The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice

SPIRITUALLY INTEGRATED PSYCHOTHERAPY UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THE SACRED. Kenneth Pargament, New York: Guilford, 2007. Pp. 384, Pb, $38.00. Kenneth Pargament begins this work by giving a brief rational for spiritually integrated psychotherapy. The rationale includes the importance of spirituality among many along with the desire to have this dimension included in the therapeutic relationship. Despite these preferences along with research linking healthy spirituality with greater health and a sense of well-being, however, many psychologists leave spirituality out of the conversation, whether due to feelings of uneasiness or lack of preparation from their schooling, which may cause them to be less than effective during treatment. This disconnect, Pargament argues, must be addressed. Part two begins by framing the spiritually integrated approach as one that can be used with a broad authence, including clients and therapists from "diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds" (p. 21). With this in mind Pargament defines spirituality as "the search for the sacred" (p. 32). This discussion is followed by a description of several sacred dimensions and qualities we, as humans, share (e.g., the search for significance, intimacy, etc.), ways individuals hold on to the sacred (e.g., prayer, ritual, relationships etc.), and how spiritual coping mechanisms may help in times of stress. While mainly outlining positive mechanisms Pargament clearly points out how spirituality can become misdirected for some people. This type of dis-integrated spirituality (e.g., lack of scope depth, inflexibility, misdirection etc.) can include the use of 'small gods' (gods limited in some way) and/or 'false gods' (idolatry), by clients, often with unpleasant end results. For those who make it through their spiritual struggles successfully, Pargament contends, a spiritual transformation (e.g., letting go, new purpose, centering of the sacred etc.) often takes place that leads to a well-integrated spirituality (e.g., openness to differences, willingness to engage in spiritual dialogue, sincere desire to share spiritual experiences). Part three, the largest section of the book, explores how to address the sacred as part of clinical practice. Pargament begins by clearly defining what spiritually integrated psychotherapy is: "an approach to treatment that acknowledges and addresses the spirituality of the client, the spirituality of the therapist, and the process of change" (p. 176); he also encourages timid practitioners not to be rejectionists of this aspect but rather gain knowledge, tolerance, and selfawareness which leads to greater authenticity regarding this topic. From here the author outlines various integration techniques, which can be used in a clinical context. Beginning with implicit assessment, (e.g., judicious self-disclosure, openness to discussions of spirituality etc.), the therapist desires to move the process to one where spirituality is expressed more explicitly (e. …

Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing The Sacred

Religiousness and spirituality

The WPA and the World Health Organization (WHO) have worked hard to assure that comprehensive mental health promotion and care are scientifically based and, at the same time, compassionate and culturally sensitive1, 2. In recent decades, there has been increasing public and academic awareness of the relevance of spirituality and religion to health issues. Systematic reviews of the academic literature have identified more than 3,000 empirical studies investigating the relationship between religion/spirituality (R/S) and health3, 4.

In the field of mental disorders, it has been shown that R/S has significant implications for prevalence (especially depressive and substance use disorders), diagnosis (e.g., differentiation between spiritual experiences and mental disorders), treatment (e.g., help seeking behavior, compliance, mindfulness, complementary therapies), outcomes (e.g., recovering and suicide) and prevention, as well as for quality of life and wellbeing3, 4. The WHO has now included R/S as a dimension of quality of life5. Although there is evidence to show that R/S is usually associated with better health outcomes, it may also cause harm (e.g., treatment refusal, intolerance, negative religious coping). Surveys have shown that R/S values, beliefs and practices remain relevant to most of the world population and that patients would like to have their R/S concerns addressed in health care6, 7, 8.

Psychiatrists need to take into account all factors impacting on mental health. Evidence shows that R/S should be included among these, irrespective of psychiatrists’ spiritual, religious or philosophical orientation. However, few medical schools or specialist curricula provide any formal training for psychiatrists to learn about the evidence available, or how to properly address R/S in research and clinical practice7, 9. In order to fill this gap, the WPA and several national psychiatric associations (e.g., Brazil, India, South Africa, UK, and USA) have created sections on R/S. WPA has included “religion and spirituality” as a part of the “Core Training Curriculum for Psychiatry”10.

Both terms, religion and spirituality, lack a universally agreed definition. Definitions of spirituality usually refer to a dimension of human experience related to the transcendent, the sacred, or to ultimate reality. Spirituality is closely related to values, meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality may develop individually or in communities and traditions. Religion is often seen as the institutional aspect of spirituality, usually defined more in terms of systems of beliefs and practices related to the sacred or divine, as held by a community or social group3, 8.


Regardless of precise definitions, spirituality and religion are concerned with the core beliefs, values and experiences of human beings. A consideration of their relevance to the origins, understanding and treatment of psychiatric disorders and the patient's attitude toward illness should therefore be central to clinical and academic psychiatry. Spiritual and religious considerations also have important ethical implications for the clinical practice of psychiatry11. In particular, the WPA proposes that: 


A tactful consideration of patients’ religious beliefs and practices as well as their spirituality should routinely be considered and will sometimes be an essential component of psychiatric history taking.


An understanding of religion and spirituality and their relationship to the diagnosis, etiology and treatment of psychiatric disorders should be considered as essential components of both psychiatric training and continuing professional development.


There is a need for more research on both religion and spirituality in psychiatry, especially on their clinical applications. These studies should cover a wide diversity of cultural and geographical backgrounds.


The approach to religion and spirituality should be person‐centered. Psychiatrists should not use their professional position for proselytizing for spiritual or secular worldviews. Psychiatrists should be expected always to respect and be sensitive to the spiritual/religious beliefs and practices of their patients, and of the families and carers of their patients.


Psychiatrists, whatever their personal beliefs, should be willing to work with leaders/members of faith communities, chaplains and pastoral workers, and others in the community, in support of the well‐being of their patients, and should encourage their multi‐disciplinary colleagues to do likewise.


Psychiatrists should demonstrate awareness, respect and sensitivity to the important part that spirituality and religion play for many staff and volunteers in forming a vocation to work in the field of mental health care.


Psychiatrists should be knowledgeable concerning the potential for both benefit and harm of religious, spiritual and secular worldviews and practices and be willing to share this information in a critical but impartial way with the wider community in support of the promotion of health and well‐being.









Alexander Moreira‐Almeida1,2, Avdesh Sharma1,3, Bernard Janse van Rensburg1,4, Peter J. Verhagen1,5, Christopher C.H. Cook1,6 1WPA Section on Religion, Spirituality and Psychiatry; 2Research Center in Spirituality and Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil; 3‘Parivartan’ Center for Mental Health, New Delhi, India; 4Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 5GGZ Centraal, Harderwijk, the Netherlands; 6Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, Durham, UK

WPA Position Statement on Spirituality and Religion in Psychiatry.

International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation

Evidence points toward the impact of nurses' personal views and knowledge about religion, religiosity, and spirituality on health care. This qualitative research investigates nurses' concepts of religion, religiosity, and spirituality and how they use these concepts in practice. Thirty-four nurses were interviewed at a hospital in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Content analysis was used to organize and code the results. Three main themes generated from the interviews were (i) religiosity/spirituality as an important dimension in life; (ii) notions of religiosity and spirituality; (iii) formal knowledge of the concept of religion, religiosity, and spirituality. The results indicate that religion, religiosity and spirituality should be incorporated into nurse training to improve the comprehension and competence of nurses in these areas of practice. It is recommended that to ensure holistic and person-centered care, there must be constant reflection on these concepts.

Brazilian nurses' concept of religion, religiosity, and spirituality: A qualitative descriptive study.

Objetivo: problematizar de que modo a Religiosidade/Espiritualidade (R/E) pode ser empregada como um recurso no enfrentamento da pandemia da COVID-19. Metodo: Reflexao teorica baseada na literatura cientifica da area. Resultados: Entre as principais aplicacoes dessa dimensao no contexto de atencao em saude destaca-se a R/E como recurso para a compreensao dos efeitos da pandemia na vida cotidiana; como recurso de enfrentamento e fonte de apoio para pessoas adoecidas, cuidadores e familiares; como suporte nas situacoes de isolamento social e quarentena; como recurso para profissionais de saude diretamente envolvidos no combate a pandemia; como recurso na compreensao de situacoes de luto. Conclusao: Recomenda-se que a R/E possa ser empregada como um recurso nao apenas na explicacao das repercussoes emocionais da doenca, mas como estrategia que possa, de fato, promover um cuidado mais humano e integrado diante de um cenario pandemico impermanente.

/pdf/a-religiosidade-espiritualidade-como-recurso-no-1vz3w7tvvf.pdf

A religiosidade/espiritualidade como recurso no enfrentamento da COVID-19

Os termos religiao, religiosidade, espiritualidade e ancestralidade sao tradicionalmente empregados com base em distincoes terminologicas que consideram embates e sinteses epistemologicas em diferentes campos do saber, como a Psicologia, a Filosofia e a Psicologia da Religiao, por exemplo. Pensando nos distanciamentos e nas aproximacoes entre esses termos, o objetivo deste estudo teorico e problematizar o modo como tais expressoes tem sido empregadas nas producoes cientificas e nas praticas localizadas nas chamadas ciencias da saude. Observamos neste campo discursivo, por exemplo, um predominio da expressao espiritualidade, de modo que tais producoes a consideram mais apropriada por esta se apresentar mais apartada de referencias religiosas e que poderiam, de algum modo, colocar em xeque a laicidade das praticas em saude. Assim, oferecemos a possibilidade do uso combinado da expressao religiosidade/espiritualidade (R/E) como forma de cotejar as possiveis tensoes existentes entre as mesmas e com vistas a fornecer indicios para uma assistencia em saude que efetivamente possa se valer desses dominios para a promocao de um cuidado integral e humanizado.

/pdf/religiao-religiosidade-espiritualidade-ancestralidade-2o74rj5jd8.pdf

Religião, religiosidade, espiritualidade, ancestralidade: tensões e potencialidades no campo da saúde

Best professional practices when approaching religiosity/spirituality in psychotherapy in Brazil

RESUMO Este estudo apresenta uma revisao integrativa sobre como a religiosidade/espiritualidade (R/E) esta presente na literatura cientifica acerca da pratica clinica em Psicologia. As buscas nas bases LILACS, SciELO, PePSIC, MEDLINE/PubMed e PsycINFO (janeiro 2010/marco 2016) recuperaram 50 producoes predominantemente qualitativas e publicadas em periodicos internacionais. Evidenciou-se que a R/E vem sendo incorporada nas nocoes de saude, cuidado e integralidade, sendo reconhecida como dimensao que possui aspectos culturais que devem ser considerados na clinica. A literatura apresenta alguns protocolos e estrategias que podem ser empregados na pratica clinica como forma de integrar a R/E ao cuidado oferecido. Sugere-se que os pesquisadores brasileiros continuem investigando o tema, visando a fornecer subsidios para praticas eticas e inovadoras quanto as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos psicoterapeutas e recem-formados.

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Vivian Fukumasu da Cunha

Papers

Brazilian nurses' concept of religion, religiosity, and spirituality: A qualitative descriptive study.

A religiosidade/espiritualidade como recurso no enfrentamento da COVID-19

Religião, religiosidade, espiritualidade, ancestralidade: tensões e potencialidades no campo da saúde

Best professional practices when approaching religiosity/spirituality in psychotherapy in Brazil

A Dimensão Religiosidade/Espiritualidade na Prática Clínica: Revisão Integrativa da Literatura Científica