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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Religion And Spirituality And Acculturation Stress Among International Students In The Western Massachusetts, Mun Ying Kennis Cheng
An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Religion And Spirituality And Acculturation Stress Among International Students In The Western Massachusetts, Mun Ying Kennis Cheng
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This quantitative study examined the relationship between religion and spirituality and acculturative stress among international students (n=38) in two colleges in Western Massachusetts. This study utilized three well-validated tools to measure acculturative stress for international students, religion and spirituality, and intrinsic religious motivation to test the hypothesis that religion and spirituality can help international students lessen their acculturative stress. The findings suggested no significant correlation between the variables, possibly due to a small sample size. The results showed that over 55% of students had some type of religious affiliation, and over 63% indicated they either attended churches or practiced meditation …
The Role Of Spirituality In The Reconstruction Of Identity In Older Women, Elin Hardenberg
The Role Of Spirituality In The Reconstruction Of Identity In Older Women, Elin Hardenberg
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study examines whether spirituality plays a role in how older women integrate changes in their identity as they age. The research questions guiding this study are: 1) how do women navigate changes in identity in older adulthood; and 2) what role does spirituality play in the reconstruction of a woman’s identity in older adulthood? Erikson’s stages of development are used as a framework for understanding where participants are in their developmental process. The study was conducted by interviewing six women between the ages of seventy and ninety who self-identified as having an opinion about their relationship to spirituality. It …
The Construction Of Religion In Social Work Education, Michael Waldon
The Construction Of Religion In Social Work Education, Michael Waldon
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This social work master's thesis used a qualitative study design involving non-random sampling of syllabi at accredited master's level social work programs around the United States in order to address the question, "How is religion constructed in social work education?" Materials addressing religion were extracted from syllabi used in first year required practice classes at 15 schools in five different geographic regions around the country. The texts were then analyzed using the techniques of discourse analysis (Carbó, Ahumada, Caballero, & Argüelles, 2016), an approach that considers the active function of language, tending to structure our thinking about abstract concepts and …
Smith College School For Social Work Graduate Students' Attitudes, Behaviors, And Experiences Concerning Religion And Spirituality In Social Work Practice And Social Work Education, Candice Light
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This study explored Smith School for Social Work students' overall attitudes towards the role of religion and spirituality in social work practice. The study examined the extent to which content of religion and spirituality have been included in students' education as well as how satisfied and prepared students feel in addressing these issues in practice. Lastly, this study explored students' attitudes, behaviors, and experiences concerning alternative conceptions of religious and spiritual factors in their understanding of mental illness. Fifty-nine students from the graduating classes of 2014-2016 who had clinical experience were recruited through social media to complete an online survey. …
Client Perceptions On The Therapeutic Quality Of Care When Disclosing Spiritual And Religious Beliefs : A Mixed Methods Study, Maia Nikitovich
Client Perceptions On The Therapeutic Quality Of Care When Disclosing Spiritual And Religious Beliefs : A Mixed Methods Study, Maia Nikitovich
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The spiritual and religious life of clients is an important clinical factor in therapy; it holds significant meaning and may support therapeutic outcome. This study explored client perceptions of the quality of care they received in therapy when disclosing their spiritual/religious life to their therapists as well as the factors that might contribute to their perceptions of care and disclosure. A total of 75 respondents participated in an online survey tool composed of quantitative and qualitative questions. Qualitative responses were coded and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings showed that most clients (73%) shared some or all of their …
What's Faith Got To Do With It : Clinicians' Experiences Of Addressing Issues Of Religion And Spirituality In Therapy, Lauren Raymond
What's Faith Got To Do With It : Clinicians' Experiences Of Addressing Issues Of Religion And Spirituality In Therapy, Lauren Raymond
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This exploratory, mixed-methods study was conducted to investigate the experiences of clinicians who have both been in personal therapy and practice with clients, to consider the nature of addressing issues pertaining to religion and spirituality, both in the role of client and as clinician. The study sought to explore whether there was any evident correlation between clinicians' experiences in therapy or one's personal spiritual affiliation, or lack thereof, and if and how they approached the discussion of these topics with clients. The research was carried out via an online survey that was distributed to practicing clinicians via direct as well …
The Intersection Of Religion And Spirituality In Clinical Practice : Bridging The Gap Between Outpatient Therapy And Pastoral Counseling : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Hartford Hospital, Institute Of Living Mental Health Center, Hartford, Connecticut, Susan A. Dimauro
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to explore how the themes of religion and spirituality emerge in the clinical setting and how we can assess whether our current approach truly serves the needs of the clients. Recent literature has demonstrated an increasing exploration of these themes in research, while outcome analyses are slowly emerging. This suggests a tremendous opportunity to use scholarly work to bolster all working professionals in mental health who engage patients in discussions around potential religious or spiritual dimensions in their lives. Through the use of a focus group and two subsequent individual interviews, I wanted to …
Protective Factors For African American Suicide : A Theoretical Intersection Of Social Integration And Religious Coping, Shaunna T. Evans
Protective Factors For African American Suicide : A Theoretical Intersection Of Social Integration And Religious Coping, Shaunna T. Evans
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This theoretical investigation discusses how religion and spirituality protects African Americans from committing suicide. Because of the seemingly low rates within the community, suicide has not been afforded the attention it deserves in research. In addition, existing literature attributes this protection to religious and spiritual behaviors but often resorts to global indices (e.g., church attendance and prayer) as determinants. What is lacking in current research is an explanation of how African Americans use their faith to discourage suicidal behavior. Due to a steady increase in Black male suicides, it is imperative that those in academia and clinicians alike begin to …
Trauma, Religion, And Substance Use Among Incarcerated Adolescent Males, Jessica J. Story
Trauma, Religion, And Substance Use Among Incarcerated Adolescent Males, Jessica J. Story
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This paper explored the relationships among trauma, religion, and substance abuse among adjudicated male adolescents with sexually harmful behaviors. Youth in secure juvenile justice settings often report a sequelae of complex trauma experiences, placing them at risk for a range of serious problems, including aggression, persistent delinquency and recidivism, and psychological consequences. The limited research on religion and juvenile offending supports that adolescents' religion serves as protective factors and a potential pathway to decreasing delinquent behavior and perhaps recidivism. Research on substance abuse is reviewed as risk factors to offending and an attempt at coping with the psychological consequences of …
"90% Catholic 100% Vodou" : Haitian Immigrant Religious And Spiritual Identity, Cindy L. Lys
"90% Catholic 100% Vodou" : Haitian Immigrant Religious And Spiritual Identity, Cindy L. Lys
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This cross-sectional exploratory qualitative study highlights the religious/spiritual identity of twelve adult Haitian American immigrants from the Chicago area and New York City using non-probability snowball sampling and a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions. The primary research question was: How have the religious/spiritual identities of Haitians evolved since their immigration to the United States? Subsumed under the primary question was the following: How did adult Haitian immigrants in the United States identify religiously and/or spiritually? How had their religious/spiritual identity changed since their immigration to the United States? How did their religious/spiritual identity affect how they cope with times of …
Sin In Therapy : A Cross Disciplinary Approach Toward Working With Religious Clients, Kelli L. Fitzgerald
Sin In Therapy : A Cross Disciplinary Approach Toward Working With Religious Clients, Kelli L. Fitzgerald
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The United States is a remarkably religious nation. It is inevitable that clinical social workers will encounter clients whose self understanding has been shaped, or impacted, troubled and or soothed by their faith. Our religiously minded clients need us to be able to speak to the questions of deep meaning their faiths challenge and answer. Yet, we are not clergy. We have a different and important role. Moreover we may be atheists ourselves. In addition we live in a religiously pluralistic country. There is no single faith language that can accommodate all religious people. Even if a social worker were …
The Impact Of Religious And/Or Spiritual Identity On The Parental Experience : Self-Perceptions Of Parents, Tiffany M. Sermini
The Impact Of Religious And/Or Spiritual Identity On The Parental Experience : Self-Perceptions Of Parents, Tiffany M. Sermini
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The rate at which American adults are changing religious affiliations and/or incorporating multiple religious/spiritual traditions at once to suit their individual needs is growing rapidly and changing the traditional religious landscape. Three new categories of religiosity/spirituality have been identified in the literature: being both religious and spiritual, spiritual but not religious, or religious but not spiritual. This qualitative study explored how parents that self identified as having a religious/spiritual identity made meaning of these identities and how these identities influenced their parents. The majority of participants identified as being both religious and spiritual, followed by spiritual and religious and lastly …
The Effect Of Religion On Coming Out And The Sexual Identity Formation Of 18-30 Year Olds Who Self-Identify As Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Or Queer : A Project Based Upon An Independent Investigation, Marissa M. Puntigam
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Religion, particularly within Judeo-Christian traditions, is an often cited rationale for rejection of homosexuality and persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. Given the socio-cultural influence of religion, catalyzed through the media, legislation, churches, and families, such frequent defamation could be believed to elicit a moral dilemma for an individual contemplating his/her own sexual identity. This effect might be detectable through the process and age of coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. This study sought to investigate the direct impact of a religious upbringing on sexual identity formation and was executed through quantitative analysis with a …
Religion As A Protective Factor In The Severity Of Crimes Committed By Juveniles With Sexually Offending Behavior, Alex Laughrey
Religion As A Protective Factor In The Severity Of Crimes Committed By Juveniles With Sexually Offending Behavior, Alex Laughrey
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Religion as a protective factor in the severity of crimes committee by juveniles with sexually offending behavior
Religion, Spirituality And Clinical Practice : An Exploration Of Practical Applications, Julia E. Gallichio
Religion, Spirituality And Clinical Practice : An Exploration Of Practical Applications, Julia E. Gallichio
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
The purpose of this study was to elicit clinicians' perspectives and practices with religion and spirituality in clinical practice. Recent social work researchers note the roots of social work in spirituality and believe it can reinvigorate social work practice. Four focus groups were conducted in three different geographical locations with clinicians who included social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. It was found that the clinicians believed that including spirituality in practice benefits the client either in secular or sectarian ways. The application of spiritual practices varied widely. The majority of participants in this study reported the use of mindfulness and meditation …
Juvenile Sex Offenders' Therapeutic Alliance : The Intricate Dynamics Of Alliance In Relation To Attachment, Trauma, And Religion, Rian Michelle Bovard-Johns
Juvenile Sex Offenders' Therapeutic Alliance : The Intricate Dynamics Of Alliance In Relation To Attachment, Trauma, And Religion, Rian Michelle Bovard-Johns
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Therapeutic alliance is the most influential predictor of successful treatment with trans-theoretical capacity. Alliance is directly influenced by client variables which are unique to clinical context. Initial research has evidenced the effectiveness of alliance with adult sex offenders and delinquent youth. The present study extends research, incorporating variables unique to juvenile sex offenders in corrections facilities. Predominant client variables of trauma symptoms and attachment patterns are measured for 332 adjudicated male sex offenders' alliance with staff. The results reveal a significant relationship (F =8.7, DF =171, p <.000) between youths' attachment to peers and communication with fathers that positively predicts alliance and that anxiety based on trauma negatively predicts alliance. Implications future research and treatment are provided.
Assessing The Benefits Of Practicing Spirituality Or Religion While Incarcerated : A Study Of Formerly Incarcerated Men In Texas, Jana Lynn Wu
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
This qualitative study explored former prisoners' beliefs regarding the benefits of practicing spirituality or religion during their time of incarceration. The prison population is seldom included in mainstream research studies. Additionally, a personal relationship to religion and spirituality is a difficult phenomenon to quantify in a standardized and formulaic way. This research sought to explore if spirituality or religion can be considered a protective factor during a time of incarceration. This study was conducted with face-to-face interviews, using both demographic and narrative questions. A qualitative, flexible research method design was used to gather and analyze data from 13 former male …