"Mental Health, Religion & Culture"

Dhawan, Divya; Mathur, Anurakti

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1718067pmid: N/A

The present study shows the relationship between mindfulness, thought suppression and mental fatigue overall and in practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism in adult participants. The sample included 150 adult participants (75 Buddhism practising respondents and 75 Buddhism non-practising respondents). The assessment of responses to three self-rating scales namely Mental Fatigue Scale, White Bear Suppression Inventory and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between thought suppression and mental fatigue and a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and thought suppression and a negative correlation between mindfulness and mental fatigue. In the case of mindfulness and mental fatigue, there was no significant difference between the two groups. However, for thought suppression, there was a significant difference between practitioners of Buddhism and non-Buddhism respondents.

Grey, Ian; Tohme, Pia; Thomas, Justin; Al Mazrouie, Mariam; Abi-Habib, Rudy

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1795823pmid: N/A

Therapeutic alliance and psychotherapeutic outcomes can be influenced by therapist characteristics. While research has explored preferred therapist characteristics in Western secular contexts, few studies have examined this question among Muslim populations in the Arab world. This study explores Arab, Muslim women's expressed preferences concerning therapist characteristics. Two hundred and twenty college women attending a tertiary educational institution in the United Arab Emirates were presented with a list of twenty-two therapist characteristics derived from previous research and included attributes such as empathy, compassion and honesty. Participants performed a discrete choice task, expressing a preference for either male or female therapists, and for therapists of the same (Emirati) or different nationality. The most frequently endorsed characteristic among the present population was confidentiality. Implications are discussed with reference to psychotherapy practice with Muslim clients in the UAE and the need for an empirical approach to the identification of preferred therapist characteristics.

Knabb, Joshua; Pate, Robert; Sullivan, Sean; Salley, Erik; Miller, Amy; Boyer, William

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1819221pmid: N/A

In the current study, the authors developed and pilot tested a manualized four-week program for Christian adults with daily stress, combining Christian meditation with light-to-moderate physical activity among a community sample of churchgoers (N = 8). Although Eastern-influenced mindful walking and yoga practices are quite popular in the contemporary psychology literature as interventions for a wide variety of psychological problems, we wanted to offer a Christian-sensitive alternative for Christian adults to draw from their own faith tradition to impact psychological change. Over a four-week period of time, Christian participants were instructed to meditate on a short passage in Scripture as they engaged in a daily 30-minute movement and walking activity. On all four outcome variables, pilot results revealed that 75% of participants reported score changes in the hypothesized direction. To conclude, study limitations are reviewed, as are directions for future research.

Pace, Adam C.; McGuire, J. Michael

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1823348pmid: N/A

This study seeks to confirm and expand on a previous study which found a greater self-stigma of depression among Christians as compared with the general population. An electronic survey was distributed that included demographic information questions, the Self-Stigma of Depression Scale (SSDS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The primary endpoint was mean SSDS score in evangelical Christians versus other Christians and the general population. Exploratory secondary endpoints were compared SSDS scores based on several religious variables. A sample of 1000 individuals representative of the US population was collected. There was no significant difference in mean SSDS score between those holding evangelical beliefs and other respondents, consisting of both non-evangelical Christians and non-Christians. While evangelical Christians in this sample did not show higher overall self-stigma scores on average, increased frequency of many Christian religious practices was associated with higher SSDS subscale scores.

van der Tempel, Jan; Moodley, Roy

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1823349pmid: N/A

In religious individuals, spontaneous mystical experiences (SMEs) tend to reinforce pre-existing beliefs and are associated with enhanced wellbeing, mediated by adaptive interpretive frameworks and accepting social environments. The meaning-making and outcomes of SMEs among atheists have not been investigated to date. Using a grounded theory approach, the present study found that the SMEs of eight male and female atheists of diverse backgrounds resembled those of religious experiencers in phenomenal content, but differed with respect to appraisal, coping, and outcome. Challenges in reconciling the SME with secular views and values were common and linked to varying degrees and durations of psychological distress, especially in relation to negative reactions from the social environment. No participant embraced organised religion, but most adopted more agnostic or spiritual worldviews, and ultimately associated their SMEs with enhanced wellbeing in various domains. However, participants who reported persisting doubt and preoccupation about their SMEs experienced deteriorating mental health.

Maddock, Alan; Hevey, David; D’Alton, Paul; Kirby, Brian

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1823950pmid: N/A

Coping with a chronic illness such as psoriasis can be very stressful experience for patients. A psoriasis patient’s cognitive appraisal of their condition, definition of adaptive tasks, and selection of coping skills are influenced by the person, by aspects of the transition or crisis, and by their environment. Mindfulness-based interventions are theorised to have the capacity to enhance these factors and the mental health and wellbeing of patients with various physical and mental health issues. The change process involved with mindfulness is a complex one, and it remains unclear what the mechanisms of change are. In order to explore the potential mechanisms of mindfulness and styles of coping, which may explain changes in physical and mental health outcomes of psoriasis patients, semi-structured qualitative interview data was collected from 10 psoriasis patients who had attended at least seven of the eight weeks of a Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy intervention (MBCT). This study found that through MBCT group participation, this group of psoriasis patients was able to develop enhanced approach oriented coping skills. The development of these skills reduced the extent to which participants engaged in negative thinking, and also led to improved physical and mental health. This study gives support to the promising potential of MBCT as an effective intervention to improve psoriasis patient physical and mental health. This study also provides support the usefulness of a clinically modified Buddhist psychological model as an aid to understanding how these improvements might be achieved, with the relative importance of individual approach oriented mechanisms of action being different for different people.

Ekwonye, Angela U.; Sheikhomar, Nastehakeyf; Phung, Vy

doi: 10.1080/13674676.2020.1823951pmid: N/A

Academic stress causes anxiety, distress, and fear, which are detrimental to students’ psychological well-being. Studies on the kinds of spiritual practices that could help college students manage academic-related stressors are limited. This study examined if and how spirituality helps college students deal with academic stress. A sample of twenty-five students responded to open-ended semi-structured interview questions. Results showed that most of the students engage in spiritual coping practices to manage their educational struggles. Spirituality is an excellent psychological resource for managing academic-related stressors, and it plays a significant role in shaping students’ identity, values, and life purpose.