being. Given the various definitions used for the three variables, the strength and clarity of relationships are not clear. In addition, the time of assessment along the course of the disease varies greatly and in some instances is not reported. Diagnosis and/or prognosis, factors that could influence psychological well-being, are frequently not factored into results. There does, however, appear to be sufficient evidence to include a brief, clinically focused assessment of women diagnosed with

The Divine Dreams of a Sample of South African Children: The Gateway to Their Spirituality

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Potgieter, Ferdinand J.; van der Walt, Johannes L.; Wolhuter, Charl C.

2009-01-01

As part of a research project on religion, spirituality and education, the authors attended to the role that children's divine dreams could play in religious education (RE). They contend that such dreams can indeed be used by RE teachers as the gateway to understanding the spirituality of their learners. They defend their claim by firstly…

Religious and Ethnic Discrimination: Differential Implications for Social Support Engagement, Civic Involvement, and Political Consciousness

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Renate Ysseldyk

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Social identity threats, depending on the content of the identity targeted, may evoke varying socio-political responses. In this regard, religious discrimination may be especially threatening, challenging both the social group and its belief system, thereby promoting more active collective responses. This research examined how religious and ethnic identification differentially evoked engagement with support resources (ingroup and spiritual, civic involvement (including individual and collective action-taking, and political participation (voting or political consciousness following group-based threats. Study 1 drew from the Canadian Ethnic Diversity Survey (N = 1806. Participants who reported religious discrimination demonstrated greater religious identification, ingroup social engagement, and civic involvement—comparable associations were absent for ethnic discrimination. Study 2 (N = 287 experimentally primed participants to make salient a specific incident of religious or ethnic discrimination. Although ethnic discrimination elicited greater ingroup support-seeking and political consciousness, religious discrimination was perceived as especially harmful and evoked more individual and collective action-taking. Further to this, religious high-identifiers’ responses were mediated by engagement with ingroup or spiritual support in both studies, whereas no mediated relations were evident for ethnic identification. Findings are discussed in terms of distinct socio-political responses to threats targeting identities that are grounded in religious belief systems.

Validation of a Novel Instrument to Measure Elements of Franciscan-Inspired Spirituality in a General Population and in Religious Persons

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Arndt Büssing

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Today there are several approaches for bringing mindfulness, which conceptually refers to the Buddhist Vipassana tradition, into organizations. Programs referring to value-based attitudes and behaviors derived from specific Christian contexts are rarely evaluated. A prerequisite are reliable instruments for measuring the respective outcomes. We therefore performed a cross-sectional study among 418 participants to validate an instrument measuring specific aspects of Franciscan-inspired spirituality (FraSpir, particularly the core dimensions and transformative outcomes. Exploratory factor analysis of this FraSpir questionnaire with 26 items pointed to four main factors (i.e., “Live from Faith/Search for God”; “Peaceful attitude/Respectful Treatment”; “Commitment to Disadvantaged and Creation”; “Attitude of Poverty”. Their internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.79 to 0.97. With respect to convergent validity, there were sound correlations with engagement in religious practices, gratitude and awe, and prosocial-humanistic practices. The 26-item instrument was found to be a reliable and valid instrument for use in training and education programs. Interestingly, nuns and monks scored significantly higher on the Faith and Poverty subscales than others, but similarly on the two subscales addressing considerate action in the world. These attitudes and behaviors are not exclusively valued by those of religious faith, but by all.

Popular culture and the ’darker side’ of alternative spirituality: the case of metal music

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Marcus Moberg

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Metal is perhaps the most extreme and aggressive form of contemporary Western popular music. Even though it continues to spark controversy and debate, it has also enjoyed enduring popularity for decades and has spread on a global scale. Metal music and culture has always been characterized by its fascination for dark and austere themes and imagery. Commonly dealing with topics such as evil, death, war, alienation and suffering, metal groups have traditionally found much inspiration in the world of religion, particularly Judeo-Christian eschatology and apocalypticism, different forms of paganism, occultism, esotericism and, last but not least, Satanism. These kinds of religious/spiritual themes have arguably developed into an integral part of metal culture on the whole. They contribute significantly to investing metal music and culture with an apparent aura of sincerity and mystique as well as to raising its shock and entertainment value. At the same time, metal culture is also marked by its high degree of humour and self-irony, its fondness for exaggeration, spectacle and over-the-top theatrics. Even so, metal stands out as a global popular music culture replete with various kinds of often dark and austere religious and spiritual themes, many of which stand in stark contrast to Christianity. Seen in the wider context of the changing face of religion in the West and the increasingly important role played by popular culture in the transformation of religious and spiritual identities, metal has come to play an important role in the dissemination of a wide variety of ‘dark’ alternative religious/spiritual beliefs and ideas. This article sheds further light on this issue through focusing on some contemporary and successful metal groups from the Nordic countries. In relation to this, attention is also drawn to some of the ways in which dark alternative religious/spiritual ideas may be viewed as having become an inseparable part of some sections of

Caritas, spirituality and religiosity in nurses' coping.

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Ekedahl, M A; Wengström, Y

2010-07-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate registered nurses' coping processes when working with terminally ill and dying cancer patients, with special focus on religious aspects of coping resources. What religious components can be identified as coping resources in oncology nurses' orienting system and what function has religiosity in the nurse's work? The theoretical reference is care philosophy and the psychology of religion and coping. The material consists of interviews with 15 Swedish registered oncology nurses. The results highlight different dynamic aspects of the nurses' life orientation such as caritas, religiosity, spirituality and atheism and demonstrate that religiosity can have a protective function that facilitates coping, as the nurse has something to turn to. Religious coping dominated by basic trust where prayer is used as a coping strategy may support the nurse.

Role of religion, spirituality, and faith in assisted reproduction.

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Braga, Daniela Paes de Almeida Ferreira; Melamed, Rose Marie Massaro; Setti, Amanda Souza; Zanetti, Bianca Ferrarini; Figueira, Rita de Cássia Sávio; Iaconelli, Assumpto; Borges, Edson

2018-06-06

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the patient's faith, religion, and spirituality on the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Eight hundred and seventy-seven patients received a questionnaire containing information on faith, religiosity, and spirituality and the results of the questionnaires were correlated with ICSI outcomes. Patients stated to be Catholic (n = 476), spiritists (n = 93), Evangelical (n = 118), and other religion (n = 32), and 78 did not identify with any religious group. A significant increase in fertilization, high-quality embryos, and pregnancy rate was found among Spiritists and Evangelicals. Patients who included the infertility diagnosis and treatment in their prayers showed an increased pregnancy rate, and those who reported their faith to be affected by the infertility diagnosis presented a decreased high-quality embryos rate. The high-quality embryos rate was increased among patients who answered that their faith contributed to their decision to undergo infertility treatment. The cycle's cancelation was negatively correlated with the frequency of religious meetings, and the frequency of prayers was positively correlated with the response to ovarian stimulation. Finally, belief in treatment success positively influenced the embryo quality. The findings suggest that spirituality plays a role in adjusting the psychological aspects of an infertile patient.

The Association of Mental Distress and Spirituality/religiosity among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Face to face interviews were conducted with subjects and the following instruments were administered: Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ 20), Duke Religion Index, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Religious Coping Index, and Social Support Index. Results: The results showed that 35.9% were ...

Spiritual pain among patients with advanced cancer in palliative care.

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Mako, Caterina; Galek, Kathleen; Poppito, Shannon R

2006-10-01

The large body of empirical research suggesting that patients' spiritual and existential experiences influence the disease process has raised the need for health care professionals to understand the complexity of patients' spiritual pain and distress. The current study explores the multidimensional nature of spiritual pain, in patients with end-stage cancer, in relation to physical pain, symptom severity, and emotional distress. The study combines a quantitative evaluation of participants' intensity of spiritual pain, physical pain, depression, and intensity of illness, with a qualitative focus on the nature of patients' spiritual pain and the kinds of interventions patients believed would ameliorate their spiritual pain. Fifty-seven patients with advanced stage cancer in a palliative care hospital were interviewed by chaplains. Overall, 96% of the patients reported experiencing spiritual pain, but they expressed it in different ways: (1) as an intrapsychic conflict, (2) as interpersonal loss or conflict, or (3) in relation to the divine. Intensity of spiritual pain was correlated with depression (r = 0.43, p spiritual pain did not vary by age, gender, disease course or religious affiliation. Given both the universality of spiritual pain and the multifaceted nature of pain, we propose that when patients report the experience of pain, more consideration be given to the complexity of the phenomena and that spiritual pain be considered a contributing factor. The authors maintain that spiritual pain left unaddressed both impedes recovery and contributes to the overall suffering of the patient.

Spiritually Integrated Cognitive Processing Therapy: A New Treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder That Targets Moral Injury

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Pearce, Michelle; Haynes, Kerry; Rivera, Natalia R; Koenig, Harold G.

2018-01-01

Background Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder, and current treatments leave the majority of patients with unresolved symptoms. Moral injury (MI) may be one of the barriers that interfere with recovery from PTSD, particularly among current or former military service members. Objective Given the psychological and spiritual aspects of MI, an intervention that addresses MI using spiritual resources in addition to psychological resources may be particularly effective in treating PTSD. To date, there are no existing empirically based individual treatments for PTSD and MI that make explicit use of a patient’s spiritual resources, despite the evidence that spiritual beliefs/activities predict faster recovery from PTSD. Method To address this gap, we adapted Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an empirically validated treatment for PTSD, to integrate clients’ spiritual beliefs, practices, values, and motivations. We call this treatment Spiritually Integrated CPT (SICPT). Results This article describes this novel manualized therapeutic approach for treating MI in the setting of PTSD for spiritual/religious clients. We provide a description of SICPT and a brief summary of the 12 sessions. Then, we describe a case study in which the therapist helps a client use his spiritual resources to resolve MI and assist in the recovery from PTSD. Conclusion SICPT may be a helpful way to reduce PTSD by targeting MI, addressing spiritual distress, and using a client’s spiritual resources. In addition to the spiritual version (applicable for those of any religion and those who do not identify as religious), we have also developed 5 religion-specific manuals (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism) for clients who desire a more religion-specific approach. PMID:29497585

Religion, Spirituality, and HIV Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

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Doolittle, B R; Justice, A C; Fiellin, D A

2018-06-01

This systematic review evaluates the association between religion, spirituality and clinical outcomes in HIV-infected individuals. A systematic literature review was conducted for all English language articles published between 1980 and 2016 in relevant databases. Six hundred fourteen studies were evaluated. 15 met inclusion criteria. Ten (67%) studies reported a positive association between religion or spirituality and a clinical HIV outcome. Two (13%) studies failed to detect such an association; and two (13%) demonstrated a negative association. One study (7%) identified features of religiosity and spirituality that had both negative and positive associations with HIV clinical outcomes. Recognizing the religious or spiritual commitments of patients may serve as an important component of patient care. Further longitudinal studies and interventions might be required to further clarify the potential impact of religion and spirituality on HIV clinical outcomes.

The circle of the soul: the role of spirituality in health care.

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Moss, Donald

2002-12-01

This paper examines the critical attitude of behavioral professionals toward spiritual phenomena, and the current growing openness toward a scientific study of spirituality and its effects on health. Health care professionals work amidst sickness and suffering, and become immersed in the struggles of suffering persons for meaning and spiritual direction. Biofeedback and neurofeedback training can facilitate relaxation, mental stillness, and the emergence of spiritual experiences. A growing body of empirical studies documents largely positive effects of religious involvement on health. The effects of religion and spirituality on health are diverse, ranging from such tangible and easily understood phenomena as a reduction of health-risk behaviors in church-goers, to more elusive phenomena such as the distant effects of prayer on health and physiology. Psychophysiological methods may prove useful in identifying specific physiological mechanisms mediating such effects. Spirituality is also a dimension in much of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and the CAM arena may offer a window of opportunity for biofeedback practice.

Post-secular religious practices entering traditional religion

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Urszula Pękala

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays we can observe complex interactions between the religious and secular spheres. Several different processes take place simultaneously: the traditionally religious elements function in the secular sphere as if they were part of secular culture; elements of the secular sphere build a specific kind of post-secular religiosity; finally, this post-secular religiosity influences traditional religions. This article focuses on the last stage of these changes. The author's purpose is to describe and interpret the practices we can observe. Because of the complexity of this issue, the analyses are limited to examples taken from the Catholic Church in Germany, where this process seems to be as popular as it is paradoxical. Catholicism realises that the post-secular forms of religiosity are very popular and that many people choose them instead of the traditional Church. It could offer them spirituality based on ages of experience. But instead of making its own spiritual tradition competitive on the spiritual market, Catholicism seems to offer Christianised post-secular goods, or its own traditional elements represented in a secularised form. It seems difficult to predict how it will all end. However, we observe an interesting encounter and interaction between an ‘old’ religion and a new religiosity, which will certainly have impact on further presence of the Church in the society.

The International NERSH Data Pool—A Methodological Description of a Data Pool of Religious and Spiritual Values of Health Professionals from Six Continents

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Alex Kappel Kørup

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Collaboration within the recently established Network for Research on Spirituality and Health (NERSH has made it possible to pool data from 14 different surveys from six continents. All surveys are largely based on the questionnaire by Curlin “Religion and Spirituality in Medicine, Perspectives of Physicians” (RSMPP. This article is a methodological description of the process of building the International NERSH Data Pool. The larger contours of the data are described using frequency statistics. Five subscales in the data pool (including the already established DUREL scale were tested using Cronbach’s alpha and Principal Component Analysis (PCA in an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA. 5724 individuals were included, of which 57% were female and the mean age was 41.5 years with a 95% confidence interval (CI ranging from 41.2 to 41.8. Most respondents were physicians (n = 3883, nurses (n = 1189, and midwives (n = 286; but also psychologists (n = 50, therapists (n = 44, chaplains (n = 5, and students (n = 10 were included. The DUREL scale was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.92 and PCA confirmed its reliability and unidimensionality. The new scales covering the dimensions of “Religiosity of Health Professionals (HPs” (α = 0.89, “Willingness of Physicians to Interact with Patients Regarding R/S Issues” (α = 0.79, “Religious Objections to Controversial Issues in Medicine” (α = 0.78, and “R/S as a Calling” (α = 0.82, also proved unidimensional in the PCAs. We argue that the proposed scales are relevant and reliable measures of religious dimensions within the data pool. Finally, we outline future studies already planned based on the data pool, and invite interested researchers to join the NERSH collaboration.

Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A New Method of Treatment for Major Depression in Patients With Chronic Medical Illness

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Pearce, Michelle J.; Koenig, Harold G.; Robins, Clive J.; Nelson, Bruce; Shaw, Sally F.; Cohen, Harvey J.; King, Michael B.

2015-01-01

Intervention studies have found that psychotherapeutic interventions that explicitly integrate clients’ spiritual and religious beliefs in therapy are as effective, if not more so, in reducing depression than those that do not for religious clients. However, few empirical studies have examined the effectiveness of religiously (vs. spiritually) integrated psychotherapy, and no manualized mental health intervention had been developed for the medically ill with religious beliefs. To address this gap, we developed and implemented a novel religiously integrated adaptation of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression in individuals with chronic medical illness. This article describes the development and implementation of the intervention. First, we provide a brief overview of CBT. Next, we describe how religious beliefs and behaviors can be integrated into a CBT framework. Finally, we describe Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RCBT), a manualized therapeutic approach designed to assist depressed individuals to develop depression-reducing thoughts and behaviors informed by their own religious beliefs, practices, and resources. This treatment approach has been developed for 5 major world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism), increasing its potential to aid the depressed medically ill from a variety of religious backgrounds. PMID:25365155

Phenotypic Dimensions of Spirituality: Implications for Mental Health in China, India, and the United States.

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McClintock, Clayton H; Lau, Elsa; Miller, Lisa

2016-01-01

While the field of empirical study on religion and spirituality in relation to mental health has rapidly expanded over the past decade, little is known about underlying dimensions of spirituality cross-culturally conceived. We aimed to bridge this gap by inductively deriving potential universal dimensions of spirituality through a large-scale, multi-national data collection, and examining the relationships of these dimensions with common psychiatric conditions. Five-thousand five-hundred and twelve participants from China, India, and the United States completed a two-hour online survey consisting of wide-ranging measures of the lived experience of spirituality, as well as clinical assessments. A series of inductive Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and cross-validating Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) were conducted to derive common underlying dimensions of spirituality. Logistic regression analyses were then conducted with each dimension to predict depression, suicidal ideation, generalized anxiety, and substance-related disorders. Preliminary EFA results were consistently supported by ESEM findings. Analyses of 40 spirituality measures revealed five invariant factors across countries which were interpreted as five dimensions of universal spiritual experience, specifically: love, in the fabric of relationships and as a sacred reality; unifying interconnectedness, as a sense of energetic oneness with other beings in the universe; altruism, as a commitment beyond the self with care and service; contemplative practice, such as meditation, prayer, yoga, or qigong; and religious and spiritual reflection and commitment, as a life well-examined. Love, interconnectedness, and altruism were associated with less risk of psychopathology for all countries. Religious and spiritual reflection and commitment and contemplative practice were associated with less risk in India and the United States but associated with greater risk in China. Education was directly

Phenotypic Dimensions of Spirituality: Implications for Mental Health in China, India, and the United States