Based on their findings, they build theoretical models illustrating the behavioral, psychological, social, and physiological pathways through which religion may influence health. The journal publishes articles employing experimental and correlational methods, qualitative analyses, and critical reviews of the literature. For example, although some of the studies are of high scientific quality and were designed to look directly at the topic of religiousness and health, most studied religiousness as an afterthought. (Eds.). Levin, J. S. (1994). Researchers who study the psychology and neuroscience of religion are helping to explain why such beliefs are so enduring. Metrics details. They view the individuals experience in the context of a defined religion as religiousness. Claims about religious involvement and health outcomes. RESEARCH: Stress, Religion, and Mental Health: Religious Coping in Mediating and Moderating Roles. Effects of religion on mental and physical health. Find books He was the 2009 Margaret Gorman early career award winner from the American Psychological Association. To the extent that engagement in these behaviors is motivated by religious beliefs, one can claim that religion has an impact on health. We hope that these papers will provide further impetus for research into the positive psychology of religion … Background Generic health‐related quality of life (QoL) instruments have not routinely assessed spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs (SRPB) in their measurement. For example, many religious groups teach abstinence or moderation of alcohol use, abstinence from tobacco, or consumption of a vegetarian diet. The answer is obvious: psychology of religion comprises of the application of psychological methods and principles to religious traditions, as well as to persons whether religious or irreligious. Download books for free. We hope that these papers will provide further impetus for research into the positive psychology of religion … Taking an eclectic approach to the study of human values, health, and emotional welfare, this international interdisciplinary journal publishes original peer-reviewed articles that deal with mental … Recent conceptual and empirical developments are described, with an emphasis on the cognitive and affective basis of religious experience within personality and social psychology. 3, August 2018. Religion, Health, and the Psychology of Religion: How the Research on Religion and Health Helps Us Understand Religion | James W. Jones | download | BookSC. In other words, what mechanisms may account for the relationship between religiousness and health? Currently, there is again resurgence in the popularity of the psychology of religion as questions arise concerning the role that spirituality and religion play not only in mental health but in physical well-being as well. [53] The journal "American Psychologist" published important papers on this topic in 2003. Spirituality and health: Is there a relationship? This increased scientific interest was due to many factors. Life presents many trials. Thoresen, C. E. & Harris, A. H. S. (2002). Some investigators have found that religiousness helps individuals cope better when they have a chronic ailment or disease. This led to burgeoning emphasis on alternative medical treatments, some rooted in religious traditions. Thus, although the best evidence suggests a beneficial effect of religiousness on health, there is room for further investigation of this topic and for healthy skepticism about how strong this effect may be. Special issue of the APA journal Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Vol. A vast literature suggests that people who are more deeply involved in religion tend to enjoy better physical and mental health. James W. Jones 1 Journal of Religion and Health volume 43, pages 317 – 328 (2004)Cite this article. Spirituality is similarly used to describe the individual, rather than the group, experience, and to some authors it is synonymous with religiousness. Journal home; Volumes and issues; Search within journal. Religion, Health, and the Psychology of Religion: How the Research on Religion and Health Helps Us Understand Religion. Log in. In the 1960s and 1970s the interest in the psychology of religion grew as the humanistic approach made leeway over behaviorism. "Religion … Spirituality has been ascribed many different definitions in different contexts, but a general definition is: an individual's search for meaning and purpose in life. Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) is a new term, coined by Marlene Winell to name a recognizable set of symptoms experienced as a result of prolonged exposure to a toxic religious environment and/or the trauma of leaving the religion. Finally, interest in spirituality may be the result of other factors in modern society such as a sense of social disconnection or alienation, lack of formative religious experiences during youth for many adults, and the fact that life expectancy is longer and therefore people live with chronic diseases for significant lengths of time. These behaviors have known health effects. Again, progressive multivariate adjustments were done for age, gender, demographics, health status, physical functioning, health habits, social functioning and support, and psychological state., religious attendance did protect against mortality and the level of protectiveness grew when social support was involved, as well, showing a complementary trend between the two variables. The psychology of religion attempts to predict consequences of religious belief. Though the relation between religious or spiritual dimensions of life and health has been a significant concern, it was not until the 20th century that notable scientific evidence addressed this topic. Harold Koenig, Michael McCullough, and David Larson’s Handbook of Religion and Health is among the best sources for summary data on research on religion and mental health. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, 14—21. He was the 2009 Margaret Gorman early career award winner from the American Psychological Association. (1997). Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, 3-13. The familiarity and ritual of religious services may also provide a source of support or comfort to individuals who engage in religious activity. Volumes and issues. The authors examine the positive and negative effects of religion on health throughout the life span, from childhood to old age. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) presents a social psychological account of the early development of Christianity. First, one way that religion affects health is by enforcing adherence to certain behavioral patterns based on religious beliefs. Many, however, distinguish spirituality from religiousness on the basis of whether a societal institution (e.g., a church) is involved. Religiousness is the term used to convey an individual s personal experience of his or her religion. Some of the studies of religiousness have similarly produced insubstantial findings. We described how Hindu system of beliefs and rituals may have an … Hood has also been editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion and is currently coeditor of Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion. It is well known that these negative emotional states influence health in a detrimental manner. These ceremonies carry with them meaning regarding purpose in life and even comfort in the afterlife. Religion and health: Is there an association, is it valid, and is it causal? For example, some Christians believed that good health was the result of proper Christian living and poor health was a punishment for sin. Several have been proposed. In fact, the number of scientific studies devoted to religion/spirituality and its relation to health remained at a relatively low annual level until the mid-1990s. It is not easy to remove the religious and negative habits of worship without looking at an individual's personal background. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality ® publishes peer-reviewed, original articles related to the psychological aspects of religion and spirituality. An increasing replication of studies find a correlation between religious belief and practice and mental and physical health and longevity. Rockville, MD: National Institute for Healthcare Research. Most of the research between religion and health is _____. What is religion related to? The Relationship between Spirituality and Health. 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. Spirituality, from this perspective, has more to do with the individuals experience of the important subjective features of life (such as meaning and purpose, hope, and compassion for others) apart from a religious context. For example, many religious groups teach abstinence or moderation of alcohol use, abstinence from tobacco, or consumption of a vegetarian diet. Social Science and Medicine, 38, 1475-1484. Special Section: Religion and Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In other words, psychology of religion studies the manifest human behaviours connected with religion and religious beliefs. Book. These studies involve having patients with a given health condition being prayed for by other people. Religion, Health, and the Psychology of Religion: How the Research on Religion and Health Helps Us Understand Religion JAMES W. JONES ABSTRACT: An increasing replication of studies find a correlation between religious belief and practice and mental and physical health and longevity. This research addresses the perceived importance of 18 facets (dimensions) of SRPB, for example, inner peace, to QoL that are not specific to a religion, but address the experience of having this belief, in relation to health. Thus, although for some specific diseases there are few published scientific investigations, overall there is a large collection of research that, when viewed together, supports the conclusion that religiousness is related to good health. This may be observable in a scientific study, yet have no beneficial effect for the persons health. First, one way that religion affects health is by enforcing adherence to certain behavioral patterns based on religious beliefs. Dan Merkur in his “Psychology of Religion” in The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion (ed. These aspects will hopefully be better defined as the research proceeds further. An increasing replication of studies find a correlation between religious belief and practice and mental and physical health and longevity. In other words, psychology of religion studies the manifest human behaviours connected with religion and religious beliefs. Spirituality and health: What’s the evidence and what’s needed? Health Psychology, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals – Best Diet Books, Tasty Latest and Greatest: Everything You Want to Cook Right Now (An Official Tasty Cookbook) – Best Diet Books, Thug Kitchen 101: Fast as F*ck (Thug Kitchen Cookbooks) – Best Diet Books, Bobby Flay Fit: 200 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle – Best Diet Books, What the F*@# Should I Make for Dinner? Stress How Religion and Spirituality Affect Stress and Health An interview with Dr. Neal Krause on stress, faith, and religion. Nevertheless, it is important for scientific investigators to carefully define what they are examining. 10, No. [54] Haber, Jacob and Spangl… One could question whether a weak finding, though observed with the use of precise scientific instruments and statistical analyses, is of practical meaningfulness. From a research perspective, studies of intercessory prayer have been cited to potentially support this position. McCullough, M. E., Hoyt, W. T., Larson, D. B., Koenig, H. G., & Thoresen, Carl. Religion and Health Disclaimers: 1. These behaviors have known health effects. Volume 59 February - December 2020. First, one way that religion affects health is by enforcing adherence to certain behavioral patterns based on religious beliefs. Posted Feb 13, 2020 Religion and Health. Consequently, what follows is best described as a review pertaining to religiousness and health. What does the relationship between religion and health depend on? 555 Accesses. This carries with it the important implication that two individuals may be members of the same religious organization, yet have a very different religiousness. Based on their research, psychologists might anticipate that a particular belief will cause those who believe it to respond in a certain way. The articles highlight starting points and paths for continued growth in developing methodologies and theories that will allow atheists and the nonreligious to be understood apart from, yet compared with, their religious counterparts. This blog is presently being used to conduct research on certain aspects of Religion and Health. Kenneth Pargament is a professor emeritus of psychology at Bowling Green State University. Religion can serve as a source of comfort and strength when people are under stress. Sloan, R. P. & Bagiella, E. (2002). Freud, S. The future of an illusion; Civilization and its discontents and other works 1961 - Hogarth Press - London. New York: Haworth. He has written two books: “The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice” (1997) … Although religion in particular was thought, in the past, to have a predominantly negative influence on health, recent research suggests this relationship is more complex. 24 Citations. He is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Social and Personality Psychological Science, the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Frontiers in Cultural Psychology, and Religion, Brain, and Behavior. Thus, it is possible, indeed likely, that these results will not stand the test of time nor be consistently found when the studies are repeated. Tools for the assessment of patients' spiritual needs have been studied, and incorporation of spiritual themes into treatment has shown some promise. Pargament, K. I. Am J Psychiatry 1981; 146: 67 – 72.Google Scholar. Peter C. Hill, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Biola University’s Rosemead School of Psychology in La Mirada, California. (There is a promising psychological literature on religious fundamentalism and the separate phenomenon of religious violence, but it is largely American; see, for instance Ginges et al., 2009; Hood et al., 2005; Jones, 2008). International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 14(2), pp.91-108. Why people are religious, according to a psychology expert. Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine - August 2007 Religion and health have always been, and continue to be, important aspects of human existence. Psychology barely features among the funded projects, perhaps because psychology of religion has such a low public profile in Britain. (2000). In 2000, the American Psychological Association (APA) prominently featured works on integrating religion/spirituality and psychology in its publications catalogue and, later that same year, Ellis himself published an article admitting that even conservative religion can have positive mental health influences. The Psychology of Virtue. The 1990s saw continuing research on religion-related topics, as well as impressive meta-analytic reviews of the area supporting a positive view of religion. There are a number of studies that report such differences. It is akin to Complex PTSD, which is defined as ‘a psychological injury that results from protracted exposure to prolonged social and/or interpersonal … Finally, some religious persons believe that their health benefits from direct intervention from God or a supernatural power. Religious groups and their customs, beliefs, behaviors, and health became a focus of increased study as a result of this renewed emphasis on the diversity of human societies. An increased interest in the effects of religion and spirituality on health is apparent in the psychological and medical literature. Religions provide answers to many of life’s biggest questions, such as why am I here, where am I going, what will happen to me when I die, how should I treat other people, and does my life really have meaning? This paper discusses some of the impli However, modern psychology recognizes that religion can play an important role in an individual's life and experiences and can even improve health and well-being. In addition, whereas many of the studies produced results suggesting that religiousness is related to better health, the strength of this finding was often weak. The role of religion and spirituality in mental health The psychology of religion and coping. Based on their findings, they build theoretical models illustrating the behavioral, psychological, social, and physiological pathways through which religion may influence health. • Adler, A., & Jahn, E., Religion and Psychology, Frankfurt, 1933. This amount and quality of social support are related to better health because it alleviates stress, provides for coping resources, and in some cases helps meet important material and physical needs. The research investigating the influences of spirituality and various Eastern religious practices, such as yoga or various types of meditation, is extensive (Seeman, Fagan-Dubin & Seeman, 2003). 2. This paper discusses some of the implications of this research for the ways in which religion might understood psychologically. Several have been proposed. To the extent that religions provide comforting answers to these questions, they may help individuals live lives that are relatively free of depression, anxiety, and worry. PLAY. Some specific findings from particular studies indicate that religious involvement is related to lower rates of many diseases including heart disease and heart attacks, high blood pressure, emphysema, cirrhosis of the liver, lung cancer, and suicide. Journal of Religion and Health. Thoresen, C. E. (1999). For example, many religious groups teach abstinence or moderation of alcohol use, abstinence from tobacco, or consumption of a vegetarian … Most interpretations of this data focus on the presence of one or more mediating variables. The psychology of religion tries to study religion so far as it can be explained psychologically. In fact, studies have shown that religion can help people develop healthy habits, regulate their behaviors, and understand their emotions—all factors that can affect your health. John T Hinnels) notes that some devotees of religion are not terribly pleased about such attempts as it seems to reduce religion to psychology. Religion and spirituality have the ability to promote or damage mental health. Since then the topic has gained significant attention from scientists in many different fields including psychology, sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, medicine, nursing, and public health. Another way that religiousness may affect health is through social support. The belief systems found in religious codes may provide a buffer for these challenging and potentially stressful aspects of human existence. In the best of these studies from a scientific point of view, neither the patient nor the patient’s doctor knows that the patient is being prayed for. Abstract. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) presents a social psychological account of the early development of Christianity. Research on spirituality is underway and more will be known in the near future. The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research and Practice. Religion and spirituality have distinct but complementary influences on health, new research indicates. Dr. Pargament is Editor-in-Chief of the 2013 two-volume APA Handbook of Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. This paper discusses some of the impli- If religiousness has a beneficial influence on health, how does it achieve this effect? Spirituality is distinct from organized religion in that spirituality does not necessarily need a religious framework. First, Western society became more interested in multicultural understanding of human behavior and 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. This paper discusses some of the implications of this research for the ways in which religion might understood psychologically. For instance, people who believe that the end of the world is imminent might be more likely to withdraw from society. He is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Social and Personality Psychological Science, the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Frontiers in Cultural Psychology, and Religion, Brain, and Behavior. Guest Editors: Curtis W. Hart and Harold G. Koenig; Additional Original Papers . As well as the traditional focus on mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Professor Loewenthal also reviews the recent literature on the positive psychology of religion and happiness. The predictability of the services along with their comforting message is likely to reduce distress for some. Kenneth I. Pargament, PhD, is a leading expert in the psychology of religion and spirituality. Every religion with their belief system has implications on mental health and illness. Religious involvement and mortality: A meta-analytic review. Argyle & Beit-Hallahmi, 1997; Paloutzian, 1996), books on religion and mental health (e.g. Veronica Argyle & Beit-Hallahmi, 1997; Paloutzian, 1996), books on religion and mental health (e.g. Concepts of health and illness in human society originated from traditional religious views about life and death. Psychologists consider that there are various ways in which religion may benefit both physical and mental health, including encouraging healthy lifestyles, providing social support networks and encouraging an optimistic outlook on life; prayer and meditation may also help to benefit physiological functioning. Consequently, these studies were not designed to rule out other possible causes for their findings. Although the terms are commonly used, their precise definitions are elusive. Most interpretations of this data focus on the presence of one or more mediating variables. 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