Mobilizing Meaning: Religion and Spirituality Among Future Generations.

Religion and spirituality have long been known to impact both physical and mental health. Considering religion and spirituality as possible additions to social determinants of health, this article examines the current state of religion and spirituality in the United States and also discusses the ways in which they can contribute to the mental health of children and adolescents. Further, this article also discusses new approaches within religion and spirituality to address the changing needs of future generations.

When income meets faith: the development and application of the Chinese generation Z unconventional religious orientation scale.

This study seeks to analyze the psychological construction of Unconventional Religious Orientations and their association with individual income level satisfaction within Generation Z. Generation Z, individuals born between 1995 and 2010, grew up in a socio-cultural context marked by digitization and globalization. This study identifies three key dimensions of Unconventional Religious Orientations: religious spiritual dependence, religious instrumental tendencies, and religious uniqueness identity. By combining rootedness theory, semi-structured interviews, and literature review, we constructed and refined a set of relevant scales. Using exploratory and validation factor analyses (EFA and CFA), we verified the structural validity of the scale. The results of the analyses revealed significant negative correlations between satisfaction with income level and all dimensions of Unconventional Religious Orientation for Generation Z, suggesting that Unconventional Religious Orientation tends to diminish as income satisfaction increases. In addition, the significant positive correlations between these dimensions of religious inclination imply that they may share certain underlying factors in their psychological structure. This study not only successfully developed a set of psychometric instruments for Unconventional Religious Orientations, but also provided a new psychological perspective for understanding the dynamic interaction between economic satisfaction and religious psychological attitudes in Generation Z.

Practice and Praxis: Psychoanalysis as an Act of Love.

The concept of praxis in psychoanalysis includes the way clinical practice embodies the values on which psychoanalysis is founded. As psychoanalysis evolved from a medical treatment to a process of open-ended psychic development, its underlying values evolved as well. Free-floating attention has many facets, shown in the variety of names given to it. From being a means to an end clinically, it became an implicit statement about the human value of the person being attended to. Clinical vignettes, contributions from philosophers, and examples from literature converge around the idea that the unreserved openness of free-floating attention amounts to an act of love. It is underpinned by the values, which are also virtues, of hope, and faith in the possibility of good; it can also be seen, in non-religious terms, as a form of prayer.

Association between Religiousness and Quality of Life among Patients in Brazil diagnosed with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease.

The importance of religiousness in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) has been the subject of conflicting research. The impact of religiousness on quality of life and depressive symptoms has also been poorly studied in this population. This study investigated the correlation between religiousness and quality of life in patients with IPD. We evaluated 37 patients with IPD (according to the criteria of the Movement Disorders Society) who were from an outpatient clinic specializing in movement disorders in Brazil. We assessed the patients using the Duke University Religion Index and scales for motor impairment, cognition, quality of life, and depression. Spearman's test was used to check for possible correlations between the different dimensions of religiousness and the clinical variables analyzed. Patients with a worse quality of life and more depressive symptoms showed greater intrinsic religiousness.

The Development and Implementation of a Custom-Tailored Suicide Response Training for Muslim Communities.

Research indicates that the suicide attempt rate among American Muslims is at least twice the rate of the national US average and follows a different trend of suicide behavior compared to other groups. Religious leaders, such as Imams, are commonly sought out for support, but many lack training in mental health crisis management. The Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab created the Muslim Community Suicide Response Manual and its accompanying training modules to address this issue. This paper describes the creation, evolution, and future directions of the Suicide Response Training from an Islamic perspective to reduce suicide risk in Muslim communities.

The development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior: Protocol for Wave 1 data collection with children and parents by the Developing Belief Network.

The Developing Belief Network is a consortium of researchers studying human development in diverse social-cultural settings, with a focus on the interplay between general cognitive development and culturally specific processes of socialization and cultural transmission in early and middle childhood. The current manuscript describes the study protocol for the network's first wave of data collection, which aims to explore the development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior. This work is guided by three key research questions: (1) How do children represent and reason about religious and supernatural agents? (2) How do children represent and reason about religion as an aspect of social identity? (3) How are religious and supernatural beliefs transmitted within and between generations? The protocol is designed to address these questions via a set of nine tasks for children between the ages of 4 and 10 years, a comprehensive survey completed by their parents/caregivers, and a task designed to elicit conversations between children and caregivers. This study is being conducted in 39 distinct cultural-religious groups (to date), spanning 17 countries and 13 languages. In this manuscript, we provide detailed descriptions of all elements of this study protocol, give a brief overview of the ways in which this protocol has been adapted for use in diverse religious communities, and present the final, English-language study materials for 6 of the 39 cultural-religious groups who are currently being recruited for this study: Protestant Americans, Catholic Americans, American members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans, and religiously unaffiliated Americans.

Exploring Women's Religious Coping Strategies and Psychological Impact After the 2023 Earthquake in Syria.

This paper examined gender (N = 1406;77.7% women) patterns of religious coping and psychological impact following the devastating 2023 Syrian earthquakes. Measures in this nation-wide convenience sample study included positive religious coping (PRC) and negative religious coping (NRC) using the Brief Religious Coping Scale (RCOPE), and probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety, using the PCL-5, PHQ-9, and GAD-7, respectively. Women reported higher endorsement of PRC items while men higher endorsement of NRC items. Within the women only sample, lower education and lower income, education and younger age predicted PRC and NRC, respectively. NRC was strongly positively associated with PTSD, depression and anxiety; while, PRC was positively associated only with PTSD. These vulnerable women require targeted support to adopt more adaptive religious coping strategies.

Bible Overclaiming and Intimate Partner Violence.

Religion has had a mixed impact on society, with some followers engaging in violent behavior. It remains unclear why some followers perpetrate violence and others are peaceful. We argue that religious overclaiming is one facet of religion to be considered when trying to understand the relationship between religion and violence. Across two studies (N = 551), we tested the hypothesis that a higher tendency to overclaim knowledge of the Christian Bible would be associated with higher perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). We also tested the hypotheses that men who overclaim would be most likely to engage in the perpetration of IPV, and that higher religiosity would attenuate the effects of religious overclaiming. In both studies, participants completed a measure of religious overclaiming, reported on their perpetration of IPV, and reported their religiosity. Our findings across both studies indicated that Bible overclaiming was associated with greater perpetration of IPV. Further, Study 1 found that those high in Bible overclaiming (especially men) engaged in the most perpetration of IPV. However, this gender-based finding did not replicate in Study 2. Both studies found that religiosity was unassociated with the perpetration of IPV. Our results provide evidence that Bible overclaiming is related to the perpetration of IPV. Specifically, individuals who claim to know religious concepts that do not exist are associated with a higher risk for IPV.

Religion and Suicide in Black Emerging Adults: Examining Pathways Through Hope and Meaning in Life.

While suicide persists as a leading cause of death for Black emerging adults in the U.S., few studies identify specific positive psychological mechanisms that can be leveraged to reduce future risk. The current study, therefore, explores whether religion is related to suicidal ideation via hope and meaning in life among a sample of n = 375 Black emerging adults ages 18-25-years-old (M = 20.79, SD = 2.22). Structural equation modeling techniques were used to measure direct and indirect associations. Primary results indicate that non-organizational religiosity (e.g., reading religious texts, listening to religious music, prayer) was positively associated with hope, presence of meaning in life, and search for meaning in life. Presence of meaning in life was the strongest contributor to decreased suicidal ideation. Further, non-organizational religiosity was indirectly associated with less suicidal ideation via hope and presence of meaning in life. Personal forms of religious involvement, and not service attendance, appear to be the most salient aspects of religion to consider when exploring pathways between religion and suicidality during this particular developmental stage.

Integration as the goal of indigenization: The cross-cultural psychology of Durganand Sinha.

Durganand Sinha (1922-1998) was an important Indian cross-cultural psychologist whose research spanned half a century. In commemoration of Sinha's passing 25 years ago, I explore in this essay his vision of the integration of Hindu religious psychology and Western scientific psychology. In the first part of the discussion, I consider a brief history of the interaction between Indian cultures and Western scientific psychology. In the second part, I next consider the proposal of Sinha that outlines various approaches that researchers might take with respect to the indigenization of scientific psychology. In the third part, I consider Sinha's discussion of integration as the expected outcome of the process of indigenization. Sinha indicates that when a researcher establishes a successful integrated cultural research paradigm in this way, it can serve as a framework for future researchers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring Religion as a Path to Meaning: The Role of "Pastrotherapy" in Supporting Young People's Quest for a Good Life in Nigeria.

This paper examines suicide prevalence among Nigerian youth struggling to find meaning in life. Frustrated by unattainable ideals, they experience despair. The study explores religion's role in providing support for meaning-seeking individuals. Utilizing an explorative approach, the paper highlights how religion can play a role in offering solidarity, morality, and hope as vital resources for creating a meaningful life. It introduces "Pastrotherapy" as a pastoral care approach to addressing existential questions. Findings emphasize the importance of religious communities and leaders in promoting resilience and addressing underlying causes of despair. This study reveals how religious beliefs and practices support Nigerian youth facing existential challenges, shedding light on the intersection of religion, meaning-making, and mental health.

Experiences of Awe and Gratitude and Related Triggers Among Religious Brothers and Sisters: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in Germany.

A cross-sectional survey among religious brothers and sisters (n = 250) with their specific lifestyle and related spiritual practices stated moments of awe perceptions. They responded to both the Awe/Gratitude scale and to free text fields to substantiate their quantitative responses. Qualitative content analysis of their free text responses resulted in six main categories of awe triggers: (1) Nature, (2) Special Moments, (3) Transcendence Perceptions, (4) Religious practices, (5) Distinct People, and (6) Aesthetics, Art and Culture. Awe perceptions can be an immediate feeling and the outcome of a process of reflection in response to admiration, inspiration, and elevation. As these perceptions are related to psychological well-being and prosocial behaviors, their training can generate positive effects on quality of life.

Schizophrenia or Possession? A Rejoinder to Irmak.

In this rejoinder, I comment on Irmak's 2014 article titled "Schizophrenia or Possession?" published in the Journal of Religion and Health  (Irmak, 2014; JORH 53(3):773-777. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9673-y ). After providing a brief overview of the article and two commentaries on it, I examine the role that demonic possession may or may not play in the development and course of schizophrenia. While keeping an open mind to the possibility of evil influences on the course of illness in those with or without psychosis, I emphasize that schizophrenia is a neurobiological illness that requires compassionate care and expert psychobiological treatment.

Religious Coping and Mental Adjustment to Cancer Among Polish Adolescents.

Adults suffering from chronic illnesses are more likely to look to God for support (positive religious coping; PRC) than to fight against God (negative religious coping; NRC). What about when cancer occurs during adolescence-a period of questioning the worldview and values, and at the same time searching for the sacred? Our study aimed to establish the relationships between PRC, NRC, and mental adjustment to cancer among youth and determine support's role in these relationships. The study was conducted in Poland and included 88 adolescent cancer patients who completed the Brief RCOPE and the Mini-MAC. Additionally, general well-being and support were assessed. We found that PRC was positively related to constructive adjustment style (CAS), whereas NCR was related to destructive adjustment style (DAS). Adolescents with cancer were higher in PRC than in NRC and were higher in CAS than in DAS. In young women, CAS was higher than in men. Finally, at a level of received support rated as very high, PRC promoted fighting spirit and well-being.

The Relationship Between Religious Attitude, Compassion and Spiritual Care in Nursing Students: The Case of Türkiye.

In the present descriptive study, we aimed to examine the relationship between the levels of religious attitude, compassion and spiritual care perception among nursing students. Data were obtained from 135 nursing students using the Socio-Demographic Diagnosis Form, the Ok-Religious Attitude Scale, the Compassion Scale, and the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, the Spearman correlation test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. A positive correlation was found between the scores of the Ok-religious attitude scale and cognition sub-dimension, emotion sub-dimension, behavior sub-dimension, god sub-dimension and compassion scale and spiritual care-giving scale scores. Furthermore, we observed that some socio-demographic, and nursing profession and spiritual care characteristics of the students affected their religious attitudes, compassion and spiritual care perception. The sub-dimension scores of compassion and awareness of sharing among female students and the mindfulness scores of students with nuclear families were high. Our data suggest that the course contents for spiritual care, which is an integral part of holistic nursing care, should be included in the nursing curriculum. Moreover, we recommend that efforts be made to maintain a high level of compassion while considering the socio-demographics of the students and their opinions on the nursing profession. Finally, the data presented here has the potential to serve as a valuable resource for the development of novel approaches to the provision of spiritual care within nursing education programs.

Afectación de la espiritualidad en el proceso de recuperación de personas con diagnóstico dual / The effect of the spirituality in the recovery process of people with dual diagnosis

Objetivos: medir el impacto de la participación en actividades espirituales en el proceso de recuperación de patología dual. Métodos: estudio observacional descriptivo con metodología mixta realizado con una muestra de 20 usuarios hombre, tratados en régimen interno en la Comunidad Terapéutica (CT): Ayuda a la Recuperación de Politoxicómanos de Málaga (ARPOM), en Málaga, España. La espiritualidad se ha medido según el Cuestionario de Espiritualidad de Parsian y Dunning validado al español; y el proceso de recuperación, a través de grupo focal. Resultados: la puntuación media de la espiritualidad ha sido de 2,9 en un rango de 0-4, donde 4 se corresponde a “totalmente de acuerdo” en base a afirmaciones realizadas sobre la espiritualidad. Los grupos focales mostraron que los usuarios en su mayoría asocian la espiritualidad a la religión, y no a la ética y moral; y que su deseo en el proceso de recuperación es implementar la realización de actividades espirituales en su tratamiento. Conclusiones: la realización de actividades espirituales influencia positivamente el proceso de recuperación de los usuarios con patología dual.(AU)

Objective: To assess the influence of participation in spiritual activities on the recovery process of individuals with dual pathology. Methods: A descriptive observational study with a sample of 20 users treated internally in the Therapeutic Community: Ayuda a la Recuperación de Politoxicómanos de Málaga, in Málaga, Spain. Spirituality was assessed using the Parsian and Dunning Spirituality Questionnaire, which has been validated in Spanish, and the recovery process was examined through focus groups. Results: The mean spirituality score was 2.9 on a scale of 0-4, where 4 corresponds to "totally agree," based on statements about spirituality. The focus groups showed that users mostly associate spirituality with religion, not with ethics and morality, and that users in the recovery process desire to implement spiritual activities in their treatment. Conclusions: Performing spiritual activities positively impacts the recovery process of users with dual pathology.(AU)

Reincarnation Beliefs and Suicidality: Social, Individual and Theological Factors.

Among African tribes, Inuit, the Druze, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, a diversity of attitudes toward suicide exists. The meaning of suicide appears to be largely a reflection of the impact of the death on friends, family, and the broader community; the circumstances of the individual within their community; and the specific religious implications of suicide. The interpersonal impact is seen as consisting of the material impact of suicide; the spiritual and emotional burden endured by the community; and norms related to suicide. Individual factors include the degree of social integration; the social impact of suicide before death; and how the individual anticipates suicide affecting their afterlife. Taken together, the commonly repeated notion that reincarnation beliefs lend themselves to suicidal behavior finds little support, and instead it appears that social and pragmatic issues shape the meaning and interpretation of religious beliefs which in turn buffer or facilitate suicidal behavior.

Mental health at religious and non-religious universities: Examining the role of student religiousness and sexual/gender minority identity.

BACKGROUND: Religiousness is often related to positive mental health for university students. Yet this may not hold for sexual and gender minority (SGM) students at religious universities. Some studies find religiousness protective for SGM students, some find no relationship, and some find religiousness a risk. METHODS: Using the Healthy Minds data (n = 135,344) student mental health (suicide ideation and anxiety) was compared across religious universities (Catholic, evangelical, and "Other Christian") and nonreligious universities, examining moderation by student religiousness and SGM identity. RESULTS: Overall, there were no anxiety or ideation differences across religious and nonreligious universities except that students at "Other Christian" universities had slightly higher ideation than those at nonreligious universities. However, moderation analysis found SGMs at nonreligious universities at higher risk for anxiety compared to those at "Other Christian" universities. Student religious importance predicted lower ideation and anxiety across universities: though students for whom religion was unimportant were at greater risk for anxiety at nonreligious versus Catholic universities. Compared to SGMs at nonreligious universities, SGMs at evangelical universities who did not participate in extracurricular religious activities were at risk for ideation, but risk was low for SGMs who did participate. LIMITATIONS: Data were cross-sectional. Analyses were unable to control for whether students dropped out of a university. CONCLUSIONS: There were few overall differences between religious and nonreligious universities. Though moderation found attending a religious university either a protective or risk factor for some groups. The relations between being SGM and mental health should be considered concert with religiousness.