journalArticle Abu-Rayya Maram Hussien Abu-Rayya Hisham Motkal Christians ETHNICITY -- Psychological aspects IDENTIFICATION (Religion) Israel MUSLIMS PALESTINIAN Arabs -- Israel SELF-perception -- Religious aspects WELL-being -- Psychological aspects Ethnic identification, religious identity, and psychological well-being among Muslim and Christian Palestinians in Israel. This study examined relationships between ethnic identification, religious identity, and psychological well-being. The participants were 854 indigenous Israeli Palestinians, of whom 520 (36% males and 64% females) were Muslim and 334 (39% males and 61% females) Christian students, respectively. The sample ranged in age between 17 and 38 years, with a mean of 24.31 (SD = 4.43). Measures of Palestinian ethnic identity, religious identity, and psychological well-being were administered to study participants. The analysis revealed that, for each of the Muslim and Christian samples, Palestinian ethnic identity and religious identity were weakly positively correlated, a finding indicating a possible relative independence between these constructs. After partialling out the effect of age and religious identity, increased degrees of Palestinian ethnic identification linked to higher degrees of positive indicators of well-being and to lower degrees of negative indicators of well-being within each of the samples. These findings held, and were even more pronounced, in the case of religious identity, after controlling for age and Palestinian ethnic identity. The study concludes that religious identity may equal or exceed ethnic identity in importance as a feature of minority individuals' self-concept informing their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 147-155 March 2009 EBSCOhost Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 2 DOI 10.1080/13674670802387330 ISSN 13674676 journalArticle Dalen Jeanne Smith Bruce W. Shelley Brian M. Sloan Anita Lee Leahigh Lisa Begay Debbie Clinical health psychology Eating Behavior Emotions Meditation Mindfulness Obesity Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): Weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity SummaryObjectives The purpose of this study was to pilot a brief (6-week) group curriculum for providing mindfulness training to obese individuals, called Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL).Setting and design Participants were recruited through a local Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in spring 2006. Data was collected at three time points: baseline, completion of intervention (6 weeks), and 3-month follow-up (12 weeks).Intervention Six weekly two-hour group classes (with two monthly follow-up classes). Content included training in mindfulness meditation, mindful eating, and group discussion, with emphasis on awareness of body sensations, emotions, and triggers to overeat.Main outcome measures Key variables assessed included changes in weight, body-mass index (BMI), eating behavior, and psychological distress. In addition, physiological markers of cardiovascular risk were evaluated including C-reactive protein (hsCRP), adiponectin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1).Results Ten obese patients enrolled with a mean BMI of 36.9 kg/m2 [SD ± 6.2]. The mean weight was 101 kg/m2 and the mean age was 44 years (SD = 8.7; range = 31-62). Compared to baseline data, participants showed statistically significant increases in measures of mindfulness and cognitive restraint around eating, and statistically significant decreases in weight, eating disinhibition, binge eating, depression, perceived stress, physical symptoms, negative affect, and C-reactive protein.Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that a eating focused mindfulness-based intervention can result in significant changes in weight, eating behavior, and psychological distress in obese individuals. 260-264 December 2010 Pilot study http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6WCS-51FFT5V-1/2/4166de1e4a39857ce70d3e9f59a002f3 2011-01-19 01:05:48 ScienceDirect Complementary Therapies in Medicine 18 6 DOI 10.1016/j.ctim.2010.09.008 ISSN 0965-2299 journalArticle Aukst-Margetić Branka Jakovljević Miro Ivanec Dragutin Margetić Branimir Ljubicić Duliano Samija Mirko Religiosity and quality of life in breast cancer patients Our aim was to assess relations between the quality of life and religiosity in breast cancer patients. The participants were 115 consecutively admitted female in-patients with breast cancer in the radiotherapy unit in the course of six months. The measures used were Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSORF), World Health Organisation Well-Being Index Five (WHO-WBI 5) and International Breast Cancer Study Group Quality of Life (IBCSG-QL) Questionnaire. The participants responded on three statements relating to religious coping with cancer. Moderate religiosity was associated with perception of worse physical health. The statement "the illness decreased my faith" was associated with worse quality of life (QOL) domains: less well-being, more pain, poor physical health, more effort to cope, worse fatigue and less general satisfaction. The statement "the faith helps me in illness" was associated with higher social support. 1265-1271 Dec 2009 2010-02-20 17:14:08 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20102080 Collegium Antropologicum 33 4 Coll Antropol ISSN 0350-6134 journalArticle Reyes-Ortiz Carlos A Rodriguez Michael Markides Kyriakos S The role of spirituality healing with perceptions of the medical encounter among Latinos BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship between spirituality healing and perceptions about the medical encounter among Latinos. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between spirituality healing and attitudes of self-reported perceptions about the medical encounter. DESIGN: A cross-sectional telephone survey. PARTICIPANTS: 3,728 Latinos aged >or=18 years residing in the United States from Wave 1 of the Pew Hispanic Center/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Latino Health Survey. MEASUREMENTS: Dependent variables were ever prayed for healing (yes/no), ever asked others to pray for healing (yes/no), considered important spiritual healing (very vs. somewhat or not important), and ever consulted a 'curandero' (folk healer in Latin America) (yes/no). The primary independent variables were feelings about the last time seeing a Doctor (confused by information given, or frustrated by lack of information) and perception of quality of medical care (excellent, good, fair or poor) within the past 12 months. RESULTS: Six percent of individuals reported that they had ever consulted a curandero, 60% prayed for healing, 49% asked others to pray for healing, and 69% considered spiritual healing as very important. In multivariable analyses, feeling confused was associated with increased odds of consulting a curandero (OR = 1.58; 95% CI, 1.02-2.45), praying for healing (OR = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.03-1.64), asking others to pray for healing (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.03-1.62), and considering spiritual healing as very important (OR = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01-1.66). Feeling frustrated by a lack of information was associated with asking others to pray for healing (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.04-1.60). A better perception of quality of medical care was associated with lower odds of consulting a curandero (OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-0.98). CONCLUSION: Feelings about the medical encounter were associated with spirituality healing, praying for healing, and asking others to pray for healing. Feeling confused and perception of poor quality of medical care were associated with consulting a curandero. 542-547 Nov 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19842004 2009-11-24 00:30:48 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19842004 Journal of General Internal Medicine 24 Suppl 3 J Gen Intern Med DOI 10.1007/s11606-009-1067-9 ISSN 1525-1497 journalArticle Flannelly Kevin J Oettinger Margaret Galek Kathleen Braun-Storck Arnd Kreger Ralph Clergy Emotions Female Health Services Needs and Demand Humans Male New York City PATIENTS Professional Role Questionnaires Religion and Medicine spirituality The correlates of chaplains' effectiveness in meeting the spiritual/religious and emotional needs of patients The study was designed to assess the degree to which two sets of measures about chaplains' visits with patients predicted patients' perceptions that their spiritual/religious needs and their emotional needs were met by the chaplain. The first set consisted of seven items about the chaplain's demeanor during the visit. The second set measured patient satisfaction with seven aspects of the chaplain's care, including specific interventions. Overall, the latter items were more highly correlated with, and were better predictors of patients' perceptions that the chaplain met both their spiritual/religious needs and their emotional needs than were the demeanor items. The findings indicate the usefulness of measuring the effectiveness of specific chaplain interventions. The authors discuss that effectiveness measures may be more useful that patient satisfaction measures for assessing pastoral care. 9-1-15 2009 Spring-Summer 2011-02-22 23:29:37 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20196357 The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling: JPCC 63 1-2 J Pastoral Care Counsel ISSN 1542-3050 journalArticle Schuurmans-Stekhoven James "Moved by the spirit": does spirituality moderate the interrelationships between subjective well-being subscales? Despite the recent escalation of research into the spirituality and well-being link, past efforts have been plagued by methodological problems. However, the potential for measurement error within psychometric instruments remains largely unexplored. After reviewing theory and evidence suggesting spirituality might represent an affective misattribution, moderation modeling-with each subjective well-being (SWB) subscale as a dependent variable as predicted by the remaining SWB subscales-is utilized to test the assumption of scale invariance. These interrelationships were shown to vary in conjunction with spirituality; that is the analysis revealed significant spirituality x subscale interactions. Importantly, in all models the spirituality main effect was either nonsignificant or accounted for by other predictors. In combination, the findings suggest the interrelationship between the subscales rather than the level of SWB varies systematically with spirituality and casts considerable doubt on the previously reported "belief-as-benefit" effect. 709-725 Jul 2010 "Moved by the spirit" 2010-07-07 14:24:14 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20527052 Journal of Clinical Psychology 66 7 J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1002/jclp.20694 ISSN 1097-4679 journalArticle Barnhofer Thorsten Crane Catherine Hargus Emily Amarasinghe Myanthi Winder Rosie Williams J Mark G Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a treatment for chronic depression: A preliminary study This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a treatment combining mindfulness meditation and interventions taken from cognitive therapy, in patients suffering from chronic-recurrent depression. Currently symptomatic patients with at least three previous episodes of depression and a history of suicidal ideation were randomly allocated to receive either MBCT delivered in addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU; N=14 completers) or TAU alone (N=14 completers). Depressive symptoms and diagnostic status were assessed before and after treatment phase. Self-reported symptoms of depression decreased from severe to mild levels in the MBCT group while there was no significant change in the TAU group. Similarly, numbers of patients meeting full criteria for depression decreased significantly more in the MBCT group than in the TAU group. Results are consistent with previous uncontrolled studies. Although based on a small sample and, therefore, limited in their generalizability, they provide further preliminary evidence that MBCT can be used to successfully reduce current symptoms in patients suffering from a protracted course of the disorder. 366-373 May 2009 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a treatment for chronic depression 2011-02-23 00:43:16 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19249017 Behaviour Research and Therapy 47 5 Behav Res Ther DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2009.01.019 ISSN 1873-622X <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a treatment combining mindfulness meditation and interventions taken from cognitive therapy, in patients suffering from chronic-recurrent depression. Self-reported symptoms of depression decreased from severe to mild levels in the MBCT group while there was no significant change in the TAU group.</p> journalArticle Messina Giuseppina Lissoni Paolo Marchiori Paolo Bartolacelli Erio Brivio Fernando Magotti Luciano Enhancement of the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy by the pineal hormone melatonin and its relation with the psychospiritual status of cancer patients BACKGROUND The anti-oxidant and immunomodulating natural agents may enhance the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. One of the most important agents is the pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) which may exert both anti-oxidant and antiproliferative immunostimulating anticancer effects. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of a biochemotherapeutic regimen in metastatic cancer patients, and its therapeutic activity in relation to the psychospiritual status of patients. METHODS The study included 50 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and a control group of 100 patients. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin plus gemcitabine. MLT was given orally at 20 mg/day in the evening. Patients were subdivided into 5 psychic profiles, as follows: spiritual faith, rationale faith, anxiety, apathy, and accusation behavior. RESULTS Tumor response rate was significantly higher in patients treated by chemotherapy plus MLT than in those treated by chemotherapy alone (21/50 vs. 24/100, p < 0.001). However, the percentage of objective tumor regressions obtained in patients with spiritual faith was significantly higher than that found in the overall other patients concomitantly treated by chemotherapy plus MLT (6/8 vs. 15/42, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the efficacy of chemotherapy may be enhanced by the pineal hormone MLT, by representing a new promising biochemotherapeutic combination; also despite its objective ability to enhance chemotherapy efficacy, the activity of MLT is depending at least in part on the psychospiritual status of cancer patients, and it is maximal in the presence of a real spiritual faith. 225-228 Jul 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21526086 2011-06-08 22:56:22 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21526086 Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences 15 4 J Res Med Sci ISSN 1735-7136 <p>This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of a biochemotherapeutic regimen in metastatic cancer patients, and its therapeutic activity in relation to the psychospiritual status of patients. In conclusion, the efficacy of chemotherapy may be enhanced by the pineal hormone MLT, by representing a new promising biochemotherapeutic combination; also despite its objective ability to enhance chemotherapy efficacy, the activity of MLT is depending at least in part on the psychospiritual status of cancer patients, and it is maximal in the presence of a real spiritual faith.</p> journalArticle Röhricht Frank Basdekis-Jozsa Raphaela Sidhu Juggy Mukhtar Amer Suzuki Iris Priebe Stefan The association of religiosity, spirituality, and ethnic background with ego-pathology in acute schizophrenia Studies have highlighted the impact of ego-consciousness, religiosity and spirituality on psychotic symptoms, although so far no study has investigated if and how these factors may be interrelated. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, involving 42 patients with a diagnosis of acute paranoid schizophrenia (DSM-IV), we assessed religiosity (Religious Orientation Test) spirituality (Spiritual Transcendence Scale) and ego-pathology (Ego Pathology Inventory) and analysed any relationship with these and psychopathological symptoms (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale). The subjects were divided into four ethnic groups (Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean, African, and Asian) and a structured, qualitative interview on religious needs and self-concepts was also conducted. Using a multivariate analysis, we found statistically significant negative associations between the scores on ego and common pathology and religiosity and spirituality as covariates. This was seen across all ethnic groups. The findings are discussed in respect of the potential clinical importance of ethnic, religious and spiritual factors for assessment and management of patients with schizophrenia. 515-526 September 2009 http://www.informaworld.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/10.1080/13674670902800133 2009-11-03 02:32:41 Informaworld Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 6 DOI 10.1080/13674670902800133 ISSN 1367-4676 journalArticle Varas-Díaz N Neilands T B Malavé Rivera S Betancourt E Religion and HIV/AIDS stigma: Implications for health professionals in Puerto Rico HIV/AIDS stigma continues to be a barrier for prevention efforts. Its detrimental effects have been documented among people living with HIV/AIDS and encompass loss of social support and depression. When it is manifested by health professionals, it can lead to sub-optimal services. Although strides have been made to document the effects of HIV/AIDS stigma, much needs to be done in order to understand the structural factors that can foster it. Such is the case of religion's role on HIV/AIDS stigma in Puerto Rico. The Caribbean Island has a Judeo-Christian-based culture due to years of Spanish colonisation. This religious influence continued under Protestantism as part of the Island's integration as a non-incorporated territory of the USA. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of religion in HIV/AIDS stigma manifested by Puerto Rican health professionals in practice and in training. Through a mixed-method approach, 501 health professionals completed qualitative interviews (n=80) and self-administered questionnaires (n=421). Results show that religion plays some role in conceptualisations of health and illness among participants in the study. Furthermore, the importance placed on religion and participation in such activities was related to higher levels of HIV/AIDS stigma. 295-312 Jan 19, 2010 Religion and HIV/AIDS stigma 2010-01-23 16:56:38 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20087809 Global Public Health 5 3 Glob Public Health DOI 10.1080/17441690903436581 ISSN 1744-1706 <p>The main objective of this study was to explore the role of religion in HIV/AIDS stigma manifested by Puerto Rican health professionals in practice and in training. Through a mixed-method approach, 501 health professionals completed qualitative interviews (<em>n</em>=80) and self-administered questionnaires (<em>n</em>=421). Results show that religion plays some role in conceptualisations of health and illness among participants in the study. Furthermore, the importance placed on religion and participation in such activities was related to higher levels of HIV/AIDS stigma.</p> journalArticle Elliot Andrew J. Thrash Todd M. Murayama Kou GOAL (Psychology) MOTIVATION (Psychology) Social Desirability SOCIAL psychology STRESS (Psychology) Well-Being A Longitudinal Analysis of Self-Regulation and Well-Being: Avoidance Personal Goals, Avoidance Coping, Stress Generation, and Subjective Well-Being. We conducted 2 longitudinal meditational studies to test an integrative model of goals, stress and coping, and well-being. Study 1 documented avoidance personal goals as an antecedent of life stressors and life stressors as a partial mediator of the relation between avoidance goals and longitudinal change in subjective well-being (SWB). Study 2 fully replicated Study 1 and likewise validated avoidance goals as an antecedent of avoidance coping and avoidance coping as a partial mediator of the relation between avoidance goals and longitudinal change in SWB. It also showed that avoidance coping partially mediates the link between avoidance goals and life stressors and validated a sequential meditational model involving both avoidance coping and life stressors. The aforementioned results held when controlling for social desirability, basic traits, and general motivational dispositions. The findings are discussed with regard to the integration of various strands of research on self-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 643-674 June 2011 A Longitudinal Analysis of Self-Regulation and Well-Being EBSCOhost Journal of Personality 79 3 DOI 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2011.00694.x ISSN 00223506 <p>Questions different approaches to self-regulation on mental health, specifically examining avoidance goals, avoidance coping, and how avoidance relates to increased life stressors.&nbsp;</p> journalArticle Alladin Assen ANTIDEPRESSANTS COMBINED modality therapy DEPRESSION in children -- Prevention DEPRESSION, Mental -- Treatment HYPNOTISM -- Therapeutic use MENTAL illness -- Treatment -- Research Psychotherapy Evidence-based cognitive hypnotherapy for depression. Clinical depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders treated by psychiatrists and psychotherapists. It also poses special problems to therapists as it is a complex disorder that affects the whole person – emotions, bodily functions, behaviours and thoughts. Although depression is treated successfully with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy, a significant number of depressives do not respond to either medication or existing psychotherapies. It is thus important for clinicians to continue to develop more effective treatments for depression. This article describes Cognitive Hypnotherapy (CH), an evidence-based multimodal treatment for depression, which can be applied to a wide range of patients with depression. The components of CH are described in sufficient detail to allow for their replication and validation. Moreover, CH for depression provides a template for studying the additive effect of hypnosis as an adjunctive treatment with other medical and psychological disorders. Although this article emphasizes evidence-based practice, this approach should not limit the scope of therapists' creativity in the application of hypnosis to the management of depression. Copyright © 2009 British Society of Experimental & Clinical Hypnosis. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 245-262 December 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=45516183&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-12-31 21:37:58 EBSCOhost Contemporary Hypnosis 26 4 DOI 10.1002/ch.391 ISSN 09605290 journalArticle Nachmani Gilead Adult Attitude to Death Conflict (Psychology) Countertransference (Psychology) Defense Mechanisms dreams Fantasy Holocaust Humans Judaism Male Object Attachment Projection Psychoanalytic Interpretation Psychoanalytic Therapy Religion and Psychology Resilience, Psychological Sick Role spirituality Psychoanalysis and spirituality-catastrophic change and becoming "o" This article considers the relationship between post-Kleinian psychoanalysis and spiritual experience in the healing process of a physically ill man undergoing medical care for an unknown disorder. He entered psychoanalytic psychotherapy after two years of being ill and after numerous medical interventions had failed. The psychotherapy involved certain religious experiences in the patient and the analyst that attuned them to one another. It also involved his fighting with doctors, family, and analyst. The fights were considered a transcendence of his troubling life, a mustering of courage and strength to live with illness and loss, and his use of a godlike fantasy figure, which could also be considered as a vivid good internal object. The therapeutic work was punctuated by numerous instances of catastrophic change, hope, and disappointment and by his not knowing about why his body acted as it has and why important people treated him as they had. He learned to know, in the sense that Bion used the term, to live with adversity, and return to as normal a life as is possible. The psychotherapy is a work in progress. 137-152 2009 2011-02-23 00:20:42 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19364265 The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 J Am Acad Psychoanal Dyn Psychiatry DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.137 ISSN 1546-0371 journalArticle Gearing Robin E. Lizardi Dana Religion and Suicide Abstract Religion impacts suicidality. One’s degree of religiosity can potentially serve as a protective factor against suicidal behavior. To accurately assess risk of suicide, it is imperative to understand the role of religion in suicidality. PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases were searched for published articles on religion and suicide between 1980 and 2008. Epidemiological data on suicidality across four religions, and the influence of religion on suicidality are presented. Practice guidelines are presented for incorporating religiosity into suicide risk assessment. Suicide rates and risk and protective factors for suicide vary across religions. It is essential to assess for degree of religious commitment and involvement to accurately identify suicide risk. 332-341 September 2009 http://www.springerlink.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/index/10.1007/s10943-008-9181-2 2009-09-15 14:42:09 CrossRef Journal of Religion and Health 48 3 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-008-9181-2 ISSN 0022-4197 journalArticle Hepburn Silvia R Crane Catherine Barnhofer Thorsten Duggan Danielle S Fennell Melanie J V Williams J Mark G Adolescent Adult Aged Awareness Cognitive Therapy Depressive Disorder Female Humans Male Meditation Middle Aged Personality Inventory Psychotherapy, Group Recurrence Research Design Suicide Treatment Outcome Waiting Lists Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may reduce thought suppression in previously suicidal participants: findings from a preliminary study OBJECTIVES: Thought suppression is a strategy aimed at mental control that may paradoxically increase the frequency of unwanted thoughts. This preliminary study examined effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on thought suppression and depression in individuals with past depression and suicidality. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial design, 68 participants were allocated to an MBCT group or a treatment-as-usual waitlist control. Measures of thought suppression and depression were taken pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS: MBCT did not reduce thought suppression as measured by the White Bear Suppression Inventory, but significantly reduced self-reported attempts to suppress in the previous week. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary evidence suggests that MBCT for suicidality may reduce thought suppression, but differential effects on thought suppression measures warrant further studies. 209-215 Jun 2009 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may reduce thought suppression in previously suicidal participants 2011-02-23 00:42:58 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19254446 The British Journal of Clinical Psychology / the British Psychological Society 48 Pt 2 Br J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1348/014466509X414970 ISSN 0144-6657 journalArticle Innes Kim E. Selfe Terry Kit Vishnu Abhishek Mind-body therapies for menopausal symptoms: a systematic review OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the peer-reviewed literature regarding the effects of self-administered mind-body therapies on menopausal symptoms. METHODS: To identify qualifying studies, we searched 10 scientific databases and scanned bibliographies of relevant review papers and all identified articles. The methodological quality of all studies was assessed systematically using predefined criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-one papers representing 18 clinical trials from 6 countries met our inclusion criteria, including 12 randomized controlled trials (N=719), 1 non-randomized controlled trial (N=58), and 5 uncontrolled trials (N=105). Interventions included yoga and/or meditation-based programs, tai chi, and other relaxation practices, including muscle relaxation and breath-based techniques, relaxation response training, and low-frequency sound-wave therapy. Eight of the nine studies of yoga, tai chi, and meditation-based programs reported improvement in overall menopausal and vasomotor symptoms; six of seven trials indicated improvement in mood and sleep with yoga-based programs, and four studies reported reduced musculoskeletal pain. Results from the remaining nine trials suggest that breath-based and other relaxation therapies also show promise for alleviating vasomotor and other menopausal symptoms, although intergroup findings were mixed. Most studies reviewed suffered methodological or other limitations, complicating interpretation of findings. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, findings of these studies suggest that yoga-based and certain other mind-body therapies may be beneficial for alleviating specific menopausal symptoms. However, the limitations characterizing most studies hinder interpretation of findings and preclude firm conclusions regarding efficacy. Additional large, methodologically sound trials are needed to determine the effects of specific mind-body therapies on menopausal symptoms, examine long-term outcomes, and investigate underlying mechanisms. 135-149 Jun 2010 Mind-body therapies for menopausal symptoms 2010-07-07 15:40:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20167444 Maturitas 66 2 Maturitas DOI 10.1016/j.maturitas.2010.01.016 ISSN 1873-4111 journalArticle Gökhan Nurper Meehan Edward F. Peters Kevin The value of mindfulness-based methods in teaching at a clinical field placement 455-466 2010 http://asp.ammonsscientific.com/find.php?resource=PR0.106.2.455 Psychological Reports 106 2 PR DOI 10.2466/PR0.106.2.455-466 ISSN 0033-2941 journalArticle Wahbeh Helané Zwickey Heather Oken Barry One method for objective adherence measurement in mind-body medicine Abstract Objectives: Home practice is frequently prescribed as part of mind-body medicine interventions, although rarely objectively measured. This brief methods report describes one method for objectively measuring home practice adherence using a custom monitoring software program. Design: Methods for objectively measuring adherence were developed as part of a randomized controlled trial on the mechanisms of mindfulness meditation. Settings/location: The study was conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon. Subjects: The subjects comprised 11 combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Interventions: The method used was mindfulness meditation. Outcome measures: There were subjective and objective adherence measurements of mindfulness meditation home practice. Results: The first iteration of objective adherence monitoring used an iPod device and had limitations in participant usage and correctly capturing data. In the second iteration, objective data were easily collected, uploaded, and viewed using the custom software application, iMINDr. Participants reported that iMINDr was straightforward to use, and they returned the monitoring units as directed. Conclusions: The iMINDr is an example of a simple objective adherence measurement system that may help mind-body researchers examine how home practice adherence may affect outcomes in future clinical trials. 175-177 Feb 2011 2011-03-15 18:26:11 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21281126 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) 17 2 J Altern Complement Med DOI 10.1089/acm.2010.0316 ISSN 1557-7708 journalArticle Narasimhan Lakshmi Nagarathna R Nagendra Hr Effect of integrated yogic practices on positive and negative emotions in healthy adults BACKGROUND Studies on affective wellbeing have shown the beneficial role of positive emotions on cognitive processing and the harmful role of negative emotions on coping, stress and health status. Studies have shown that yoga practices reduce anxiety and depression and improve wellbeing. OBJECTIVE The aims of the study were to, (i) examine the safety and feasibility of conducting a weeklong free yoga camp, and (ii) assess its impact on the negative and positive affect in normal healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this open-arm study450 participants were taught integrated yoga module. It included asanas, pranayama, relaxation, notional correction and devotional sessions. Assessment was carried out on the first and last day of the camp, using a modified version of Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). It has ten questions each to measure positive (PA) and negative affect (NA). Nine questions have been added which are referred as other positive affect (OPA) and other negative affect (ONA) domains. RESULTS Three hundred and twelve sets of pre-post data were analyzed. There was an increase in PA of PANAS by 13% (P<0.001, Wilcoxon's signed rank test) and OPA by 17% (P<0.001). The NA reduced by 47% (P<0.001) and ONA by 48% (P<0.001). CONCLUSION It is feasible and safe to conduct a weeklong yoga camp in an urban setting, and integrated yoga practices can reduce the negative affect and increase the positive affect within one week. 13-19 Jan 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21654970 2011-07-13 22:15:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21654970 International Journal of Yoga 4 1 Int J Yoga DOI 10.4103/0973-6131.78174 ISSN 0973-6131 journalArticle Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 39 Jennings Patricia K. “God Had Something Else in Mind”: Family, Religion, and Infertility Feminist scholarship has generated a large body of work that reveals that medical discourse encourages infertile women to embrace assisted reproductive technologies (ART) as a path to “normative” family formation. The role that religion plays in the decision-making process is absent from this body of scholarship. This study is part of a larger study on infertility. In this article, I explore how infertile women who profess some religious affinity utilize medicine and religion to achieve their reproductive goals. Findings, which are drawn from participant observation of RESOLVE meetings and face-to-face interviews with infertile women, suggest that religion intersects with gender in complex ways. For many of the women in this study, growing up in traditional “church-going” families coupled with their continued connection to mainstream religion reaffirmed their desire for a child-centered family. Most of the women in this study pursued some form of ART. This held even for those who affiliated with religions that opposed ART (e.g., the Catholic Church). When ART failed, some women drew on religious discourse to renegotiate their views on adoption. For a small number of women, religious experience moved them to adopt “hard to adopt” children. I draw on these findings to suggest strategies for future research on religion and infertility. ER - 215 -237 April 2010 “God Had Something Else in Mind” http://jce.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/39/2/215 2010-07-07 23:20:56 Sage Journals Online <p>An exploration of how infertile women who profess some religious affinity utilize medicine and religion to achieve their reproductive goals. Explores the complex intersections of religion and gender via issues such as IVF and adoption. Recommends future directions for research on religion and infertility.</p> journalArticle Mayo Kelley Raab Amygdala Anxiety Autonomic Nervous System Brain Humans Spiritual Therapies Support from neurobiology for spiritual techniques for anxiety: a brief review Research in neurobiology supports use of spiritual techniques as a beneficial treatment for anxiety. Psychotherapy, including mindfulness CBT and meditation, has been shown to change brain structure. The amygdala-the brain structure responsible for processing emotion and anxiety-demonstrates plasticity, and the purpose of therapy may be to allow the cortex to establish more effective and efficient synaptic links with the amygdala. A main feature of spiritual approaches is changing one's focus of attention. Instead of worry, one focuses on peaceful thoughts, thoughts of helping others, etc. Research demonstrates that thought, meditation, and other manifestations of mind can alter the brain, sometimes in an enduring way. Few studies have addressed the neurobiological underpinnings of meditation. Limited evidence, however, suggests that brain changes occur during prolonged meditation and that meditation activates neural structures involved in attention and control of the autonomic nervous system. 53-57 2009 Support from neurobiology for spiritual techniques for anxiety 2011-02-22 23:30:22 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20183113 Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 16 1-2 J Health Care Chaplain DOI 10.1080/08854720903451055 ISSN 1528-6916 journalArticle Gyimah Stephen Obeng Tenkorang Eric Y. Takyi Baffour K. Adjei Jones Fosu Gabriel Religion, HIV/AIDS and sexual risk-taking among men in Ghana Although a growing body of research has linked religious involvement with HIV/AIDS protective behaviour in Africa, the focus has mainly been on women. Given the patriarchal nature of African culture, this paper argues for the inclusion of men, a critical group whose sexual behaviours have increasingly been linked to the spread and sustenance of the virus in the region. Drawing on different theoretical discourses and using data from the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this paper examines how religious affiliation influences men's risky sexual behaviours. While the results from the bivariate analysis suggested that Muslims and Traditionalists were significantly less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour compared with Christians, those differences disappeared once socioeconomic variables were controlled, rendering support for the selectivity thesis. This finding could benefit programmatic and policy formulation regarding AIDS prevention in Ghana. 531-547 Jul 2010 2010-07-27 16:20:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20211045 Journal of Biosocial Science 42 4 J Biosoc Sci DOI 10.1017/S0021932010000027 ISSN 1469-7599 <p>Given the patriarchal nature of African culture, this paper argues for the inclusion of men, a critical group whose sexual behaviours have increasingly been linked to the spread and sustenance of the virus in the region. Drawing on different theoretical discourses and using data from the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, this paper examines how religious affiliation influences men's risky sexual behaviours. While the results from the bivariate analysis suggested that Muslims and Traditionalists were significantly less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour compared with Christians, those differences disappeared once socioeconomic variables were controlled, rendering support for the selectivity thesis. This finding could benefit programmatic and policy formulation regarding AIDS prevention in Ghana.</p> journalArticle Goodman Yehuda C Anthropology, Cultural Humans Jews Mental Disorders Psychotherapy Self Concept Social Class "You look, thank God, quite good on the outside": imitating the ideal self in a Jewish ultra-Orthodox rehabilitation site Rather than viewing therapeutic interventions as either compliance or resistance to the social order, I analyze them as mimesis of cultural ideal selves. In particular, I examine the new mediations of the social order constituted in mimetic therapeutic practices and their entailed creativity and ambivalence. Drawing on participant observation in a Jewish ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) rehabilitation site I explore how, given the ruptures brought about in mental disorders, caretakers offer their clients new ways to inhabit the normal self through its imitation. Specifically, caregivers construct replications of dominant selves by selectively deploying modern and neotraditional discourses of the self in diverse social contexts and in multiple registries like body, emotions, social relations, and ways of belonging to the community. I suggest that mimetic therapeutic work is carried out along emerging social distinctions that are associated with Haredim's complex relations with the secular society, and with cultural contestations within the community itself. 122-141 Jun 2009 "You look, thank God, quite good on the outside" 2011-02-22 23:48:17 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19562952 Medical Anthropology Quarterly 23 2 Med Anthropol Q ISSN 0745-5194 journalArticle Lopez Jamie L Riggs Shelley A Pollard Sara E Hook Joshua N Religious commitment, adult attachment, and marital adjustment in newly married couples Existing literature on the role of religiosity in marital functioning is often difficult to interpret due to the frequent use of convenience samples, statistical approaches inadequate for interdependent dyadic data, and the lack of a theoretical framework. The current study examined the effects of religious commitment and insecure attachment on marital adjustment. Newly married couples who did not have children (N = 92 couples, 184 individuals) completed measures of religious commitment, adult attachment, and marital functioning. There was a small positive association between religious commitment and marital adjustment. Religious commitment buffered the negative association between attachment avoidance and marital adjustment, but exacerbated the negative association between attachment anxiety and marital adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). 301-309 Apr 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21480709 2011-05-09 23:04:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21480709 Journal of Family Psychology: JFP: Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) 25 2 J Fam Psychol DOI 10.1037/a0022943 ISSN 1939-1293 journalArticle Shapiro Shauna L. Brown Kirk Warren Thoresen Carl Plante Thomas G. Empathy mental health Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy RANDOMIZED controlled trials STRESS (Psychology) Well-Being The moderation of Mindfulness-based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has shown effectiveness for a variety of mental health conditions. However, it is not known for whom the intervention is most effective. In a randomized controlled trial ( N = 30), we explored whether individuals with higher levels of pretreatment trait mindfulness would benefit more from MBSR intervention. Results demonstrated that relative to a control condition ( n = 15), MBSR treatment ( n = 15) had significant effects on several outcomes, including increased trait mindfulness, subjective well-being, and empathy measured at 2 and 12 months after treatment. However, relative to controls, MBSR participants with higher levels of pretreatment mindfulness showed a larger increase in mindfulness, subjective well-being, empathy, and hope, and larger declines in perceived stress up to 1 year after treatment. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 00:1-11, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 267-277 March 2011 The moderation of Mindfulness-based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness EBSCOhost Journal of Clinical Psychology 67 3 DOI 10.1002/jclp.20761 ISSN 00219762 journalArticle Friedman Lois C Barber Catherine R Chang Jenny Tham Yee Lu Kalidas Mamta Rimawi Mothaffar F Dulay Mario F Elledge Richard Self-blame, self-forgiveness, and spirituality in breast cancer survivors in a public sector setting Cognitive appraisal affects adjustment to breast cancer. A self-forgiving attitude and spirituality may benefit breast cancer survivors who blame themselves for their cancer. One hundred and eight women with early breast cancers completed questionnaires assessing self-blame, self-forgiveness, spirituality, mood and quality of life (QoL) in an outpatient breast clinic. Women who blamed themselves reported more mood disturbance (p < 0.01) and poorer QoL (p < 0.01). Women who were more self-forgiving and more spiritual reported less mood disturbance and better QoL (p's < 0.01). Interventions that reduce self-blame and facilitate self-forgiveness and spirituality could promote better adjustment to breast cancer. 343-348 Sep 2010 2010-10-07 00:51:21 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20186521 Journal of Cancer Education: The Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Education 25 3 J Cancer Educ DOI 10.1007/s13187-010-0048-3 ISSN 1543-0154 journalArticle Peitl Marija Vucic Peitl Vjekoslav Pavlovic Eduard Adult Catholicism Depressive Disorder Eastern Orthodoxy Female Humans ISLAM Male Middle Aged Questionnaires Reference Values Religion and Psychology Religion and Sex Schizophrenia Schizophrenic Psychology Self Concept Sexuality Influence of religion on sexual self-perception and sexual satisfaction in patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression OBJECTIVE: It is well documented that religion has an impact on mental health of both healthy people and mental health patients. However, scientific research regarding the influence of religion on sexual experiences and sexual self-perception in mental health patients and healthy people is very scarce. GOAL: Therefore, our goal was to research how and in what measure religious and atheistic views of patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia and healthy people influence their sexual functions and sexual self-perception. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This research was conducted on 100 patients suffering from schizophrenia and 100 patients suffering from depression, while 100 healthy individuals served as a control group. DMS-IV criteria were used when diagnosing schizophrenia and depression. In order to research the aspects of sexual self-perception we used Bezinović's questionnaire and Arizona sexual experience scale (ASEX) to research the aspects of sexual intercourse. RESULTS: Results show that Roman-Catholic patients suffering from schizophrenia experience greater sexual satisfaction than Eastern-Orthodox or atheist schizophrenic patients. Among patients suffering from depression in regard to their differing religious views there were no significant differences regarding sexual satisfaction or the aspects of sexual self-perception. Furthermore, there is a significant difference among healthy individuals when taking into consideration religious views. We established that Muslims have a significantly stronger sexual drive then atheists, Roman-Catholic or Eastern-Orthodox individuals. Compared to Roman-Catholic and Eastern-Orthodox individuals, atheists have better consciousness of their own sexuality. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that religious views have an influence on sexual functioning and sexual self-perception of patients suffering from depression and schizophrenia and also healthy individuals. Thus, further research on a bigger sample of participants--not only of those religious denominations covered in this research, but also of those that are less present in our society and of other mental health disorders and illnesses--is needed. 155-167 2009 2011-02-22 23:35:34 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19860074 International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 39 2 Int J Psychiatry Med ISSN 0091-2174 book New York Springer Publishing Company Johansen Thor Religion and Spirituality in Psychotherapy: An Individual Psychology Perspective 2009-12-07 ISBN 0826103855 Religion and Spirituality in Psychotherapy Amazon.com journalArticle Moberg David O. Predicaments in Researching Spirituality and Religion: A Response to Glicksman's “Contemporary Study of Religion and Spirituality Among the Elderly” Glicksman's perceptive critique calls attention to significant recurrent issues in the study of religion and spirituality that point to the need for humility by all who engage in it. Among these issues are implicit questions: What is spirituality? Is it a universal feature of humanity even though its manifestations are very diverse? How do researchers' assumptions and answers to those questions affect the methodologies they use to study religion and spirituality? Is theology relevant? Examples of overlapping scriptures of Judaism and evangelical Protestantism show how easily theological doctrines and philosophical values are misinterpreted by outsiders and how important they are for understanding the faith-related behavior of any group of people. Multidisciplinary research on the spirituality of people from all religions and none, global comparisons of the results, and painstaking analyses of the findings can bring us closer to comprehending the mysteries of spirituality and using them for the benefit of humanity. 297-309 2009 October Predicaments in Researching Spirituality and Religion http://www.informaworld.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/10.1080/15528030903029997 2009-11-03 01:31:06 Informaworld Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging 21 4 DOI 10.1080/15528030903029997 ISSN 1552-8030 journalArticle Darwin Hannah Neave Nick Holmes Joni attitudes conspiracy theory beliefs Ideation paranoid ideation paranormal belief Personality traits Schizotypy Belief in conspiracy theories. The role of paranormal belief, paranoid ideation and schizotypy. Surveys indicate that belief in conspiracy theories is widespread. Previous studies have indicated that such beliefs are related to agreeableness, low levels of self esteem, certain negative attitudes towards authority, and paranoia. The current study investigated the relationship between conspiracy theory beliefs, paranormal belief, paranoid ideation, and schizotypy, in a study involving 60 females and 60 males aged 18–50. Sex differences were found in paranormal belief, with females scoring significantly higher than males in spiritualism, precognition, psi, and overall paranormal belief. Partial correlations controlling for sex showed that conspiracy beliefs were significantly and positively correlated with paranormal beliefs, paranoid ideation and schizotypy. Confirmatory analysis revealed a best fit model to explain conspiracy beliefs that included schizotypy and paranoid ideation, but not paranormal beliefs. These findings suggest that paranoid ideation and schizotypy are strongly associated with belief in conspiracy theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 1289-1293 June 2011 EBSCOhost Personality and Individual Differences 50 8 DOI 10.1016/j.paid.2011.02.027 ISSN 0191-8869 journalArticle Benavides Sandra Caballero Joshua Adolescent Anxiety Body Weight Child depression Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Female Humans Male Mexican Americans Pilot Projects Prospective Studies Risk Factors Self Concept yoga Ashtanga yoga for children and adolescents for weight management and psychological well being: an uncontrolled open pilot study OBJECTIVE: The objective of this pilot study was to determine the effect of yoga on weight in youth at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Secondarily, the impact of participation in yoga on self-concept and psychiatric symptoms was measured. METHODS: A 12-week prospective pilot Ashtanga yoga program enrolled twenty children and adolescents. Weight was measured before and after the program. All participants completed self-concept, anxiety, and depression inventories at the initiation and completion of the program. RESULTS: Fourteen predominately Hispanic children, ages 8-15, completed the program. The average weight loss was 2kg. Weight decreased from 61.2+/-20.2kg to 59.2+/-19.2kg (p=0.01). Four of five children with low self-esteem improved, although two had decreases in self-esteem. Anxiety symptoms improved in the study. CONCLUSION: Ashtanga yoga may be beneficial as a weight loss strategy in a predominately Hispanic population. 110-114 May 2009 Ashtanga yoga for children and adolescents for weight management and psychological well being 2011-02-23 00:27:25 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19341991 Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 15 2 Complement Ther Clin Pract DOI 10.1016/j.ctcp.2008.12.004 ISSN 1873-6947 journalArticle McCollum Eric E Gehart Diane R Using mindfulness meditation to teach beginning therapists therapeutic presence: a qualitative study Some of the more difficult to define aspects of the therapeutic process (empathy, compassion, presence) remain some of the most important. Teaching them presents a challenge for therapist trainees and educators alike. In this study, we examine our beginning practicum students' experience of learning mindfulness meditation as a way to help them develop therapeutic presence. Through thematic analysis of their journal entries a variety of themes emerged, including the effects of meditation practice, the ability to be present, balancing being and doing modes in therapy, and the development of acceptance and compassion for themselves and for their clients. Our findings suggest that mindfulness meditation may be a useful addition to clinical training. 347-360 Jul 1, 2010 Using mindfulness meditation to teach beginning therapists therapeutic presence 2010-07-27 15:57:18 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20618581 Journal of Marital and Family Therapy 36 3 J Marital Fam Ther DOI 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2010.00214.x ISSN 1752-0606 journalArticle Ai Amy L. Seymour E Mitchell Tice Terrence N. Kronfol Ziad Bolling Steven F. cardiac diseases & cardiac surgery Coping Behavior coping with stress Heart Disorders Heart Surgery immune-inflammatory marker interleukin-6 Interleukins religion spiritual struggle spirituality Stress Spiritual struggle related to plasma interleukin-6 prior to cardiac surgery. Spiritual struggle appeared consistently to predict poor health outcomes, including mortality. Despite surging interest in the health benefits of religion and spirituality, the health hassle of existential conflicts and proinflammatory cytokines as a potential physiological mechanism has been overlooked. Based on psychological and theological assumptions, we argue for the universal nature of spiritual struggle, a crisis-related existential conflict, and for investigating its physiological influence as essential to understanding human nature. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been linked with adverse health outcomes and negative emotions. This study thus examined spiritual struggle related to plasma IL-6 in 235 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, along with positive religious coping, general coping, and optimism, controlling for standardized clinical medical indicators. Multiple regression analysis, following a preplanned sequence, showed that spiritual struggle (p = .011), behavioral coping (p = .013) were positively associated with excess plasma IL-6, controlling for medical correlates (e.g., left ventricular ejection fraction). We conclude that spiritual struggle, indicating the crisis in an existential relation, and behavioral coping strategies are associated with elevated pre-operative plasma IL-6. The interdisciplinary implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract) 112-128 May 2009 EBSCOhost Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 1 2 DOI 10.1037/a0015775 ISSN 1941-1022 <p>Spiritual struggle appeared consistently to predict poor health outcomes, including mortality. Despite surging interest in the health benefits of religion and spirituality, the health hassle of existential conflicts and proinflammatory cytokines as a potential physiological mechanism has been overlooked. Based on psychological and theological assumptions, we argue for the universal nature of spiritual struggle, a crisis-related existential conflict, and for investigating its physiological influence as essential to understanding human nature. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been linked with adverse health outcomes and negative emotions. This study thus examined spiritual struggle related to plasma IL-6 in 235 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, along with positive religious coping, general coping, and optimism, controlling for standardized clinical medical indicators. Multiple regression analysis, following a preplanned sequence, showed that spiritual struggle (p = .011), behavioral coping (p = .013) were positively associated with excess plasma IL-6, controlling for medical correlates (e.g., left ventricular ejection fraction). We conclude that spiritual struggle, indicating the crisis in an existential relation, and behavioral coping strategies are associated with elevated pre-operative plasma IL-6. The interdisciplinary implications are discussed.</p> journalArticle Wilcox Sara Laken Marilyn Parrott Allen W Condrasky Margaret Saunders Ruth Addy Cheryl L Evans Rebecca Baruth Meghan Samuel May The faith, activity, and nutrition (FAN) program: design of a participatory research intervention to increase physical activity and improve dietary habits in African American churches BACKGROUND: African Americans are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer morbidity and mortality. Physical activity and healthy dietary practices can reduce this risk. The church is a promising setting to address health disparities, and community-based participatory research is a preferred approach. OBJECTIVES: Using a community-based participatory approach and the social ecologic model, the FAN trial aims to increase self-reported moderate-intensity physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce blood pressure in African American church members. Secondary aims are to increase objectively measured moderate-intensity physical activity and fiber/whole grain consumption and reduce fat consumption. DESIGN: FAN is a group randomized trial (GRT) with two levels of clustering: participants (N=1279; n=316 accelerometer subgroup) within church and church within church cluster. In the first wave, seven clusters including 23 churches were randomized to an immediate intervention or delayed intervention. In subsequent waves, 51 churches were randomized to an immediate or delayed intervention. METHODS: Church committee members, pastors, and cooks participate in full-day trainings to learn how to implement physical activity and dietary changes in the church. Monthly mailings and technical assistance calls are delivered over the 15-month intervention. Members complete measurements at baseline and 15 months. A detailed process evaluation is included. SUMMARY: FAN focuses on modifying the social, cultural, and policy environment in a faith-based setting. The use of a community-based participatory research approach, engagement of church leaders, inclusion of a detailed process evaluation, and a formal plan for sustainability and dissemination make FAN unique. 323-335 Jul 2010 The faith, activity, and nutrition (FAN) program 2010-07-27 16:15:52 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20359549 Contemporary Clinical Trials 31 4 Contemp Clin Trials DOI 10.1016/j.cct.2010.03.011 ISSN 1559-2030 journalArticle Cicirelli Victor G. Analysis of Variance death attitudes INDIANA INTERVIEWS OLD age PROBABILITIES Research spirituality Religious and Nonreligious Spirituality in Relation to Death Acceptance or Rejection. Meanings of religious and nonreligious spirituality are explored, with implications for death acceptance, death rejection, and life extension. In the first of two exploratory studies, 16 elders low on intrinsic religiosity were compared with 116 elders high in religiosity; they differed both in qualitative responses and on death attitudes. In the second, 48 elders were assessed on religious and nonreligious spirituality and compared on attitudes toward death rejection, life extension, and death acceptance. Conclusions were that a sizable minority of elders hold nonreligious spirituality beliefs, and these beliefs are related to greater acceptance of life extension and death rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 124-146 February 2011 EBSCOhost Death Studies 35 2 DOI 10.1080/07481187.2011.535383 ISSN 07481187 journalArticle Sansone Randy A. Sansone Lori A. Psychotherapy: What's metaphysical got to do with it? Clinicians have a number of treatment options for dealing with the emotional ills of patients, including psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy. However, after years of experience in the clinical field, we have recognized that these treatment options may not be sufficient to adequately address the problems of some patients. We have found that adding a metaphysical/spiritual component may be helpful, particularly for those patients with histories of childhood trauma. In this edition of The Interface, we discuss four metaphysical techniques for facilitating patient healing—1) refocusing on the present, 2) reframing adversity, 3) practicing surrender, and 4) meditation. These approaches can be mutually integrated and compliment a psychological treatment in either the psychiatric or primary care setting, regardless of whether or not the patient has formal religious beliefs. 26-31 January 2010 PubMed Central PMID: 20104289 PMCID: 2811141 Psychiatry 6 12 Psychiatry (Edgmont) ISSN 1550-5952 journalArticle Brenner Philip S. Church attendance IDENTITY (Psychology) Interpersonal Relations Regression Analysis RELIGIOUS institutions SOCIAL surveys Identity Importance and the Overreporting of Religious Service Attendance: Multiple Imputation of Religious Attendance Using the American Time Use Study and the General Social Survey. The difference between religious service attendance measured using conventional surveys and time diaries has been attributed to identity processes; a high level of religious identity importance may prompt overreporting on a survey question. This article tests the hypothesized role of identity importance as an individual determinant of overreporting and the result of socially desirable behavior. A time diary measure of attendance (from the American Time Use Study 2003-2008) is imputed for conventional survey data (from the General Social Survey 2002-2008) using the multiple imputation for multiple studies procedure ( ). Logistic regression models predicting self-reported attendance and overreported attendance are estimated using identity importance as a key covariate and controlling for demographic variables associated with attendance. Identity importance is a strong predictor of both self-reported and overreported attendance. Attendance, while a biased measure of actual behavior, may be a good indicator of religiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 103-115 March 2011 Identity Importance and the Overreporting of Religious Service Attendance EBSCOhost Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 50 1 DOI 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01554.x ISSN 00218294 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 2 DOI 10.1080/13674670802358190 ISSN 13674676 Mussap Alexander J. Australia BELIEF & doubt -- Psychological aspects BODY image -- Research BODY image in women -- Religious aspects FAITH (Islam) -- Psychology MUSLIM women PATH analysis (Statistics) Strength of faith and body image in Muslim and non-Muslim women. A questionnaire was completed by 98 Muslim and 91 non-Muslim Australian women to examine the relationship between Islam and body image. Path analyses revealed that for Muslim women (but not non-Muslim women) strength of religious faith was inversely related to body dissatisfaction, body self-objectification, and dietary restraint. These relationships were mediated by increased use of modest clothing and by reduced media consumption. These results are consistent with the proposition that adherence to Islam can indirectly protect women's body image from appearance-based public scrutiny and from exposure to Western media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 121-127 March 2009 EBSCOhost journalArticle Evans Yolanda Richardson Laura McCarty Cari Zhou Chuan religiosity sexual behaviors Religiosity and Sexual Behaviors in African American and White Youth S117 February 2011 2011-03-15 18:50:23 ScienceDirect Journal of Adolescent Health 48 2, Supplement 1 DOI 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.11.239 ISSN 1054-139X journalArticle Thomley Barbara S. Ray Siddiqi H. Cha Stephen S. Bauer Brent A. employee health Health promotion Meditation yoga Effects of a Brief, Comprehensive, Yoga-Based Program on Quality of Life and Biometric Measures in an Employee Population: A Pilot Study Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether a comprehensive, yoga-based wellness program could positively affect multiple markers of health and wellness in an employee population.Design Self-selected employees who enrolled in a new wellness class were invited to participate in a yoga-based wellness program. Participants met six days per week (Monday through Saturday) at 5:10 am. Sessions lasted for at least one hour, and the program was six weeks long. Each session consisted of power yoga interwoven with philosophical concepts and instruction about the benefits of mindfulness, breath, and meditation. Certain classes each week incorporated large and small group sharing, journal writing, and mindful eating exercises. Main outcome measures were biometric measures (height, weight, blood pressure, flexibility, body fat) and quality-of-life measures (physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being).Results Fifty-nine employees were invited to join the program; 50 consented to participate, of which 37 (74%) attended more than 90% of classes. Participant age ranged from 24 to 76 years. Statistically significant improvements were observed in weight (-4.84 ± 5.24 kg; P < .001), diastolic blood pressure (-2.66 ±8.31 mm/Hg; P = .03), flexibility score (relative change 11% ± 20.92; P <.001), body fat percentage (-1.94 ±2.68; P < .001), and overall quality of life (linear analog self-assessment [LASA] score 3.73 ± 8.11; P = .03).Conclusions This pilot study suggests that a yoga-based, comprehensive wellness program is both feasible and efficacious in creating positive, short-term improvements in multiple domains of health and wellness for a population of employees. 27-29 January Effects of a Brief, Comprehensive, Yoga-Based Program on Quality of Life and Biometric Measures in an Employee Population 2011-02-15 23:55:11 ScienceDirect EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing 7 1 DOI 10.1016/j.explore.2010.10.004 ISSN 1550-8307 journalArticle Schroevers Maya J. Brandsma Rob Cognitive Therapy PUBLIC opinion RANDOMIZED controlled trials RATIONAL-emotive psychotherapy WELL-being -- Psychological aspects Is learning mindfulness associated with improved affect after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy? The increased popularity of mindfulness-based interventions and the growing body of empirical evidence confirming the positive effects of these interventions on well-being warrant more research to determine if the effects are indeed related to learning mindfulness. The present study extends previous studies, by examining whether and how changes in five core aspects of mindfulness are related to changes in the report of negative and positive affect during an 8-week course of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The study was performed in 64 individuals from the community with mild to moderate psychological problems. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires before and directly after the training. Results showed significant decreases in negative affect and increases in positive affect. We also found significant increases in four of the five aspects of mindfulness. Importantly, changes in mindfulness were significantly associated with improved affect, with a distinct pattern found for positive and negative affect. Hereby, our findings extend previous research by showing that learning distinct aspects of mindfulness is differently related to an improved positive affect and a decreased negative affect. Future randomized controlled trials with a larger sample and longer follow-up period are needed to replicate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 95-107 February 2010 2010-03-06 15:35:11 EBSCOhost British Journal of Psychology 101 1 DOI 10.1348/000712609X424195 ISSN 00071269 journalArticle Galanter Marc Spirituality in psychiatry: a biopsychosocial perspective This paper reviews a body of findings in order to define the nature of spirituality from a biopsychosocial perspective and to illustrate its relevance to the field of psychiatry. The emergence of spirituality within the common culture is described, after which a number of sociobiologically related studies are presented to illustrate how its component dimensions can be defined. These are evolutionary adaptation, affectional ties, subjective experiences, and positive psychology. The relevance of spiritually related issues in psychiatric diagnosis are illustrated, along with examples of their role in symptom relief. The paper concludes with a description of a program implemented to integrate the issue of spirituality into resident training and into group support for hospital-based patients. 145-157 2010 Spirituality in psychiatry 2010-07-07 13:51:22 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20557226 Psychiatry 73 2 Psychiatry DOI 10.1521/psyc.2010.73.2.145 ISSN 1943-281X journalArticle Bhalotra Sonia Valente Christine van Soest Arthur The puzzle of Muslim advantage in child survival in India The socioeconomic status of Indian Muslims is, on average, considerably lower than that of upper-caste Hindus. Muslims nevertheless exhibit substantially higher child survival rates, and have done for decades. This paper analyses this seeming puzzle. A decomposition of the survival differential confirms that some compositional effects favour Muslims but that, overall, differences in characteristics and especially the Muslim deficit in parental education predict a Muslim disadvantage. The results of this study contribute to a recent literature that debates the importance of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health and survival. They augment a growing literature on the role of religion or culture as encapsulating important unobservable behaviours or endowments that influence health, indeed, enough to reverse the SES gradient that is commonly observed. 191-204 Mar 2010 2010-03-23 00:37:39 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19969383 Journal of Health Economics 29 2 J Health Econ DOI 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2009.11.002 ISSN 1879-1646 journalArticle Saeed Sy Atezaz Antonacci Diana J Bloch Richard M Exercise, yoga, and meditation for depressive and anxiety disorders Anxiety and depression are among the most common conditions cited by those seeking treatment with complementary and alternative therapies, such as exercise, meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga. The use of these therapies is increasing. Several studies of exercise and yoga have demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness superior to no-activity controls and comparable with established depression and anxiety treatments (e.g., cognitive behavior therapy, sertraline, imipramine). High-energy exercise (i.e., weekly expenditure of at least 17.5 kcal per kg) and frequent aerobic exercise (i.e., at least three to five times per week) reduce symptoms of depression more than less frequent or lower-energy exercise. Mindful meditation and exercise have positive effects as adjunctive treatments for depressive disorders, although some studies show multiple methodological weaknesses. For anxiety disorders, exercise and yoga have also shown positive effects, but there are far less data on the effects of exercise on anxiety than for exercise on depression. Tai chi, qigong, and meditation have not shown effectiveness as alternative treatments for depression and anxiety. 981-986 Apr 15, 2010 2010-04-25 21:36:45 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20387774 American Family Physician 81 8 Am Fam Physician ISSN 1532-0650 journalArticle Ivry Tsipy Teman Elly Frumkin Ayala God-sent ordeals and their discontents: Ultra-orthodox Jewish women negotiate prenatal testing Through narrative interviews with 20 pregnant ultra-orthodox [Haredi] Jewish women in Israel conducted between 2007 and 2009, we examine the implications for such women of prenatal testing, and of pregnancy as a gendered route of piety. We found that pregnancy signified both a divine mission and possible reproductive misfortunes. Bearing a child with a disability was taken as a test of faith and God's decree was to be accepted. Fetal anomaly created anxiety about the women's ability to fulfill their God-given task and about their position in an unwritten hierarchy of gendered righteousness. Challenging reproductive decisions were often assigned to rabbis, but this did not exempt women from viewing themselves as inadequate in their religious devotion. We conclude that prenatal testing becomes a spiritual ordeal that aggravates pregnancy tensions. 1527-1533 May 2011 God-sent ordeals and their discontents http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21470732 2011-06-08 22:37:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21470732 Social Science & Medicine (1982) 72 9 Soc Sci Med DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.007 ISSN 1873-5347 <p>This study concludes that prenatal testing is a spiritual ordeal for ultra-Orthodox Jewish women due to the fact that finding fetal anomalies results in anxiety about the capacity of the woman to fulfill her G-d-given task of raising a disabled child, even when responsibility for making challenging reproductive decisions was handed over to a rabbi.</p> journalArticle Whitley Rob Atheism and mental health The exploration of the impact of religiosity on mental health is an enduring, if somewhat quiet, tradition. There has been virtually no exploration, however, of the influence of atheism on mental health. Though not a "religion," atheism can be an orienting worldview that is often consciously chosen by its adherents, who firmly believe in the "truth" of atheism-a phenomenon known as "positive atheism." Atheism, especially positive atheism, is currently enjoying something of a renaissance in the Western liberal democracies-a trend often referred to as the "new atheism." I argue that atheism, especially positive atheism, should be treated as a meaningful sociocultural variable in the study of mental health. I argue that atheism (just like theism) is an appropriate domain of study for social and cultural psychiatrists (and allied social scientists) interested in exploring socio-environmental stressors and buffers relating to mental health. Specifically, I argue that (1) atheism needs to be accurately measured as an individual-level exposure variable, with the aim of relating that variable to psychiatric outcomes, (2) there needs to be greater systematic investigation into the influence of atheism on psychiatry as an institution, and (3) the relation of atheism to mental health needs to be explored by examining atheistic theory and its practical application, especially as it relates to the human condition, suffering, and concepts of personhood. 190-194 Jun 2010 2010-04-28 18:03:20 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20415634 Harvard Review of Psychiatry 18 3 Harv Rev Psychiatry DOI 10.3109/10673221003747674 ISSN 1465-7309 journalArticle Chiesa Alberto Serretti Alessandro Cognitive Therapy Databases, Factual Humans Mental Disorders Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Treatment Outcome Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis Mindfulness- based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a meditation program based on an integration of Cognitive behavioural therapy and Mindfulness-based stress reduction. The aim of the present work is to review and conduct a meta-analysis of the current findings about the efficacy of MBCT for psychiatric patients. A literature search was undertaken using five electronic databases and references of retrieved articles. Main findings included the following: 1) MBCT in adjunct to usual care was significantly better than usual care alone for reducing major depression (MD) relapses in patients with three or more prior depressive episodes (4 studies), 2) MBCT plus gradual discontinuation of maintenance ADs was associated to similar relapse rates at 1year as compared with continuation of maintenance antidepressants (1 study), 3) the augmentation of MBCT could be useful for reducing residual depressive symptoms in patients with MD (2 studies) and for reducing anxiety symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder in remission (1 study) and in patients with some anxiety disorders (2 studies). However, several methodological shortcomings including small sample sizes, non-randomized design of some studies and the absence of studies comparing MBCT to control groups designed to distinguish specific from non-specific effects of such practice underscore the necessity for further research. 441-453 May 30, 2011 Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20846726 2011-06-08 20:53:12 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20846726 Psychiatry Research 187 3 Psychiatry Res DOI 10.1016/j.psychres.2010.08.011 ISSN 0165-1781 journalArticle Loriedo Camillo Torti Chiara Systemic hypnosis with depressed individuals and their families Historically, depression has been considered almost exclusively from an intrapersonal viewpoint, focusing almost entirely on the depressed individual in treatment. In this article, the focus is shifted to an interpersonal view of depression, emphasizing the role of family and cultural influences on the evolution of depression and its successful treatment. Patterns of hypnosis that can be applied in a systemic treatment framework are described and illustrated with case examples. 222-246 Apr 2010 2010-04-25 21:32:44 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20390692 The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 58 2 Int J Clin Exp Hypn DOI 10.1080/00207140903523277 ISSN 1744-5183 journalArticle Fernandez Anne C Wood Mark D Stein L A R Rossi Joseph S Alcohol Abuse Mindfulness Measuring mindfulness and examining its relationship with alcohol use and negative consequences Mindfulness has been proposed as a useful adjunct to alcohol abuse treatment. However, very little research has examined the basic relationship between alcohol use and mindfulness. Inconsistency in definition and measurement of mindfulness across studies makes such research difficult to interpret and conduct. Therefore, the current research sought to validate an emerging mindfulness measure, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and examine its relationship with alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences among a sample of 316 college-aged adults. The purported factor structure of the FFMQ was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relations among mindfulness, alcohol use, and alcohol-related negative consequences. Consistent with past research, results supported the five-factor structure of the FFMQ. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that two awareness-based factors of mindfulness were negatively related to alcohol use. After controlling for alcohol use, one acceptance-based factor (nonjudging of thoughts and feelings) was negatively related to alcohol-related consequences, and one awareness-based factor was positively related to consequences (all ps < .05). Effect sizes were small-medium. The results reported here inform the burgeoning development of mindfulness-based addiction treatment and provide additional psychometric validation of the FFMQ. 608-616 Dec 2010 2011-02-13 15:38:46 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21198223 Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 24 4 Psychol Addict Behav DOI 10.1037/a0021742 ISSN 1939-1501 journalArticle Li Jin Hu Jing Zhang Yinhong Zhang Xiaofeng Dynamical complexity changes during two forms of meditation Detection of dynamical complexity changes in natural and man-made systems has deep scientific and practical meaning. We use the base-scale entropy method to analyze dynamical complexity changes for heart rate variability (HRV) series during specific traditional forms of Chinese Chi and Kundalini previous termYoga meditationnext term techniques in healthy young adults. The results show that dynamical complexity decreases in previous termmeditationnext term states for two forms of previous termmeditation.next term Meanwhile, we detected changes in probability distribution of m-words during previous termmeditationnext term and explained this changes using probability distribution of sine function. The base-scale entropy method may be used on a wider range of physiologic signals. 2381-2387 6/2011 http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378437111001117 2011-07-13 22:28:05 CrossRef Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications 390 12 Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications DOI 10.1016/j.physa.2011.02.003 ISSN 03784371 journalArticle Pargament Kenneth I. Sweeney Patrick J. Prevention resilience spiritual struggles spirituality values Building Spiritual Fitness in the Army: An Innovative Approach to a Vital Aspect of Human Development This article describes the development of the spiritual fitness component of the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program. Spirituality is defined in the human sense as the journey people take to discover and realize their essential selves and higher order aspirations. Several theoretically and empirically based reasons are articulated for why spirituality is a necessary component of the CSF program: Human spirituality is a significant motivating force, spirituality is a vital resource for human development, and spirituality is a source of struggle that can lead to growth or decline. A conceptual model developed by Sweeney, Hannah, and Snider (2007) is used to identify several psychological structures and processes that facilitate the development of the human spirit. From this model, an educational, computer-based program has been developed to promote spiritual resilience. This program consists of three tiers: (a) building awareness of the self and the human spirit, (b) building awareness of resources to cultivate the human spirit, and (c) building awareness of the human spirit of others. Further research will be needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this innovative and potentially important program. 58-64 January 2011 Building Spiritual Fitness in the Army 2011-02-15 23:54:51 ScienceDirect American Psychologist 66 1 DOI 10.1037/a0021657 ISSN 0003-066X journalArticle Elomaa Minna M. de C. Williams Amanda C. Kalso Eija A. Attention management Chronic pain Cognitive-behavioural therapy Pain-related anxiety Attention management as a treatment for chronic pain Attention management is often included in cognitive-behavioural treatments (CBT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of attention management strategies in the treatment for chronic pain. The present pilot study consisted of six weekly 90-min treatment sessions and was based on a CBT attention management manual describing techniques such as attention diversion, imagery and mindfulness exercises. The intended outcomes were reduction in pain-related anxiety and hypervigilance to pain and decrease in pain impact of everyday life, measured by self-report. Information was collected at baseline, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3 and 6 months follow-up. The results at the end of treatment, and at 3-month follow-up, show significant reductions in pain-related anxiety, hypervigilance and interference of pain (effect sizes 0.40-0.90). Reduction in pain-related interference and anxiety remained at the 6-month follow-up. The results indicate that attention control skills can be a useful method to reduce anxiety in the short term. Clinical implications of the results are discussed. 1062-1067 November 2009 http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6WF3-4VC745B-1/2/ca6907b49c3ecb19f2c338d6d9107606 2009-11-24 01:54:26 ScienceDirect European Journal of Pain 13 10 DOI 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.12.002 ISSN 1090-3801 <p>Attention management is often included in cognitive-behavioural treatments (CBT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of attention management strategies in the treatment for chronic pain. The present pilot study consisted of six weekly 90-min treatment sessions and was based on a CBT attention management manual describing techniques such as attention diversion, imagery and mindfulness exercises. The intended outcomes were reduction in pain-related anxiety and hypervigilance to pain and decrease in pain impact of everyday life, measured by self-report. Information was collected at baseline, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3 and 6 months follow-up. The results at the end of treatment, and at 3-month follow-up, show significant reductions in pain-related anxiety, hypervigilance and interference of pain (effect sizes 0.40–0.90). Reduction in pain-related interference and anxiety remained at the 6-month follow-up. The results indicate that attention control skills can be a useful method to reduce anxiety in the short term. Clinical implications of the results are discussed.</p> journalArticle Livingston Kimberly A. Cummings Anne L. CAREER education LABOR market LABOR supply PROFESSIONAL education SPIRITUAL life spirituality Spirituality and Young Women in Transition: A Preliminary Investigation. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about spirituality and life transitions Through qualitative investigation, 9 young women in professional education programs described their definition of spirituality, their spiritual activities, and hew they used their spirituality to cope with life transitions as they prepared to enter the workforce. These women viewed spirituality as including connectedness and a special relationship with a Being outside of themselves Their spiritual activities were private and nontraditional (e.g, meditation, prayer, being in nature), and most of them reported that their spirituality helped them deal with their life transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 224-235 April 2009 Spirituality and Young Women in Transition EBSCOhost Counseling & Values 53 3 ISSN 01607960 journalArticle Hammond D Corydon Hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety- and stress-related disorders Self-hypnosis training represents a rapid, cost-effective, nonaddictive and safe alternative to medication for the treatment of anxiety-related conditions. Here we provide a review of the experimental literature on the use of self-hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders, including anxiety associated with cancer, surgery, burns and medical/dental procedures. An overview of research is also provided with regard to self-hypnotic treatment of anxiety-related disorders, such as tension headaches, migraines and irritable bowel syndrome. The tremendous volume of research provides compelling evidence that hypnosis is an efficacious treatment for state anxiety (e.g., prior to tests, surgery and medical procedures) and anxiety-related disorders, such as headaches and irritable bowel syndrome. Although six studies demonstrate changes in trait anxiety, this review recommends that further randomized controlled outcome studies are needed on the hypnotic treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and in documenting changes in trait anxiety. Recommendations are made for selecting clinical referral sources. 263-273 Feb 2010 2010-03-04 14:03:56 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20136382 Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics 10 2 Expert Rev Neurother DOI 10.1586/ern.09.140 ISSN 1744-8360 journalArticle Linden S C Harris M Whitaker C Healy D Religion and psychosis: the effects of the Welsh religious revival in 1904-1905 BACKGROUND: Psychotic symptoms have been linked to religious experience, but empirical evidence is scarce. We have investigated the impact of the Welsh religious revival (RR) of 1904-1905 on the number of admissions to the regional psychiatric hospital, their diagnostic features and lifelong course. METHOD: All case-notes of patients admitted to the North Wales Hospital between 1902 and 1907 were included. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in admissions for brief polymorphic psychoses (BPP; ICD-10: F23.0 and F23.1) in the revival years, but the number of first admissions for other mental disorders did not change. The vast majority of BPP admissions were linked to a revival meeting and did not result in further admissions. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive religious experience can lead to transient psychotic episodes. Our data also support the view that BPP triggered by life events rarely lead to chronic mental illness, distinguishing them from other psychoses and supporting the validity of the concept of reactive psychosis. 1317-1323 Aug 2010 Religion and psychosis 2010-09-14 01:06:13 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19917147 Psychological Medicine 40 8 Psychol Med DOI 10.1017/S0033291709991917 ISSN 1469-8978 journalArticle Kreitzer Mary Jo Gross Cynthia R Waleekhachonloet On-anong Reilly-Spong Maryanne Byrd Marcia Adaptation, Psychological Adult Aged Attitude to Health Female Holistic Health Holistic Nursing Humans Male Middle Aged Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical Nursing Methodology Research Personality Assessment Psychometrics Quality of Life spirituality United States The brief serenity scale: a psychometric analysis of a measure of spirituality and well-being PURPOSE: This article describes a factor analysis of a 22-item version of the Serenity Scale, a tool that measures spirituality and well-being. METHOD: A sample of 87 participants, enrolled in a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial examining the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction on symptom management post-solid organ transplantation, completed the abbreviated instrument. FINDINGS: Exploratory factor analysis yielded three subscales: acceptance, inner haven, and trust. The Serenity Scale was positively associated with positive affect and mindful awareness and inversely related to negative affect, anxiety, depression, health distress and transplant-related stress. CONCLUSIONS: Serenity, a dimension of spirituality that is secular and distinct from religious orientation or religiosity, shows promise as a tool that could be used to measure outcomes of nursing interventions that improve health and well-being. IMPLICATIONS: Spirituality is recognized as being an essential component of holistic nursing practice. As nurses expand their use of spiritual interventions, it is important to document outcomes related to nursing care. The Serenity Scale appears to capture a dimension of spirituality, a state of acceptance, inner haven and trust that is distinct from other spirituality instruments. 7-16 Mar 2009 The brief serenity scale 2011-02-23 00:56:28 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19176898 Journal of Holistic Nursing: Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association 27 1 J Holist Nurs DOI 10.1177/0898010108327212 ISSN 0898-0101 journalArticle The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 J Am Acad Psychoanal Dyn Psychiatry DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.111 ISSN 1546-0371 Mackenna Christopher Adult Christianity Communication Conflict (Psychology) Countertransference (Psychology) Culture Female Humans Psychoanalytic Interpretation Psychoanalytic Therapy Religion and Psychology Transference (Psychology) The mutual redemption of divine and human being A clinical experience with a religiously-minded patient is presented, in which an unthinking observation made by the analyst-based on the mistaken belief that he and his patient had evolved a shared God language-proved nearly catastrophic for the work. Subsequent analysis revealed the complicated intertwining of maternal and paternal material in previously unconscious aspects of the patient's god image. Analysis of these components and greater understanding of transference dynamics brought limited therapeutic gains, until the patient was able to overcome her resistance to speaking about a core sexual fantasy. This achievement was the prelude to a vision that revealed the common root of her sexual and spiritual eros. Working through these understandings led both to greater personal integration and to the "humanizing" of her primitive god image. 111-122 2009 2011-02-23 00:20:49 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19364263 journalArticle Thompson Nancy J. Walker Elizabeth Reisinger Obolensky Natasha Winning Ashley Barmon Christina DiIorio Colleen Compton Michael T. Cognitive behavioral therapy Depression Distance delivery Epilepsy Mindfulness Distance delivery of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: Project UPLIFT This study evaluated the efficacy of a newly developed, home-based depression intervention for people with epilepsy. Based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), the eight-session, weekly intervention was designed for group delivery via the Internet or telephone. Forty participants were randomly assigned to intervention or waitlist. Depressive symptoms and other outcomes were measured at baseline, after intervening in the intervention group (~ 8 weeks), and after intervening in the waitlist group (~ 16 weeks). Depressive symptoms decreased significantly more in the intervention group than the waitlist group; Internet and telephone did not differ. This effect persisted over the 8 weeks when those waitlisted received the intervention. Knowledge/skills increased significantly more in the intervention than the waitlist group. All other changes, though not significant, were in the expected direction. Findings indicate that distance delivery of group MBCT can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression in people with epilepsy. Directions for future research are proposed. 247-254 November 2010 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6WDT-512DT02-1/2/5b396892e9a3c6b160754f8c2af67aea 2010-12-14 01:35:46 Epilepsy & Behavior 19 3 DOI 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.07.031 ISSN 1525-5050 journalArticle Journal of Religion and Health 49 3 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-009-9248-8 ISSN 0022-4197 Lizardi D. Gearing R. E. Religion and Suicide: Buddhism, Native American and African Religions, Atheism, and Agnosticism Research has repeatedly demonstrated that religiosity can potentially serve as a protective factor against suicidal behavior. A clear understanding of the influence of religion on suicidality is required to more fully assess for the risk of suicide. The databases PsycINFO and MEDLINE were used to search peer-reviewed journals prior to 2008 focusing on religion and suicide. Articles focusing on suicidality across Buddhism, Native American and African religions, as well as on the relationship among Atheism, Agnosticism, and suicide were utilized for this review. Practice recommendations are offered for conducting accurate assessment of religiosity as it relates to suicidality in these populations. Given the influence of religious beliefs on suicide, it is important to examine each major religious group for its unique conceptualization and position on suicide to accurately identify a client’s suicide risk. 377-384 4/2010 Religion and Suicide 2010-10-07 00:56:50 CrossRef journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 65 2 J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1002/jclp.20568 ISSN 1097-4679 Dwairy Marwan Arabs Culture depression Humans ISLAM Male Metaphor Outcome Assessment (Health Care) Prognosis Psychotherapy Young Adult Culture analysis and metaphor psychotherapy with Arab-Muslim clients Attempting to reveal unconscious content and promoting self-actualization may be counterproductive for clients who come from collectivistic cultures. Such treatment goals may expose clients to harsh confrontations with the family. Clients with dependency traits, low ego-strength, and strict families may be helped through metaphor psychotherapy or culture analysis. Metaphor therapy makes it possible to deal symbolically and indirectly with unconscious content; culture analysis can pave the way to reveal unconscious needs and enable clients to establish a new order within their belief systems and within their families. The present article describes these two therapy methods and illustrates their clinical use with an Arab-Muslim suffering from depression. Through such therapy anchored in his own culture and religion, the client altered his beliefs, became satisfied with himself, and found successful ways to adapt to his family. 199-209 Feb 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19061250 2011-03-28 22:18:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19061250 journalArticle The British Journal of Clinical Psychology / the British Psychological Society 49 Pt 3 Br J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1348/014466509X455209 ISSN 0144-6657 Crane Catherine Barnhofer Thorsten Hargus Emily Amarasinghe Myanthi Winder Rosie The relationship between dispositional mindfulness and conditional goal setting in depressed patients OBJECTIVES: This study explored the association between conditional goal setting (CGS; the tendency to view the achievement of high order goals for the self as conditional upon the achievement of lower order goals) and dispositional mindfulness. DESIGN/METHODS: CGS and dispositional mindfulness were assessed in 31 depressed patients in a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: A significant association was identified between increased dispositional mindfulness and reduced CGS, which remained after controlling for severity of depressed mood. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that treatment interventions that increase levels of mindful awareness may have the capacity to reduce CGS in depressed patients. 281-290 Sep 2010 2010-10-07 00:45:43 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19558756 journalArticle Gilligan Philip attitudes Beliefs CHILD abuse child protection Child Welfare Protective Services religion Religious Beliefs safeguarding work Safety Considering religion and beliefs in child protection and safeguarding work: Is any consensus emerging? Diverse, but significant, phenomena have combined to raise both the profile of issues related to religion and child abuse and the need for professionals to understand and respond appropriately to them. The nature of some of these issues is explored and attempts made to clarify them. Data collected by the author primarily from questionnaires completed by professionals involved in child protection and safeguarding work are analysed and discussed. Some patterns are identified and explored. Finally, it is suggested that, despite the apparent emergence of a more general recognition and acknowledgement of these issues amongst many professionals, relevant day-to-day practice remains largely dependent on individual views and attitudes. Moreover, practitioners are able to continue with 'religion-blind' and 'belief-blind' approaches without these being significantly challenged by agency policies or by professional cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 94-110 March 2009 Considering religion and beliefs in child protection and safeguarding work EBSCOhost Child Abuse Review 18 2 DOI 10.1002/car.1059 ISSN 0952-9136 journalArticle McLaughlin S. S. McLaughlin A. D. Van Slyke J. A. Faith and Religious Beliefs in an Outpatient Military Population Background: This study of outpatients at a military medical center seeks to evaluate the extent that this population relies on religion and spirituality to cope with health-related stress. This study also assesses outpatients' desire for spiritual intervention in the context of their medical appointments. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 670 outpatients presenting at a military medical center. Results: The majority of respondents endorsed a Christian religious affiliation (87%), a belief in God (91%), and attendance at religious services at least a few times a month (53%). Respondents who were male, younger than age 43, and on active duty were significantly less likely to attend religious services, believe in God (or a 'higher power'), or rely on religion or spirituality to cope with illness. Outpatients presenting for procedures or treatments were more likely to desire prayer or other religious intervention, as compared to patients who had regular clinic appointments. Conclusions: Compared to the general US population, a higher percentage of this patient population believes in God ( 91% vs. 78%), attends religious services once a week or more (42% vs. 30%), and endorses a Christian religious affiliation (87% vs. 73%). Because one-third of the surveyed outpatients desired prayer or other religious support, we concluded that all outpatients should be explicitly notified of the pastoral care and counseling services that are available for them. 527-531 JUN 2010 2010-07-07 22:17:00 ISI Web of Knowledge Southern Medical Journal 103 6 DOI 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181de0304 ISSN 0038-4348 journalArticle Ai Amy L. Corley Connie S. Peterson Christopher Huang Bu Tice Terrence N. cardiac patients Coping Coping Behavior Heart Surgery prayer private prayer Quality of Life short term quality of life Private prayer and quality of life in cardiac patients: Pathways of cognitive coping and social support. Despite the growing evidence linking faith with health and well-being, national leaders noted the need to explore the mechanism underlying these linkages. The goal of this prospective study was to investigate the psychosocial mechanisms involved in the preoperative use of private prayer for coping and the effects of such act on short-term quality of life (SPQOL) in 294 patients following open-heart surgery. Using established instruments, three interviews were conducted with middle-aged and older patients (average age 62) at two weeks and two days preoperatively, then 36 days postoperatively. The endpoints were assessed with levels of distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and fatigue symptoms. Structural equation modeling was used to test a theoretical model. The final model showed the indirect influence of using prayer for coping on SPQOL through the mediation of cognitive coping and perceived social support. However, this mediation was not observed for behavioral, anger, and avoidant coping. Psychosocial factors may explain the potential role of using prayer for coping on short-term postoperative quality of life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 471-494 May 2009 Private prayer and quality of life in cardiac patients EBSCOhost Social Work in Health Care 48 4 DOI 10.1080/00981380802589829 ISSN 0098-1389 <p>Despite the growing evidence linking faith with health and well-being, national leaders noted the need to explore the mechanism underlying these linkages. The goal of this prospective study was to investigate the psychosocial mechanisms involved in the preoperative use of private prayer for coping and the effects of such act on short-term quality of life (SPQOL) in 294 patients following open-heart surgery. Using established instruments, three interviews were conducted with middle-aged and older patients (average age 62) at two weeks and two days preoperatively, then 36 days postoperatively. The endpoints were assessed with levels of distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and fatigue symptoms. Structural equation modeling was used to test a theoretical model. The final model showed the indirect influence of using prayer for coping on SPQOL through the mediation of cognitive coping and perceived social support. However, this mediation was not observed for behavioral, anger, and avoidant coping. Psychosocial factors may explain the potential role of using prayer for coping on short-term postoperative quality of life.</p> journalArticle Hoga Luiza Akiko Komura Tibúrcio Cristiane Alves Borges Ana Luiza Vilela Reberte Luciana Magnoni Religiosity and Sexuality: Experiences of Brazilian Catholic Women The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of a group of Catholic women related to the orientations received from priests and parents and their influence on sexual attitudes. The oral history method was used to interview 17 Catholic women. Three categories summarize women's experiences: orientations about sexuality received from priests; lack of orientation or existence of open dialogue about sexuality: distinct experiences in the family context; adherence or repudiation; and distinct attitudes toward orientations received. Health professionals systematically should seek knowledge about women's religious principles, because this is essential for meaningful and ethical health care. 700-717 8/2010 http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&doi=10.1080/07399332.2010.486881&magic=crossref||D404A21C5BB053405B1A640AFFD44AE3 Health Care for Women International 31 8 Hlth. Care for Women Int. DOI 10.1080/07399332.2010.486881 ISSN 0739-9332 journalArticle International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 39 2 Int J Psychiatry Med ISSN 0091-2174 Nakhaee Nouzar Divsalar Kouros Jadidi Nadjme Adolescent Cross-Sectional Studies Female Humans Iran ISLAM Male Odds Ratio Questionnaires Religion and Psychology Smoking Socioeconomic Factors Students Young Adult Religious involvement and cigarette smoking among Iranian university students OBJECTIVES: To find out the prevalence of cigarette smoking in a group of Iranian Muslim students and also to find out if there is a relationship between religious practices and cigarette smoking. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 950 university students in Kerman, Iran were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions on demographic data, cigarette smoking, and religious practices. It was explained that the study was anonymous and voluntary, and confidentiality was assured. RESULTS: All 833 subjects who participated in the study were Muslims, 54.1% of whom were female and 89.3% were single. Approximately 40% of male students and 5.8% of the female ones were smokers. Based on bivariate analysis, some differences were noted in the prevalence of smoking according to gender, marital status, income, average university scores, close friend's smoking, parental smoking, reading the Quran, saying prayers, mosque attendance, and fasting. Using multivariate analysis, male gender, higher income, lower average exam scores, and close friend's smoking being associated with the likelihood to smoke cigarettes. The odds ratio for cigarette smoking in the upper tertile compared with those in the lower tertile of religious activity was 0.53 (CI 95% 0.33-0.84). CONCLUSION: Religious activities may have a protective role against cigarette smoking among Muslim college students in the country. 189-198 2009 2011-02-22 23:35:31 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19860077 journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 67 4 DOI 10.1002/jclp.20776 ISSN 00219762 Chiesa Alberto Malinowski Peter Behavior Therapy BUDDHIST meditations MEDITATION -- Therapeutic use Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Neurobiology stress management Mindfulness-based approaches: are they all the same? Mindfulness-based approaches are increasingly employed as interventions for treating a variety of psychological, psychiatric and physical problems. Such approaches include ancient Buddhist mindfulness meditations such as Vipassana and Zen meditations, modern group-based standardized meditations, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and further psychological interventions, such as dialectical behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. We review commonalities and differences of these interventions regarding philosophical background, main techniques, aims, outcomes, neurobiology and psychological mechanisms. In sum, the currently applied mindfulness-based interventions show large differences in the way mindfulness is conceptualized and practiced. The decision to consider such practices as unitary or as distinct phenomena will probably influence the direction of future research. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1-21, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 404-424 April 2011 Mindfulness-based approaches EBSCOhost journalArticle Herrera Angelica P Lee Jerry W Nanyonjo Rebecca D Laufman Larry E Torres-Vigil Isabel Activities of Daily Living Adaptation, Psychological Adult Aged California Caregivers Disabled Persons Female Health Status Humans Interviews as Topic Male mental health Mexican Americans Middle Aged Regression Analysis Religion and Psychology Stress, Psychological Young Adult Religious coping and caregiver well-being in Mexican-American families OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the association of religious and spiritual coping with multiple measures of well-being in Latinos caring for older relatives with long-term or permanent disability, either with or without dementia. METHODS: Using a multi-dimensional survey instrument, we conducted in-home interviews with 66 predominantly Mexican-American Catholic family caregivers near the US-Mexico border. We assessed caregivers' intrinsic, organizational and non-organizational religiosity with the Duke Religiosity Index, as well as Pargament's brief positive and negative spiritual coping scale to determine the association of religiosity with caregivers' mental and physical health, depressive symptomatology and perceived burden. RESULTS: Using regression analysis, we controlled for sociocultural factors (e.g. familism, acculturation), other forms of formal and informal support, care recipients' functional status and characteristics of the caregiving dyad. Intrinsic and organizational religiosity was associated with lower perceived burden, while non-organizational religiosity was associated with poorer mental health. Negative religious coping (e.g. feelings that the caregiver burden is a punishment) predicted greater depression. CONCLUSION: Measures of well-being should be evaluated in relation to specific styles of religious and spiritual coping, given our range of findings. Further investigation is warranted regarding how knowledge of the positive and negative associations between religiosity and caregiving may assist healthcare providers in supporting Latino caregivers. 84-91 Jan 2009 2011-02-23 00:52:55 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19197693 Aging & Mental Health 13 1 Aging Ment Health DOI 10.1080/13607860802154507 ISSN 1364-6915 journalArticle Sharplin Greg R Jones Simeon B W Hancock Barbara Knott Vikki E Bowden Jacqueline A Whitford Hayley S Adaptation, Psychological Adult Anxiety Causality Cognition Cognitive Therapy Comorbidity depression Humans Male Meditation Middle Aged Neoplasms Prospective Studies Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Psychotherapy, Group Quality of Life Severity of Illness Index social support South Australia Treatment Outcome Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: an efficacious community-based group intervention for depression and anxiety in a sample of cancer patients OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of an 8-week structured mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program on individuals experiencing distress as a consequence of cancer. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Prospective study of 16 participants with a history of cancer and five carers of people with cancer recruited from August 2008 to February 2009 through calls to the Cancer Council South Australia Helpline. Participants were assessed for anxiety and depression before and after undergoing a course in MBCT between 30 September and 18 November 2008 and 20 February and 10 April 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Depression, anxiety and mindfulness as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), respectively, and a consumer-centred evaluation. RESULTS There were significant reductions in depression (F[1,24] = 6.37; P = 0.012; partial-eta2 = 0.27) and anxiety (F[2,34] = 9.43; P = 0.001, partial-eta2 = 0.36) and mindfulness (F[2,32] = 8.36; P = 0.001; partial-eta2 = 0.34) following the intervention, and these effects were sustained at the 3-month follow-up. Reliable change indices further support these findings. Participants' scores on measures of depression and anxiety decreased as a function of increased mindfulness, as reflected by significant (P < 0.05) negative correlations between FMI scores and BDI-II scores (ranging from r = -0.46 to r = -0.79) and STAI scores (ranging from r = -0.46 to r = -0.50) scores at all time points. CONCLUSION The MBCT program appears to be an efficacious intervention for use among people affected by cancer who also experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. S79-82 Sep 6, 2010 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21542452 2011-06-08 22:59:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21542452 The Medical Journal of Australia 193 5 Suppl Med. J. Aust ISSN 0025-729X journalArticle Jeng Chin-Ming Cheng Tzu-Chieh Kung Ching-Huei Hsu Hue-Chen Yoga and disc degenerative disease in cervical and lumbar spine: an MR imaging-based case control study The objective of the current study was to find out whether yoga practice was beneficial to the spine by comparing degenerative disc disease in the spines of long-time yoga practitioners and non-yoga practicing controls, using an objective measurement tool, magnetic resonance imaging. This matched case-control study comprised 18 yoga instructors with teaching experience of more than 10 years and 18 non-yoga practicing asymptomatic individuals randomly selected from a health checkup database. A validated grading scale was used to grade the condition of cervical and lumbar discs seen in magnetic resonance imaging of the spine, and the resulting data analyzed statistically. The mean number of years of yoga practice for the yoga group was 12.9 ± 7.5. The overall (cervical + lumbar) disc scores of the yoga group were significantly lower (indicating less degenerative disc disease) than those of the control group (P < 0.001). The scores for the cervical vertebral discs of the yoga group were also significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.001), while the lower scores for the yoga group in the lumbar group approached, but did not reach, statistical significance (P = 0.055). The scores for individual discs of yoga practitioners showed significantly less degenerative disease at three disc levels, C3/C4, L2/L3 and L3/L4 (P < 0.05). Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the group of long-term practitioners of yoga studied had significantly less degenerative disc disease than a matched control group. 408-413 Mar 2011 Yoga and disc degenerative disease in cervical and lumbar spine http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20711844 2011-04-04 23:48:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20711844 European Spine Journal: Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society 20 3 Eur Spine J DOI 10.1007/s00586-010-1547-y ISSN 1432-0932 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 5 Mental Hlth., Religion & Culture DOI 10.1080/13674670802637643 ISSN 1367-4676 AlMarri Tayyiba Oei Tian Al-Adawi Samir The development of the Short Muslim Practice and Belief Scale The authors developed a measure of religious practices and beliefs for Muslims, the “Short Muslim Practice and Belief Scale,” and tested its validity with surveys of Arab Muslims living the United Arab Emirates and Oman (N = 611) and Asian Muslims living in Malaysia and Indonesia (N = 303). Analysis of the results indicates that the data fit the model well, with good internal consistency and validity. 415-426 7/2009 http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&doi=10.1080/13674670802637643&magic=crossref||D404A21C5BB053405B1A640AFFD44AE3 journalArticle Alcorn Sara R Balboni Michael J Prigerson Holly G Reynolds Amy Phelps Andrea C Wright Alexi A Block Susan D Peteet John R Kachnic Lisa A Balboni Tracy A "If God wanted me yesterday, I wouldn't be here today": religious and spiritual themes in patients' experiences of advanced cancer BACKGROUND: This study sought to inductively derive core themes of religion and/or spirituality (R/S) active in patients' experiences of advanced cancer to inform the development of spiritual care interventions in the terminally ill cancer setting. METHODS: This is a multisite, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study of randomly-selected patients with advanced cancer (n = 68). Scripted interviews assessed the role of R/S and R/S concerns encountered in the advanced cancer experience. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed. Theme extraction was performed with interdisciplinary input (sociology of religion, medicine, theology), utilizing grounded theory. Spearman correlations determined the degree of association between R/S themes. Predictors of R/S concerns were assessed using linear regression and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Most participants (n = 53, 78%) stated that R/S had been important to the cancer experience. In descriptions of how R/S was related to the cancer experience, five primary R/S themes emerged: coping, practices, beliefs, transformation, and community. Most interviews (75%) contained two or more R/S themes, with 45% mentioning three or more R/S themes. Multiple significant subtheme interrelationships were noted between the primary R/S themes. Most participants (85%) identified 1 or more R/S concerns, with types of R/S concerns spanning the five R/S themes. Younger, more religious, and more spiritual patients identified R/S concerns more frequently (beta = -0.11, p < 0.001; beta = 0.83, p = 0.03; and beta = 0.89, p = 0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: R/S plays a variety of important and inter-related roles for most advanced cancer patients. Future research is needed to determine how spiritual care can incorporate these five themes and address R/S concerns. 581-588 May 2010 "If God wanted me yesterday, I wouldn't be here today" 2010-06-04 13:28:33 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20408763 Journal of Palliative Medicine 13 5 J Palliat Med DOI 10.1089/jpm.2009.0343 ISSN 1557-7740 <p>This study sought to inductively derive core themes of religion and/or spirituality (R/S) active in patients' experiences of advanced cancer to inform the development of spiritual care interventions in the terminally ill cancer setting. The authors concluded that R/S plays a variety of important and inter-related roles for most advanced cancer patients. Future research is needed to determine how spiritual care can incorporate these five themes and address R/S concerns.</p> journalArticle Psychological Reports 108 1 Psychol Rep ISSN 0033-2941 Abdel-Khalek Ahmed M Adolescent Adult Cross-Cultural Comparison Egypt Female Humans ISLAM Male Personal Satisfaction Personality Inventory Psychometrics Quality of Life Religion and Psychology spirituality Students Young Adult Subjective well-being and religiosity in Egyptian college students A sample of 224 Egyptian college students (101 men, 123 women) was recruited. Their ages ranged from 17 to 29 years (M = 18.9, SD = 1.5). They responded to the Arabic versions of the Oxford Happiness Inventory, the Love of Life Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, as well as five separate single-item self-rating scales assessing physical health, mental health, happiness, satisfaction, and religiosity. All correlations between the measures and rating scales of subjective well-being and religiosity were statistically significant and positive, the largest between satisfaction and religiosity. Only one factor was retained in principal components factor analysis of the correlation matrix and labeled "Well-being and religiosity." It was concluded that religious persons in the present sample reported higher subjective well-being. 54-58 Feb 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21526591 2011-06-08 22:56:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21526591 journalArticle Sherman Allen C Plante Thomas G Simonton Stephanie Latif Umaira Anaissie Elias J Adaptation, Psychological Female Humans Male Middle Aged Models, Statistical Multiple Myeloma Prospective Studies Regression Analysis Religion and Medicine Religion and Psychology Stem Cell Transplantation Transplantation, Autologous Treatment Outcome Prospective study of religious coping among patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation Considerable attention has focused on relationships between religious or spiritual coping and health outcomes among cancer patients. However, few studies have differentiated among discrete dimensions of religious coping, and there have been surprisingly few prospective investigations. Negative or conflicted aspects of religious coping, in particular, represent a compelling area for investigation. This prospective study examined negative religious coping, positive religious coping, and general religious orientation among 94 myeloma patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation. Participants were assessed during stem cell collection, and again in the immediate aftermath of transplantation, when risks for morbidity are most elevated. Outcomes included Brief Symptom Inventory anxiety and depression and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMI) scales. Negative religious coping at baseline predicted worse post-transplant anxiety, depression, emotional well-being, and transplant-related concerns, after controlling for outcome scores at baseline and other significant covariates. Post-transplant physical well-being was predicted by an interaction between baseline positive and negative religious coping. Results suggest that religious struggle may contribute to adverse changes in health outcomes for transplant patients, and highlight the importance of negative or strained religious responses to illness. 118-128 Feb 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18855130 2011-03-28 22:23:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 18855130 Journal of Behavioral Medicine 32 1 J Behav Med DOI 10.1007/s10865-008-9179-y ISSN 0160-7715 journalArticle Glicksman Allen Koropeckyj-Cox Tanya Aging among Jewish Americans: implications for understanding religion, ethnicity, and service needs PURPOSE: This article challenges popular conceptions of the nature of ethnicity and religiousness in the gerontological literature. Using the example of older Jewish Americans, the authors argue for more nuanced definitions and usage of terms such as "religion" and "ethnicity" in order to begin to understand the complex interweaving of these two dimensions in the lives of older persons. DESIGN AND METHODS: The analyses used data from the 2000-2001 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS) as well as comparisons with the 1990 NJPS. There were 1,099 respondents aged 65 years and older in the 2000-2001 NJPS who reported themselves to be Jewish. This sample was then split into three groups: those who reported observing only Judaism and were affiliated with a denomination within Judaism (n = 776) or were not affiliated (n = 277) and those who reported observing another faith in addition to Judaism (n = 46). RESULTS: Respondents to the 2000-2001 NJPS were older, wealthier, and less likely to be members of a religious denomination than those in the 1990 NJPS. Denominational affiliates were more likely than the other two groups to have a strong ethnic identity but less likely to indicate that religion was important in their lives. Denomination members were also more likely to be children or grandchildren of immigrants. IMPLICATIONS: Several key assumptions in the study of ethnicity and religiousness in much of current gerontological research need reassessment especially assumptions about the links between religious identification, beliefs, practices, and communal solidarity. 816-827 Dec 2009 Aging among Jewish Americans http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19542519 2009-12-28 17:10:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19542519 The Gerontologist 49 6 Gerontologist DOI 10.1093/geront/gnp070 ISSN 1758-5341 journalArticle Aging & Mental Health 15 2 Aging Ment Health DOI 10.1080/13607863.2010.508771 ISSN 1364-6915 Ng Tze Pin Nyunt Ma Shwe Zin Chiam Peak Chiang Kua Ee Heok Religion, health beliefs and the use of mental health services by the elderly BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated whether elderly people of particular religious affiliations were more or less likely to seek treatment for mental illness, and whether it was related to their health beliefs. METHOD In the National Mental Survey of Elderly Singaporeans in 2004, data were collected on reported religious affiliations, and 1-year prevalence of mental disorders (DSM-IV diagnoses of psychiatric disorders) from diagnostic interviews using the Geriatric Mental State schedule, self-report of treatment for mental health problems, and health beliefs about the curability of mental illness, embarrassment and stigma, ease in discussing mental problems, effectiveness and safety of treatment, and trust in professionals. RESULTS Compared to those with no religious affiliation, elderly people of all religious affiliations showed higher prevalence of mental health problems, yet reported less frequent treatment by healthcare professionals. In multivariate analyses, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of association with seeking treatment were for Christianity, 0.12 (0.02-0.57); Islam, 0.12 (0.01-1.31); Buddhism/Taoism, 0.59 (0.18-1.88); and Hinduism, 0.21 (0.02-2.56) versus no affiliation. Various religious affiliations differ from each other and from non-religious affiliation on some negative health beliefs, but they did not adequately explain why religious affiliates were less likely to seek treatment. CONCLUSION Further studies should evaluate the lower tendency of elderly people with religious affiliations to seek treatment for mental health problems. 143-149 Mar 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20938847 2011-04-04 23:48:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20938847 journalArticle Homan Kristin J. Boyatzis Chris J. Religiosity, Sense of Meaning, and Health Behavior in Older Adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between older adults' religiosity, sense of meaning in life, and health behavior. Three dimensions of religiosity were assessed: religious orientation (intrinsic and extrinsic), sanctification of the body, and relationship with God. Five health behaviors were measured: smoking, exercise, taking responsibility for one's own health, nutritious eating, and stress management. In general, stronger religiosity and sense of meaning were associated with healthier behaviors; however, extrinsic religious orientation was associated with decreased rates of healthy behavior. In regression analyses that controlled for service attendance, sex, age, and education, sense of meaning in life was the construct most consistently related to health behavior. Results support a model in which religion and sense of meaning affect health by motivating certain behaviors that are then tied directly to overall physical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 173-186 Jul-Sep2010 July 2010 2010-07-27 16:42:44 EBSCOhost International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 20 3 DOI 10.1080/10508619.2010.481225 ISSN 10508619 journalArticle Varghese Shainy B Cultural, ethical, and spiritual implications of natural disasters from the survivors' perspective Cultural, ethical, and spiritual implications of disaster depend on various factors. The impact of a disaster on a particular culture depends on the people in that culture and the strength and resilience of the culture. Disasters may slow cultural development; however, typically the customs, beliefs, and value systems remain the same even if the outward expressions of culture change. Critical to survivors is the implication of aid that is culturally sensitive. Ethical questions and dilemmas associated with disasters and their management are profound. Adhering to ethical principles does not solve all of the issues related to disaster management, but awareness of their utility is important. People affected by a disaster may not be capable of responding to human rights violations, so it is the first responders who must be cognizant of their responsibility to protect the victims’ dignity and rights. Ethical treatment of survivors entails a crucial blend of knowledge about ethnic culture, religious beliefs, and human rights. A strong awareness of ethical principles is merely a beginning step to well-informed decision making in disaster situations. The literature also suggests that during a crisis, spirituality helps victims to cope. Important to any catastrophic event is the understanding that every disaster creates unique circumstances that require relief responses tailored to the specific situation. 515-522 Dec 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/21095559 2011-01-18 23:58:44 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21095559 Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America 22 4 Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am DOI 10.1016/j.ccell.2010.09.005 ISSN 1558-3481 journalArticle International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 21 2 DOI 10.1080/10508619.2011.557003 ISSN 10508619 Unterrainer Human-Friedrich Ladenhauf Karl Heinz Wallner-Liebmann Sandra Johanna Fink Andreas Cluster Analysis PERSONALITY -- Religious aspects Personality Assessment RELIGIOUSNESS -- Psychological aspects SENSE of coherence WELL-being -- Religious aspects Different Types of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being in Relation to Personality and Subjective Well-Being. In this study the authors attempt to present different types of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (RSWB) and discuss their relation to personality and psychological well-being. The Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being 48 is employed for this study, which consists of 6 subscales. To find different types of RSWB, an agglomerative cluster analysis on these subscales was performed based on the responses obtained in a nonclinical adult sample (n = 463). A 4-cluster solution was accepted. The clusters were labeled as Religious/Spiritual High, Religiously Oriented, Existentially Oriented, and Religious/Spiritual Low, and were found to be substantially related to Sense of Coherence (n = 263) and Six Factors of Personality (n = 200) in two different subsamples. By presenting a first empirical model for a 4-field typology of RSWB, we hope to further contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to deal with religious/spiritual issues in personality research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 115-126 Apr-Jun2011 April 2011 EBSCOhost journalArticle Pirutinsky Steven Rosen Daniel D Shapiro Safran Rachel Rosmarin David H Adolescent Adult Aged Attitude to Health Culture Family Relations Female Humans Jews Male Mental Disorders Middle Aged OBSESSIVE-compulsive disorder prejudice Rejection (Psychology) Religion and Psychology Social Desirability Social Distance Young Adult Do medical models of mental illness relate to increased or decreased stigmatization of mental illness among orthodox Jews? Research suggests that attributing mental illness to moral causes and perceiving it as dangerous relates to greater stigma, whereas belief in biomedical factors is associated with less. Within the family-centric Orthodox Jewish community, mental illness is perceived as a risk to family functioning and future generations, and is therefore stigmatizing of the individual and their family. Since biomedical models may exacerbate these concerns, we hypothesized that unlike within the general population, biological causal attributions would relate to increased stigma among Orthodox Jews. Consequently, we also examined the attitudinal correlates of stigmatization of obsessive-compulsive disorder within the Orthodox community, as measured by both social distance and family/marriage concerns. Results indicated that, unlike previous research, biological models were associated with greater marriage/family stigma, and did not predict less social distance. This suggests that biomedical approaches may increase salient aspects of stigma within the Orthodox community, and clinical practice should be sensitive to these concerns. 508-512 Jul 2010 2010-07-27 16:00:09 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20611054 The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 198 7 J. Nerv. Ment. Dis DOI 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181e07d99 ISSN 1539-736X journalArticle Winter Urs Hauri Dimitri Huber Stefan Jenewein Josef Schnyder Ulrich Kraemer Bernd Adaptation, Psychological Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Anxiety Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies Culture Depressive Disorder Female Humans Life Change Events Male Middle Aged Personality Inventory Quality of Life Religion and Psychology Resilience, Psychological spirituality Switzerland Young Adult The psychological outcome of religious coping with stressful life events in a Swiss sample of church attendees BACKGROUND: Recent research suggested that religious coping, based on dispositional religiousness and spirituality (R/S), is an important modulating factor in the process of dealing with adversity. In contrast to the United States, the effect of R/S on psychological adjustment to stress is a widely unexplored area in Europe. METHODS: We examined a Swiss sample of 328 church attendees in the aftermath of stressful life events to explore associations of positive or negative religious coping with the psychological outcome. Applying a cross-sectional design, we used Huber's Centrality Scale to specify religiousness and Pargament's measure of religious coping (RCOPE) for the assessment of positive and negative religious coping. Depressive symptoms and anxiety as outcome variables were examined by the Brief Symptom Inventory. The Stress-Related Growth Scale and the Marburg questionnaire for the assessment of well-being were used to assess positive outcome aspects. We conducted Mann-Whitney tests for group comparisons and cumulative logit analysis for the assessment of associations of religious coping with our outcome variables. RESULTS: Both forms of religious coping were positively associated with stress-related growth (p < 0.01). However, negative religious coping additionally reduced well-being (p = 0.05, beta = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.27-0.99) and increased anxiety (p = 0.02, beta = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.10-3.39) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.01, beta = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.27-4.06). CONCLUSIONS: The effects of religious coping on the psychological adjustment to stressful life events seem relevant. These findings should be confirmed in prospective studies. 240-244 2009 2011-02-23 00:04:38 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19468258 Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 78 4 Psychother Psychosom DOI 10.1159/000219523 ISSN 1423-0348 journalArticle Harrawood Laura K Adult Anxiety Attitude to Death Comorbidity Denial (Psychology) Female Humans Job Satisfaction Male Middle Aged Mortuary Practice Occupational Diseases Questionnaires spirituality United States Measuring spirituality, religiosity, and denial in individuals working in funeral service to predict death anxiety The aim of the present study was to examine predictors of death anxiety in U.S. funeral directors/embalmers who were part of a larger study (n = 234). Backward stepwise multiple regression was conducted to determine whether or not spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, and denial predicted levels of death anxiety. Results indicated that spirituality along with age of the participants accounted for 19% of the variance of death anxiety, R2 = .190, R2(adj) = .180, F(2, 168) = 19.64, p < .001. Intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, and denial were not significant in the regression model. Several items, however, in the model had a significant positive correlation with each other at the .01 alpha level including spirituality with intrinsic religiosity (r = .63) and age (r = .21), and intrinsic religiosity with denial (r = .22) and age (r = .24). Other variables correlated negatively with one another at the .01 alpha level. Namely, death anxiety with spirituality (-.38), intrinsic religiosity (r = -.36), and age (-.28); spirituality with extrinsic religiosity (-.22); intrinsic religiosity with extrinsic religiosity (-.45); and extrinsic religiosity with age (r = -.19). Limitations of the study and implications for practice were discussed. 129-142 2009-2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20222233 2011-03-28 22:18:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20222233 Omega 60 2 Omega (Westport) ISSN 0030-2228 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 1 DOI 10.1080/13674670903131843 ISSN 1367-4676 Aird Rosemary L. Scott James G. McGrath John Najman Jake M. Al Mamun Abdullah Is the New Age phenomenon connected to delusion-like experiences? Analysis of survey data from Australia Recent studies have shown that delusion-like experiences (DLEs) are common among general populations. This study investigates whether the prevalence of these experiences are linked to the embracing of New Age thought. Logistic regression analyses were performed using data derived from a large community sample of young adults (N = 3777). Belief in a spiritual or higher power other than God was found to be significantly associated with endorsement of 16 of 19 items from Peters et al. (1999b) Delusional Inventory following adjustment for a range of potential confounders, while belief in God was associated with endorsement of four items. A New Age conception of the divine appears to be strongly associated with a wide range of DLEs. Further research is needed to determine a causal link between New Age philosophy and DLEs (e.g. thought disturbance, suspiciousness, and delusions of grandeur). 37 2010 Is the New Age phenomenon connected to delusion-like experiences? http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/13674670903131843 2010-01-11 20:24:57 Informaworld journalArticle Neuman Michelle E Addressing Children's Beliefs Through Fowler's Stages of Faith Knowledge of child development, including faith development, is important in providing holistic care to the child. Pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners may be inadequately prepared to meet the spiritual needs of children in developmentally appropriate ways. This article demonstrates why it is necessary to asses a child's or an adolescent's religious and spiritual beliefs and when and how a nurse intervenes. Modeled here is one way in which pediatric nurses can effectively combine their knowledge of child development and Fowler's theory of faith development to address the child and adolescent's spiritual needs. 44-50 Jan 2011 2011-02-13 15:16:11 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21256411 Journal of Pediatric Nursing 26 1 J Pediatr Nurs DOI 10.1016/j.pedn.2009.09.002 ISSN 1532-8449 journalArticle The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 J Am Acad Psychoanal Dyn Psychiatry DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.175 ISSN 1546-0371 Rizzuto Ana-María Adult Christianity dreams Ego Female Humans Individuation Parent-Child Relations Personal Space Psychoanalytic Interpretation Psychoanalytic Therapy Religion and Psychology spirituality Transference (Psychology) Sacred space, analytic space, the self, and god Parental figures influence the type of religious experiences a person may have. Clinical material from the analysis of a young woman documents the importance of having an actual sacred space in which one can be oneself in religious life and a psychoanalytic space during treatment to progressively experience oneself. 175-188 2009 2011-02-23 00:20:33 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19364268 journalArticle Shahidi Mahvash Mojtahed Ali Modabbernia Amirhossein Mojtahed Mohammad Shafiabady Abdollah Delavar Ali Honari Habib Laughter yoga versus group exercise program in elderly depressed women: a randomized controlled trial BACKGROUND Laughter Yoga founded by M. Kataria is a combination of unconditioned laughter and yogic breathing. Its effect on mental and physical aspects of healthy individuals was shown to be beneficial. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Kataria's Laughter Yoga and group exercise therapy in decreasing depression and increasing life satisfaction in older adult women of a cultural community of Tehran, Iran. METHODS Seventy depressed old women who were members of a cultural community of Tehran were chosen by Geriatric depression scale (score>10). After completion of Life Satisfaction Scale pre-test and demographic questionnaire, subjects were randomized into three groups of laughter therapy, exercise therapy, and control. Subsequently, depression post-test and life satisfaction post-test were done for all three groups. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Bonferroni's correction. RESULTS Sixty subjects completed the study. The analysis revealed a significant difference in decrease in depression scores of both Laughter Yoga and exercise therapy group in comparison to control group (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference between Laughter Yoga and exercise therapy groups. The increase in life satisfaction of Laughter Yoga group showed a significant difference in comparison with control group (p<0.001). No significant difference was found between exercise therapy and either control or Laughter Yoga group. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that Laughter Yoga is at least as effective as group exercise program in improvement of depression and life satisfaction of elderly depressed women. 322-327 Mar 2011 Laughter yoga versus group exercise program in elderly depressed women http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20848578 2011-04-04 23:48:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20848578 International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 26 3 Int J Geriatr Psychiatry DOI 10.1002/gps.2545 ISSN 1099-1166 journalArticle Josipovic Zoran Duality and nonduality in meditation research The great variety of meditation techniques found in different contemplative traditions presents a challenge when attempting to create taxonomies based on the constructs of contemporary cognitive sciences. In the current issue of Consciousness and Cognition, Travis and Shear add 'automatic self-transcending' to the previously proposed categories of 'focused attention' and 'open monitoring', and suggest characteristic EEG bands as the defining criteria for each of the three categories. Accuracy of current taxonomies and potential limitations of EEG measurements as classifying criteria are discussed. 1119-1121; discussion 1122-1123 2010 December 2011-01-18 23:58:39 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20385506 Consciousness and Cognition 19 4 Conscious Cogn DOI 10.1016/j.concog.2010.03.016 ISSN 1090-2376 journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 65 6 J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1002/jclp.20555 ISSN 1097-4679 Carmody James Baer Ruth A Adult Awareness Humans Outcome Assessment (Health Care) Patient Compliance Psychotherapy Relaxation Therapy Social Control, Informal Stress, Psychological Time Factors How long does a mindfulness-based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress The mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program was designed to be long enough for participants to grasp the principles of self-regulation through mindfulness and develop skill and autonomy in mindfulness practice. It traditionally consists of 26 hours of session time including eight classes of 2-1/2 hours and an all-day class. The circumstances of some groups exclude them from participating in this standard form and a number of trials have evaluated programs with abbreviated class time. If lower program time demands can lead to similar outcomes in psychological functioning, it would support their utility in these settings and might lead to greater participation. However, the effect of variation in class hours on outcomes has not been systematically studied. To obtain preliminary information related to this question we examined effect sizes for psychological outcome variables in published studies of MBSR, some of which had adapted the standard number of class hours. The correlation between mean effect size and number of in-class hours was nonsignificant for both clinical and nonclinical samples and suggests that adaptations that include less class time may be worthwhile for populations for whom reduction of psychological distress is an important goal and for whom longer time commitment may be a barrier to their ability or willingness to participate. However, the standard MBSR format has accrued the most empirical support for its efficacy and session time may be important to the development of other kinds of program outcomes. The result points to the importance of empirical studies systematically examining this question. 627-638 Jun 2009 How long does a mindfulness-based stress reduction program need to be? 2011-02-23 00:32:13 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19309694 journalArticle Aging & Mental Health 15 3 Aging Ment Health DOI 10.1080/13607863.2010.519326 ISSN 1364-6915 Stanley Melinda A Bush Amber L Camp Mary E Jameson John P Phillips Laura L Barber Catherine R Zeno Darrell Lomax James W Cully Jeffrey A Older adults' preferences for religion/spirituality in treatment for anxiety and depression Objectives: To examine patient preferences for incorporating religion and/or spirituality into therapy for anxiety or depression and examine the relations between patient preferences and religious and spiritual coping styles, beliefs and behaviors. Method: Participants (66 adults, 55 years or older, from earlier studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy for late-life anxiety and/or depression in primary care) completed these measures by telephone or in-person: Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Client Attitudes Toward Spirituality in Therapy, Patient Interview, Brief Religious Coping, Religious Problem Solving Scale, Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith, and Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality. Spearman's rank-order correlations and ordinal logistic regression examined religious/spiritual variables as predictors of preferences for inclusion of religion or spirituality into counseling. Results: Most participants (77-83%) preferred including religion and/or spirituality in therapy for anxiety and depression. Participants who thought it was important to include religion or spirituality in therapy reported more positive religious-based coping, greater strength of religious faith, and greater collaborative and less self-directed problem-solving styles than participants who did not think it was important. Conclusion: For individuals like most participants in this study (Christians), incorporating spirituality/religion into counseling for anxiety and depression was desirable. 334-343 Apr 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21491218 2011-05-09 23:02:13 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21491218 journalArticle The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 58 2 Int J Clin Exp Hypn DOI 10.1080/00207140903523228 ISSN 1744-5183 Yapko Michael D Hypnotically catalyzing experiential learning across treatments for depression: actions can speak louder than moods A number of psychotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of major depression have received empirical support in the literature, most notably cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapies. Recent studies have shown the therapeutic value of the behavioral activation component of such interventions. Depressed individuals actively learning and applying new skills on their own behalf is widely considered a critical component of recovery. This article describes the use of hypnosis to catalyze experiential learning and to encourage behavioral activation in the depressed client by directly addressing and transforming cognitive and perceptual patterns that can impede such behavioral activation, especially global thinking and ruminative coping styles. 186-201 Apr 2010 Hypnotically catalyzing experiential learning across treatments for depression 2010-04-25 21:33:12 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20390690 journalArticle Lucchetti Giancarlo Lucchetti Alessandra Granero Badan-Neto Antonio M Peres Patricia T Peres Mario F P Moreira-Almeida Alexander Gomes Cláudio Koenig Harold G Activities of Daily Living Aged Cognition Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies depression Female Geriatric Assessment Humans Male mental health Middle Aged Pain Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Quality of Life Questionnaires REHABILITATION Religion and Medicine Self Report spirituality Religiousness affects mental health, pain and quality of life in older people in an outpatient rehabilitation setting OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relationship between religiousness and mental health, hospitalization, pain, disability and quality of life in older adults from an outpatient rehabilitation setting in Sao Paulo, Brazil. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS A total of 110 patients aged 60 years or older were interviewed during attendance at an outpatient rehabilitation service. METHODS Researchers administered a standardized questionnaire that assessed socio-demographic data, religiousness, self-reported quality of life, anxiety, physical activity limitation, depression, pain and cognition. Predictors were included in each model analysis, and a backward conditional method was used for variable selection using logistic regression (categorical outcomes) or linear regression (continuous outcomes). RESULTS Thirty-one patients (28.2%) fulfilled criteria for significant depressive symptoms, 27 (24.5%) for anxiety, and 10 (9.6%) for cognitive impairment. Pain was present in 89 (80.7%) patients. Limited depressive symptoms (as assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale), and greater self-reported quality of life were related to greater self-reported religiousness, as were scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (less cognitive impairment), and lower ratings of pain. CONCLUSION Religiousness is related to significantly less depressive symptoms, better quality of life, less cognitive impairment, and less perceived pain. Clinicians should consider taking a spiritual history and ensuring that spiritual needs are addressed among older patients in rehabilitation settings. 316-322 Mar 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305230 2011-04-04 23:46:40 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21305230 Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine: Official Journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 43 4 J Rehabil Med DOI 10.2340/16501977-0784 ISSN 1651-2081 journalArticle Epilepsy & Behavior 19 1 DOI 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.07.002 ISSN 1525-5050 Cavanna A.E. Cavanna S. Cavanna A. belief Epilepsy Haiti Possession Voodoo Epileptic seizures and spirit possession in Haitian culture: Report of four cases and review of the literature Epileptic seizures have historically been associated with religious beliefs in spirit possession. These attitudes and misconceptions about epilepsy still flourish in developing countries as byproducts of specific sociocultural environments. This article presents a case series of four Haitian patients with epilepsy whose seizures were initially attributed to Voodoo spirit possession. All patients reported ictal experiential phenomena (epigastric aura, ictal fear, depersonalization, and derealization symptoms) followed by complete loss of consciousness. Electroclinical investigations revealed a temporal lobe focus. We review the existing literature on attitudes toward seizures within the Haitian culture and discuss the link between religion and epilepsy, highlighting the possible detrimental influence of specific traditional belief systems on the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of patients with epilepsy. 89-91 September 2010 Epileptic seizures and spirit possession in Haitian culture 2010-10-11 14:31:27 ScienceDirect <p>This article presents a case series of four Haitian patients with epilepsy whose seizures were initially attributed to Voodoo spirit possession. All patients reported ictal experiential phenomena (epigastric aura, ictal fear, depersonalization, and derealization symptoms) followed by complete loss of consciousness. Electroclinical investigations revealed a temporal lobe focus. We review the existing literature on attitudes toward seizures within the Haitian culture and discuss the link between religion and epilepsy, highlighting the possible detrimental influence of specific traditional belief systems on the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of patients with epilepsy.</p> journalArticle Thygeson Megan V Hooke Mary C Clapsaddle Jeanine Robbins Angela Moquist Kristin Peaceful play yoga: serenity and balance for children with cancer and their parents Children with a cancer diagnosis experience symptom distress, including anxiety, because of the disease and its treatment. Parents experience stress and anxiety because of the uncertainty of the disease as well as the suffering of their children. Yoga is a complementary intervention that has physiological and psychological benefits in healthy children and healthy and chronically ill adults. On an inpatient hematology/oncology unit, 11 children aged 6 to 12 years, 5 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, and 33 parents participated in a single yoga session tailored to the needs and abilities of the patients and parents. Sense of well-being pre- and postclass was measured with the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. Children had normal anxiety scores preclass that did not change. Adolescents and parents experienced significant decreases in anxiety scores, and all cohorts gave positive feedback about the experience. The authors conclude that yoga is a feasible intervention for this population and is beneficial to adolescents and parents. 276-284 2010 Sep-Oct Peaceful play yoga 2010-10-07 00:52:44 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20639346 Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing: Official Journal of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses 27 5 J Pediatr Oncol Nurs DOI 10.1177/1043454210363478 ISSN 1532-8457 journalArticle MacKinlay Elizabeth Trevitt Corinne Analysis of Variance Dementia GROUNDED theory Life MEDICAL rehabilitation NURSING home patients -- Psychology nursing homes OLD age PHENOMENOLOGY Psychological Tests REMINISCING SOUND recordings spirituality THEMATIC analysis Living in aged care: Using spiritual reminiscence to enhance meaning in life for those with dementia Spiritual reminiscence is a way of telling a life story with emphasis on meaning. Spiritual reminiscence can identify meaning associated with joy, sadness, anger, guilt, or regret. Exploring these issues in older age can help people to reframe some of these events and come to new understanding of the meaning and purpose of their lives. A total of 113 older adults with dementia, living in aged-care facilities, participated in this study. They were allocated to small groups for spiritual reminiscence, to meet weekly over 6 weeks or 6 months. Quantitative data were gathered using a behavioural scale before and after each spiritual reminiscence session. Qualitative data included taped and transcribed reminiscence sessions, individual interviews, and observer journals. A facilitator led the small-group discussion based on spiritual reminiscence. New relationships were developed among group members that improved life for these people in aged care. This paper examines aspects of the qualitative data around the themes of 'meaning in life' and 'vulnerability and transcendence'. Spiritual reminiscence offers nursing staff a way of knowing those with dementia in a deeper and more meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 394-401 December 2010 Living in aged care EBSCOhost International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 19 6 DOI 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2010.00684.x ISSN 14458330 journalArticle Pritchard Mary Elison-Bowers Patt Birdsall Bobbie Impact of integrative restoration (iRest) meditation on perceived stress levels in multiple sclerosis and cancer outpatients Stress is a common occurrence in many chronically ill patients, and researchers are calling for cost-effective stress-reduction interventions. Meditation techniques have demonstrated a host of benefits for chronically ill patients. The present study examined the effects of a 6-week Yoga Nidra meditation programme on perceived stress in multiple sclerosis and cancer patients. Overall stress was significantly reduced over the course of the programme 233-237 2010 http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/smi.1290 Stress and Health 26 3 Stress and Health DOI 10.1002/smi.1290 ISSN 15323005 journalArticle Scott M. Masterson M. Elmer L. Coca L. Jarouche E. Krumdieck A. Kovar E. P2.160 The effects of a yoga program on Parkinson's disease Subjects: Nine subjects with PD participated (2females, 7males; mean age = 67.875 years; mean time since PD diagnosis = 4.67 years). Inclusion criteria included theability to ambulate independently and medical clearance to participate. Instrumentation: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional ReachTest (FRT), timed tandem stance (TS), timed single leg stance (SLS), repeated chair stand test, the GAITRiteWalking System, Geriat Depression Scale(GDS),the University of Illinois at Chicago Fear Falling Measure (FOF), and the PDQ-39 questionnaire. Procedures: Testing was completed prior to and after participati in a 12-week, twice weekly yoga program. Seventy-five minu classes were led by a certified yoga instructor with modifications in postures according to the participants limitations in mobility. Results: The chair stand test, FRT and GDS scores were significantly improved after the yoga program. Trends towards improvement were seen in all other physical and affective variables, although not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that yoga may be an effective way to address both physical and affective factors associated with PD. S133 December 2009 http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6TB9-4XXN49M-KR/2/63ecf90e42b292bcc4cae3df2b7e6531 2009-12-30 17:09:38 ScienceDirect Parkinsonism & Related Disorders 15 Supplement 2 DOI 10.1016/S1353-8020(09)70511-5 ISSN 1353-8020 journalArticle Griffiths K Camic P M Hutton J M Adaptation, Psychological Aged Anxiety Disorders Awareness Cognitive Therapy Depressive Disorder Female Heart Diseases Humans Male Middle Aged Mind-Body Relations (Metaphysics) Stress, Psychological Treatment Outcome Participant experiences of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group for cardiac rehabilitation Recently there has been a growth of interest in mindfulness-based psychotherapeutic approaches across a range of medical problems. Cardiac rehabilitation patients often suffer from stress, worry, anxiety and depression, all of which can lead to poor prognosis and worsening of cardiac symptoms. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of participant experiences, this study reports on the first known Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy group adapted for cardiac rehabilitation. Analysis identified the development of awareness, commitment, within group experiences, relating to the material and acceptance as central experiential themes. The use of the approach was supported for this population. 675-681 Jul 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19515682 2009-11-01 15:43:21 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19515682 Journal of Health Psychology 14 5 J Health Psychol DOI 10.1177/1359105309104911 ISSN 1359-1053 <p>Recently there has been a growth of interest in mindfulness-based psychotherapeutic approaches across a range of medical problems. Cardiac rehabilitation patients often suffer from stress, worry, anxiety and depression, all of which can lead to poor prognosis and worsening of cardiac symptoms. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of participant experiences, this study reports on the first known Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy group adapted for cardiac rehabilitation. Analysis identified the development of awareness, commitment, within group experiences, relating to the material and acceptance as central experiential themes. The use of the approach was supported for this population.</p> journalArticle Cotton Sian McGrady Meghan E Rosenthal Susan L Measurement of religiosity/spirituality in adolescent health outcomes research: trends and recommendations The relationship between religious/spiritual (R/S) factors and adolescent health outcomes has been studied for decades; however, the R/S measurement tools used may not be developmentally relevant for adolescents. A systematic literature review was conducted to review and evaluate trends in measuring R/S in adolescent health outcomes research. In this review a total of 100 articles met criteria for inclusion. Relatively few (n = 15) included adolescent-specific R/S measures or items accounting for developmentally relevant issues such as parental religiosity or age-appropriate language. Future R/S and health research with adolescents would be strengthened by incorporating developmentally relevant R/S measurement tools, psychometrics, and multidimensional measures. 414-444 Dec 2010 Measurement of religiosity/spirituality in adolescent health outcomes research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/20127172 2011-01-19 00:03:12 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20127172 Journal of Religion and Health 49 4 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-010-9324-0 ISSN 1573-6571 <p>This article is a systematic literature review was conducted to review and evaluate trends in measuring religious/spiritual (R/S) factors in adolescent health outcomes research. In this review a total of 100 articles met criteria for inclusion. Relatively few (n = 15) included adolescent-specific R/S measures or items accounting for developmentally relevant issues such as parental religiosity or age-appropriate language.</p> journalArticle Birnie Kathryn Garland Sheila N Carlson Linda E Psychological benefits for cancer patients and their partners participating in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) OBJECTIVE: Cancer patients experience many negative psychological symptoms including stress, anxiety, and depression. This distress is not limited to the patient, as their partners also experience many psychological challenges. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have demonstrated clinical benefit for a variety of chronic illnesses, including cancer. This is the first study to report MBSR participation with partners of cancer patients. METHODS: This study examined the impact of an 8-week MBSR program for 21 couples who attended the program together on outcomes of mood disturbance, symptoms of stress, and mindfulness. RESULTS: Significant reductions for both patients and partners in mood disturbance (p<0.05) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI) subscales of muscle tension (p<0.01), neurological/GI (p<0.05), and upper respiratory (p<0.01) symptoms were observed after program participation. Significant increases in mindfulness (p<0.05) were also reported in both groups. No significant correlations were observed between patient and partner scores on any measures at baseline or on change scores pre- to post-intervention; however, after MBSR participation couple's scores on the Profile of Mood States and C-SOSI were more highly correlated with one-another. Post-intervention, partners' mood disturbance scores were significantly positively correlated with patients' symptoms of stress and negatively correlated with patients' levels of mindfulness. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the MBSR program was helpful for improving psychological functioning and mindfulness for both members of the couple. Several avenues of future research are suggested to further explore potential benefits of joint couple attendance in the MBSR program. 1004-1009 Sep 2010 2010-10-07 00:59:35 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19918956 Psycho-Oncology 19 9 Psychooncology DOI 10.1002/pon.1651 ISSN 1099-1611 journalArticle The God representation in the psychoanalytic relationship Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis & Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.21 ISSN 1546-0371 Charles Marilyn direct relationships Faith God God Concepts otherness PSYCHOANALYSIS psychotic aspects Psychoticism religion Working with a patient claiming a direct relationship with God: Encountering otherness. Although we expect to encounter otherness in the consulting room, some types of otherness are more difficult to encounter than others. Differing ethnicities, religions, lifestyles, or other aspects of worldview can bring us into uneasy alliance with the other, as we also encounter disowned or unclaimed aspects of self in this process. I will discuss some of my difficulties working with a man who was born into my own religion—thus offering some common heritage of world view—but subsequently adopted another religion with such intensity that his faith seemed to have psychotic aspects. I struggled to keep my bearings with a man who could at times be cogent, at other times seem quite crazy, and also struggled to keep in mind how prejudices in my own culture might skew my perspective such that intense faith and devoted adherence to scripture seems suspect rather than worthy of respect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 21-34 2009 Working with a patient claiming a direct relationship with God EBSCOhost journalArticle Tanaka Kimiko History Japan religion Survey Limitations for measuring religion in a different cultural context--The case of Japan The article points out the limitations in surveys measuring religiosity and spirituality using the measures developed in Christian or Western contexts. Japanese people think of religion (shukyo) as revealed religion such as Christianity that has specific doctrinal belief and faith. Through their history of religious regulation, Japanese people came to consider themselves "non-religious" as a way of survival, not to be punished by political authorities and not to be stigmatized in their community. Thus they tend to answer that they consider themselves "non-religious" in surveys, while performing ritual performances for their ancestors in Buddhist temples and Buddhist altars not only to thank ancestors but also to ease the psychological fear people have toward muenbotoke, restless ancestors who have no legitimate offspring to take care of them. To extend the study of spirituality or religiousness in the Japanese context, qualitative studies are necessary not to misinterpret religiousness and spirituality in Japanese context. 845-852 December 2010 2011-01-19 01:12:40 ScienceDirect The Social Science Journal 47 4 DOI 10.1016/j.soscij.2010.07.010 ISSN 0362-3319 journalArticle Pomidori Luca Campigotto Federica Amatya Tara Man Bernardi Luciano Cogo Annalisa Aged Breathing Exercises Female Humans Male Oxygen Pilot Projects Plethysmography Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Function Tests yoga Efficacy and tolerability of yoga breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study PURPOSE: Yoga-derived breathing has been reported to improve gas exchange in patients with chronic heart failure and in participants exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. We investigated the tolerability and effect of yoga breathing on ventilatory pattern and oxygenation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Patients with COPD (N = 11, 3 women) without previous yoga practice and taking only short-acting beta2-adrenergic blocking drugs were enrolled. Ventilatory pattern and oxygen saturation were monitored by means of inductive plethysmography during 30-minute spontaneous breathing at rest (sb) and during a 30-minute yoga lesson (y). During the yoga lesson, the patients were requested to mobilize in sequence the diaphragm, lower chest, and upper chest adopting a slower and deeper breathing. We evaluated oxygen saturation (SaO2%), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation (E), respiratory rate (i>f), inspiratory time, total breath time, fractional inspiratory time, an index of thoracoabdominal coordination, and an index of rapid shallow breathing. Changes in dyspnea during the yoga lesson were assessed with the Borg scale. RESULTS: During the yoga lesson, data showed the adoption of a deeper and slower breathing pattern (VTsb L 0.54[0.04], VTy L 0.74[0.08], P = .01; i>fsb 20.8[1.3], i>fy 13.8[0.2], P = .001) and a significant improvement in SaO2% with no change in E (SaO2%sb 91.5%[1.13], SaO2%y 93.5%[0.99], P = .02; Esb L/min 11.2[1.1], Ey L/min 10.2[0.9]). All the participants reported to be comfortable during the yoga lesson, with no increase in dyspnea index. CONCLUSION: We conclude that short-term training in yoga is well tolerated and induces favorable respiratory changes in patients with COPD. 133-137 2009 Mar-Apr Efficacy and tolerability of yoga breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2011-02-23 00:33:03 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19305239 Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 29 2 J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev DOI 10.1097/HCR.0b013e31819a0227 ISSN 1932-7501 journalArticle Rubin Daniel Dodd Melissa Desai Neelam Pollock Bradley Graham-Pole John Adolescent Adult Case-Control Studies Child Chronic Disease Humans Parents Reproducibility of Results spirituality Spirituality in well and ill adolescents and their parents: the use of two assessment scales The literature supporting a relationship between religion/spirituality and physical/mental health has led to recommendations that health professionals attend to these issues in patient assessment and intervention. Many studies indicate that spiritual issues are important to adolescents, especially those with physical and/or psychological health concerns. Although several instruments have been developed to measure religion/spirituality in adults, no validated instrument currently exists for assessing this concept in children or adolescents. The applicability of two adult scales, the SIBS and the SWBS, were assessed to explore the spiritual well-being of adolescents by comparing spirituality scores of 38 chronically ill and 38 healthy adolescents and their parents. No significant difference was found between ill and well adolescents on either scale. Parents scored significantly higher than adolescents on both scales. Although this could indicate that parents have greater spiritual well-being than their children, these two findings taken together suggest these measures may be insufficiently sensitive measures of spirituality in childhood. This is supported by the finding that most adolescents and their parents felt both scales to be ineffective measures of adolescent spirituality. The authors concluded that a more specific scale should be developed for measuring spirituality in the young, especially those with chronic illness. Such an instrument might best be developed through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. 37-42 2009 Jan-Feb Spirituality in well and ill adolescents and their parents 2011-02-23 00:17:39 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19378572 Pediatric Nursing 35 1 Pediatr Nurs ISSN 0097-9805 journalArticle Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) 15 3 J Altern Complement Med DOI 10.1089/acm.2008.0389 ISSN 1557-7708 Donesky-Cuenco DorAnne Nguyen Huong Q Paul Steven Carrieri-Kohlman Virginia Activities of Daily Living Aged Dyspnea Female Humans Male Middle Aged Muscle Strength Pilot Projects Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Quality of Life Questionnaires Self Care Self Efficacy Severity of Illness Index Treatment Outcome yoga Yoga therapy decreases dyspnea-related distress and improves functional performance in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study BACKGROUND: There has been limited study of yoga training as a complementary exercise strategy to manage the symptom of dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a yoga program for its safety, feasibility, and efficacy for decreasing dyspnea intensity (DI) and dyspnea-related distress (DD) in older adults with COPD. METHODS: Clinically stable patients with COPD (n = 29; age 69.9 +/- 9.5; forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) 47.7 +/- 15.6% predicted; female = 21) were randomized to a 12-week yoga program specifically designed for people with COPD or usual-care control (UC). The twice-weekly yoga program included asanas (yoga postures) and visama vritti pranayama (timed breathing). Safety measure outcomes included heart rate, oxygen saturation, dyspnea, and pain. Feasibility was measured by patient-reported enjoyment, difficulty, and adherence to yoga sessions. At baseline and at 12 weeks, DI and DD were measured during incremental cycle ergometry and a 6-minute walk (6MW) test. Secondary efficacy outcomes included physical performance, psychologic well-being, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). RESULTS: Yoga training was safe and feasible for patients with COPD. While yoga training had only small effects on DI after the 6MW test (effect size [ES], 0.20; p = 0.60), there were greater reductions in DD in the yoga group compared to UC (ES, 0.67; p = 0.08). Yoga training also improved 6MW distance (+71.7 +/- 21.8 feet versus -27.6 +/- 36.2 feet; ES = 0.78, p = 0.04) and self-reported functional performance (ES = 0.79, p = 0.04) compared to UC. There were small positive changes in muscle strength and HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with COPD participated safely in a 12-week yoga program especially designed for patients with this chronic illness. After the program, the subjects tolerated more activity with less DD and improved their functional performance. These findings need to be confirmed in a larger, more sufficiently powered efficacy study. 225-234 Mar 2009 Yoga therapy decreases dyspnea-related distress and improves functional performance in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2011-02-23 00:43:04 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19249998 <p>The primary purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a yoga program for its safety, feasibility, and efficacy for decreasing dyspnea intensity and dyspnea-related distress in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.After the program, the subjects tolerated more activity with less dyspnea-related distress and improved their functional performance. These findings need to be confirmed in a larger, more sufficiently powered efficacy study.</p> journalArticle Chadwick Paul Hughes Stephanie Russell Daphne Russell Ian Dagnan Dave Adult Cognitive Therapy Culture Feasibility Studies Female Hallucinations Humans Male Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Questionnaires Schizophrenia, Paranoid Severity of Illness Index Mindfulness groups for distressing voices and paranoia: a replication and randomized feasibility trial BACKGROUND: The clinical literature cautions against use of meditation by people with psychosis. There is, however, evidence for acceptance-based therapy reducing relapse, and some evidence for clinical benefits of mindfulness groups for people with distressing psychosis, though no data on whether participants became more mindful. AIMS: To assess feasibility of randomized evaluation of group mindfulness therapy for psychosis, to replicate clinical gains observed in one small uncontrolled study, and to assess for changes in mindfulness. METHOD: Twenty-two participants with current distressing psychotic experiences were allocated at random between group-based mindfulness training and a waiting list for this therapy. Mindfulness training comprised twice-weekly sessions for 5 weeks, plus home practice (meditation CDs were supplied), followed by 5 weeks of home practice. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intervention and waiting-list participants. Secondary analyses combining both groups and comparing scores before and after mindfulness training revealed significant improvement in clinical functioning (p = .013) and mindfulness of distressing thoughts and images (p = .037). CONCLUSIONS: Findings on feasibility are encouraging and secondary analyses replicated earlier clinical benefits and showed improved mindfulness of thoughts and images, but not voices. 403-412 Jul 2009 Mindfulness groups for distressing voices and paranoia 2011-02-22 23:51:45 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19545481 Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 37 4 Behav Cogn Psychother DOI 10.1017/S1352465809990166 ISSN 1469-1833 <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">AIMS: To assess feasibility of randomized evaluation of group mindfulness therapy for psychosis, to replicate clinical gains observed in one small uncontrolled study, and to assess for changes in mindfulness. Results: There were no significant differences between intervention and waiting-list participants. Secondary analyses combining both groups and comparing scores before and after mindfulness training revealed significant improvement in clinical functioning (p = .013) and mindfulness of distressing thoughts and images (p = .037).</p> journalArticle Schmid Arlene A Van Puymbroeck Marieke Koceja David M Effect of a 12-week yoga intervention on fear of falling and balance in older adults: a pilot study OBJECTIVE: To determine whether fear of falling (FoF) and balance improved after a 12-week yoga intervention among older adults. DESIGN: A 12-week yoga intervention single-armed pilot study. SETTING: A retirement community in a medium-sized university town in the Midwest. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of adults (N=14) over the age of 65 years who all endorsed an FoF. INTERVENTION: Each participant took part in a biweekly 12-week yoga intervention. The yoga sessions included both physical postures and breathing exercises. Postures were completed in sitting and standing positions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured FoF with the Illinois FoF Measure and balance with the Berg Balance Scale. Upper- and lower-body flexibility were measured with the back scratch test and chair sit and reach test, respectively. RESULTS: FoF decreased by 6%, static balance increased by 4% (P=.045), and lower-body flexibility increased by 34%. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that yoga may be a promising intervention to manage FoF and improve balance, thereby reducing fall risk for older adults. Rehabilitation therapists may wish to explore yoga as a modality for balance and falls programming; however, future research is needed to confirm the use of yoga in such programming. 576-583 Apr 2010 Effect of a 12-week yoga intervention on fear of falling and balance in older adults 2010-04-25 21:38:12 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20382290 Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 91 4 Arch Phys Med Rehabil DOI 10.1016/j.apmr.2009.12.018 ISSN 1532-821X journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 65 2 ISSN 00219762 Duba Jill D. Watts Richard E. MAN-woman relationships MARRIED people -- Religious life MEDICAL care -- Religious aspects MEDICINE -- Religious aspects PARENTING Psychotherapy Spiritual healing Therapy with religious couples. Although 95% of married couples identify with a particular religion, there is great variation in how couples rely on their religion to define or structure their relationship. Various denominations will imply particular “rules” or will shape how the couple deals with interpersonal and family challenges, such as sexuality, parenting, and power. In this article, we review couple relationships within a religious context and advance several treatment principles for treating religious couples. We present a clinical case to illustrate marital therapy with a religious couple, with an Adlerian context. ©2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 65:1–13, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 210-223 February 2009 EBSCOhost journalArticle Solomon Zahava Dekel Rachel Zerach Gadi Forgiveness MAN-woman relationships Post-traumatic stress disorder PRISONERS of war WAR victims Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Marital Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Forgiveness. The study assessed the effects of war captivity on posttraumatic stress symptoms and marital adjustment among Prisoners of War (POWs) from the Yom Kippur War. It was hypothesized that men's perception of level of forgiveness mediates the relation between posttraumatic symptoms and marital adjustment. The sample consisted of 157 Israeli veterans divided into 3 groups: 21 POWs with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 58 former POWs without PTSD, and 70 control veterans. The findings indicated that former POWs with PTSD reported lower levels of marital satisfaction and forgiveness than veterans in the other 2 groups. In addition, men's perception of level of forgiveness mediated the relationship between their posttraumatic symptoms and their marital adjustment. The theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 546-558 December 2009 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Marital Adjustment http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=45393408&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-12-31 16:19:15 EBSCOhost Family Process 48 4 DOI 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2009.01301.x ISSN 00147370 journalArticle Coin A Perissinotto E Najjar M Girardi A Inelmen E M Enzi G Manzato E Sergi G Does religiosity protect against cognitive and behavioral decline in Alzheimer's dementia? BACKGROUND: several studies have shown that religiosity has beneficial effects on health, mortality and pathological conditions; little is known about religiosity in Alzheimer's disease and the progression of its cognitive, behavioral and functional symptoms. Our aim was to identify any relationship between religiosity and the progression of cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders in mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease, and any relationship between the patient's religiosity and the stress in caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 64 patients with Alzheimer's disease were analyzed at baseline and 12 months later using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Behavioral Religiosity Scale (BRS) and the Francis Short Scale (FSS). Caregivers were also questioned on the patient's functional abilities (ADL, IADL), the behavioral disturbances (NPI), and on their stress (NPI-D, CBI). Patients were divided into 2 groups according to BRS: a score of <24 meant no or low religiosity (LR), while a score of > or =24 meant moderate or high religiosity (HR). FINDINGS: LR patients had worsened more markedly after 12 months in their total cognitive and behavioral test scores. Stress was also significantly higher in the caregivers of the LR group. Global BRS and FSS scores correlated significantly with variations after 1 year in the MMSE (r: 0.50), NPI (r:-0.51), NPI-D (r:-0.55) and CBI (r:-0.62). A low religiosity coincided with a higher risk of cognitive impairment, considered as a 3-point decrease in MMSE score (OR 6.7, CI: 1.8-24.7). INTERPRETATION: higher levels of religiosity in Alzheimer's dementia seem to correlate with a slower cognitive and behavioral decline, with a corresponding significant reduction of the caregiver's burden. 445-452 Aug 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20088813 PMID: 20088813 Current Alzheimer Research 7 5 Curr Alzheimer Res ISSN 1875-5828 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 7/8 DOI 10.1080/13674670801944966 ISSN 13674676 Bartz Jeremy D. Richards P. Scott Smith Timothy B. Fischer Lane A 17-year longitudinal study of religion and mental health in a Mormon sample. In 1984, 1987, and 2001, data were collected on a religiously devout group of college students (N = 53) in an effort to better understand the process of religious development and the relationship between religiosity and mental health. This study analyzes those data by examining the relationship between devoutness and psychopathology over time, the correlations between intrinsic religiosity and indices of psychopathology, the stability of religious motivations over the course of adulthood, and the stability of two different religious development styles that were identified in 1984. This study found that (1) these religiously devout individuals have consistently fallen within the normal range on the clinical scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and have demonstrated continual reduction in their scores on those scales; (2) there were no correlations between scores of intrinsic religiosity and psychopathology; (3) these participants' religious motivations remained stable over the course of adulthood; and (4) most of the participants eventually manifested a continuous style of religious development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 683-695 Nov November 2010 <p>Assesses data collected between 1984-2001 on the mental health of religious Mormons. Examines the relationship between devoutness and psychopathology and the stability of specific beliefs and practices.</p> journalArticle Journal of Religion and Health 49 2 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-009-9256-8 ISSN 1573-6571 Belding Jennifer N Howard Malcolm G McGuire Anne M Schwartz Amanda C Wilson Janie H Adolescent Adult Faith Healing Female Humans religion Religion and Psychology Social Behavior Stress, Psychological Young Adult Social buffering by God: prayer and measures of stress Social buffering is characterized by attenuation of stress in the presence of others, with supportive individuals providing superior buffering. We were interested in learning if the implied presence of a supportive entity, God, would reduce acute stress. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: prayer, encouraging self-talk, and control. They were subsequently placed in a stressful situation. Self ratings of stress were lower among the prayer and self-talk conditions relative to controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures only among those who prayed were lower than controls; however, prayer and self-talk did not differ. Prayer alone did not significantly reduce stress, perhaps because the majority of students in the prayer condition did not consider reading a prayer to constitute praying. 179-187 Jun 2010 Social buffering by God 2011-02-23 00:06:15 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19462239 journalArticle Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 1 2 DOI 10.1037/a0015736 ISSN 1941-1022 Bond Kenneth Ospina Maria B. Hooton Nicola Bialy Liza Dryden Donna M. Buscemi Nina Shannahoff-Khalsa David Dusek Jeffrey Carlson Linda E. CAM characteristics Meditation mind-body techniques yoga Defining a Complex Intervention: The Development of Demarcation Criteria for "Meditation" The authors used a 5-round Delphi study with a panel of 7 experts in meditation research to achieve agreement on a set of criteria for a working definition of "meditation" for use in a comprehensive systematic review of the therapeutic use of meditation. Participants agreed that essential to a meditation practice is its use of (a) a defined technique, (b) logic relaxation, and (c) a self-induced state. Participants also agreed that a meditation practice may (d) involve a state of psychophysical relaxation somewhere in the process; (e) use a self-focus skill or anchor; (f) involve an altered state/mode of consciousness, mystic experience, enlightenment or suspension of logical thought processes; (g) be embedded in a religious/spiritual/philosophical context; or (h) involve an experience of mental silence. The results of this study provide insight into the challenges faced by researchers who want to demarcate meditative practices from nonmeditative practices, and they describe an approach to this problem that may prove useful for researchers trying to operationalize meditation in the context of comparative research. 129-137 May 2009 Defining a Complex Intervention http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B9846-4WKH6C3-5/2/509e26c0ce84ca65c2c2ef1f2ad57eb2 2011-03-28 23:14:39 ScienceDirect <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">The authors used a 5-round Delphi study with a panel of 7 experts in meditation research to achieve agreement on a set of criteria for a working definition of “meditation” for use in a comprehensive systematic review of the therapeutic use of meditation. Participants agreed that essential to a meditation practice is its use of (a) a defined technique, (b) logic relaxation, and (c) a self-induced state. Participants also agreed that a meditation practice may (d) involve a state of psychophysical relaxation somewhere in the process; (e) use a self-focus skill or anchor; (f) involve an altered state/mode of consciousness, mystic experience, enlightenment or suspension of logical thought processes; (g) be embedded in a religious/spiritual/philosophical context; or (h) involve an experience of mental silence. The results of this study provide insight into the challenges faced by researchers who want to demarcate meditative practices from nonmeditative practices, and they describe an approach to this problem that may prove useful for researchers trying to operationalize meditation in the context of comparative research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract)</p> journalArticle Richards P. Scott Worthington Everett L. Jr. efficacy evidence based Evidence Based Practice Psychotherapeutic Techniques Psychotherapy spiritual spirituality Treatment Effectiveness Evaluation The need for evidence-based, spiritually oriented psychotherapies. Despite a proliferation of spiritually oriented psychotherapies during the past 2 decades in the mental health professions, outcome research is lacking. In this present article, 6 published outcome reviews that shed light on the efficacy of these psychotherapies are discussed. Although there is general support for the efficacy of spiritually oriented treatment approaches, the data base is relatively small and has methodological limitations. Spiritually oriented cognitive approaches for religious clients with depression and anxiety meet evidence-based standards of efficacy. Several other spiritually oriented approaches are probably efficacious but need additional investigation. Methodological recommendations for improving the quality of future studies in this domain are made. Philosophically and methodologically pluralistic research strategies that do not reduce spiritual phenomena into a naturalistic and materialistic framework are recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract) 363-370 October 2010 Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 41 5 DOI 10.1037/a0019469 ISSN 0735-7028 journalArticle Fife John E. Sayles Harlan R. Adegoke Adekunle A. McCoy Jamal Stovall Mikeya Verdant Claudia BEHAVIORAL assessment DRINKING of alcoholic beverages Religiousness sex spirituality suicidal behavior TEENAGERS -- Research Religious Typologies and Health Risk Behaviors of African American College Students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether meaningful sets of individuals, similar to each other across multiple dimensions of spirituality, could be identified using a cluster analysis technique, and to determine if these classifications differed on health risk behaviors. Risky behaviors were assessed by measuring alcohol use, risky sexual behaviors, depression and suicidal ideation, dietary behaviors, and physical activity. The authors identified six clusters of adolescents from among the 510 participants. There were significant differences between clusters on six of the variables examined. The study indicates the significance of using multidimensional measures of religiosity and spirituality in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 313-330 June 2011 EBSCOhost North American Journal of Psychology 13 2 ISSN 15277143 journalArticle Staud Roland Effectiveness of CAM therapy: understanding the evidence By definition, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) attempts to diagnose and treat illnesses in unconventional ways. CAM has been classified as: (1) alternative medical systems (eg, traditional Chinese medicine [including acupuncture], naturopathic medicine, ayurvedic medicine, and homeopathy); (2) biologic-based therapies (eg, herbal, special dietary, and individual biologic treatments); (3) energy therapies (eg, Reiki, therapeutic touch, magnet therapy, Qi Gong, and intercessory prayer); (4) manipulative and body-based systems (eg, chiropractic, osteopathy, and massage); and (5) mind-body interventions (eg, meditation, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and the relaxation response). This review focuses on how to assess the effectiveness of CAM therapies for chronic musculoskeletal pains, emphasizing the role of specific and nonspecific analgesic mechanisms, including placebo. 9-17 Feb 2011 Effectiveness of CAM therapy 2011-03-15 18:29:31 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21220082 Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America 37 1 Rheum. Dis. Clin. North Am DOI 10.1016/j.rdc.2010.11.009 ISSN 1558-3163 journalArticle Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 48 4 DOI 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01477.x Krause Neal Church-Based Social Relationships and Change in Self-Esteem Over Time Using data from a nationwide survey of XXXX older adults, the author finds that having a close personal relationship with God is associated with a stronger sense of self-esteem at the baseline and follow-up interviews. In contrast, emotional support from fellow church members was not associated with self-esteem at either point in time. However, emotional support from secular social network members is related to self-esteem at the baseline but not the follow-up interview. 756-773 December 2009 http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.bu.edu/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01477.x 2009-12-17 18:19:12 Wiley InterScience <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">The purpose of this study is examine the relationships between church-based emotional support, negative interaction, and psychological well-being among clergy, elders, and rank-and-file members of the Presbyterian Church USA. Data from a nationwide survey of Presbyterians reveal that elders as well as clergy encounter more emotional support and negative interaction than rank-and-file members. The findings further indicate that the effects of emotional support and negative interaction on well-being are greater for clergy and elders than for rank-and-file members.</p> journalArticle Pruitt Irene T. McCollum Eric E. CONCORD Emotions INTIMACY (Psychology) MAN-woman relationships Meditation SENSES & sensation Voices of Experienced Meditators: The Impact of Meditation Practice on Intimate Relationships. Using a qualitative methodology, we explored advanced meditators’ understandings of the effect of the meditation traits on close relationships. Seven participants were interviewed. The meditative traits that the participants identified were (1) awareness of body sensations and emotions; (2) disidentification from emotions and thoughts; (3) acceptance of situations, oneself, and others; and (4) compassion and loving kindness for oneself and others. The relational effects of these traits were (1) less reactivity in relationships; (2) greater freedom and safety in relationships; and (3) a new understanding of the nature of connection between people, marked by unity, separation, intimacy and independence. Implications for further research and for clinical practice are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 135-154 June 2010 Voices of Experienced Meditators 2010-07-07 21:24:01 EBSCOhost Contemporary Family Therapy 32 2 DOI 10.1007/s10591-009-9112-8 ISSN 08922764 journalArticle Flugel Colle Kathleen F. Vincent Ann Cha Stephen S. Loehrer Laura L. Bauer Brent A. Wahner-Roedler Dietlind L. Linear analogue self-assessment scale Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Quality of Life Measurement of quality of life and participant experience with the mindfulness-based stress reduction program Clinical studies of MBSR have reported efficacy in treating pain, mood disorders, arthritis, sleep disturbances, and stress. Several academic medical institutions in the United States offer MBSR to their patients, but it has never been offered at Mayo Clinic. The objective of this study was to collect quality-of-life data from subjects who participated in the first MBSR program offered at Mayo Clinic. The class was taught as a collaborative effort with the University of Minnesota that had an established MBSR program. Sixteen participants completed a validated, 12-question, linear analogue self-assessment instrument, administered at the beginning and end of the program. Comparison of assessment scores using paired t-tests showed statistically significant improvement in overall quality of life (P = 0.04), mental well-being (P = 0.005), physical well-being (P < 0.001), emotional well-being (P < 0.001), level of social activity (P = .02), and spiritual well-being (P = 0.006). Although positive changes also were observed for frequency of pain, severity of pain, level of fatigue, level of support from friends and family, and financial and legal concerns, they were not statistically significant. A short intervention in the education of mindfulness significantly improved quality of life for participants. 36-40 February 2010 2010-03-06 15:03:35 ScienceDirect Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 16 1 DOI 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.06.008 ISSN 1744-3881 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 2 DOI 10.1080/13674670802321933 ISSN 13674676 Rosmarin David H. Pargament Kenneth I. Mahoney Annette ANXIETY -- Religious aspects BELIEF & doubt -- Psychological aspects HAPPINESS -- Religious aspects JEWS -- Psychology JUDAISM -- Customs & practices MENTAL health -- Religious aspects PSYCHOLOGY & religion TRUST in God The role of religiousness in anxiety, depression, and happiness in a Jewish community sample: A preliminary investigation. Although social scientists have convincingly demonstrated relationships between religious beliefs/practices and mental health, almost none of the empirical findings or related theory apply specifically to Jews. To address this limitation, we investigated the role of Jewish religiousness in anxiety, depression, and happiness, in a large Jewish community sample (n = 565). Several facets of global Jewish religiousness were examined, as well as a theoretically based Jewish religious variable, trust in God. A self-report measure of trust in God was created, and factor analyses yielded two reliable and valid subscales: trust in God and mistrust in God. Contrary to our hypotheses, global Jewish religiousness was on the whole unrelated to mental-health functioning. As expected, higher levels of trust in God were associated with less anxiety and depression, and greater personal happiness, whereas inverse associations emerged for the unanticipated but robust mistrust subscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 97-113 March 2009 The role of religiousness in anxiety, depression, and happiness in a Jewish community sample EBSCOhost journalArticle Brown Jennifer Cherry Katie Marks Loren Jackson Erin Volaufova Julia Lefante Christina Jazwinski S. Michal ADJUSTMENT (Psychology) Analysis of Variance COMPARATIVE studies Computer Software DATA analysis DEPRESSION in old age Health Surveys LIFE skills LONGITUDINAL method Louisiana mental health NATURAL disasters PRE-tests & post-tests Psychological Tests Quality of Life Questionnaires REPEATED measures design SCALE items SELF-evaluation SEX distribution (Demography) social support spirituality STRESS (Psychology) -- Risk factors T-test (Statistics) Well-Being After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Gender Differences in Health and Religiosity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. We examined health-related quality of life in adults in the Louisiana Health Aging Study (LHAS) after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HK/R) that made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast region in 2005. Analyses of pre- and post-disaster SF-36 scores yielded changes in physical function and bodily pain. Mental health scores were lower for women than men. Gender differences were observed in religious beliefs and religious coping, favoring women. Religious beliefs and religious coping were negatively correlated with physical function, implying that stronger reliance on religiosity as a coping mechanism may be more likely among those who are less physically capable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 997-1012 November 2010 Health Care for Women International 31 11 DOI 10.1080/07399332.2010.514085 ISSN 07399332 journalArticle Journal of Palliative Medicine 12 1 J Palliat Med DOI 10.1089/jpm.2008.0189 ISSN 1557-7740 Vachon Mélanie Fillion Lise Achille Marie Attitude to Death Humans spirituality Terminally Ill A conceptual analysis of spirituality at the end of life The definition of spirituality is the subject of endless debates in the empirical literature. This content analysis sought to: (1) exhaustively review the empirical literature on end-of-life spirituality to extract definitional elements of this concept and (2) elaborate on these definitional elements to create an integrative and inclusive definition of end-of-life spirituality based on the items retrieved. A search of the literature on spirituality published in the last 10 years was conducted via the the PsychINFO and MEDLINE databases. Seventy-one articles were selected based on specific inclusion criteria. A qualitative thematic analysis yielded 11 dimensions for the concept of end-of-life spirituality, namely: (1) meaning and purpose in life, (2) self-transcendence, (3) transcendence with a higher being, (4) feelings of communion and mutuality, (5) beliefs and faith, (6) hope, (7) attitude toward death, (8) appreciation of life, (9) reflection upon fundamental values, (10) the developmental nature of spirituality, and (11) its conscious aspect. The definition derived from this concept analysis, after being tested empirically, may be useful in informing the development of new measures of spirituality and new protocols to assess spirituality in clinical settings. 53-59 Jan 2009 2011-02-23 00:38:06 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19284263 journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 65 2 J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1002/jclp.20565 ISSN 1097-4679 Shafranske Edward P Catholicism Humans Male Middle Aged Psychotherapy spirituality Spiritually oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy Spiritually oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy pays particular attention to the roles that religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and experiences play in the psychological life of the client. Contemporary psychoanalytic theorists offer multiple approaches to understand the functions of religious experience. Spirituality provides a means to address existential issues and provide a context to form personal meaning. Religious narratives present schemas of relationship and models of experiences salient to mental health, such as hope. God images or other symbolic representations of the transcendent have the power to evoke emotions, which in turn, influence motivation and behavior. While employing theories and techniques derived from psychodynamic psychotherapy, this therapeutic approach encourages the analysis of the functions religion and spirituality serve, while respecting the client's act of believing in faith. Psychotherapists address a client's spirituality by exploring the psychological meaning of such personal commitments and experiences and refrain from entering into discussion of faith claims. 147-157 Feb 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19123234 2011-03-28 22:13:46 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19123234 journalArticle Singh Nirbhay N. Lancioni Giulio E. Winton Alan S. W. Singh Ashvind N. Adkins Angela D. Singh Judy ADULTHOOD Criminals DEVIANT behavior Disabilities INTELLECT Self-control SEXUAL excitement Can adult offenders with intellectual disabilities use mindfulness-based procedures to control their deviant sexual arousal? Adults with intellectual disability who commit sexual offences against children are prosecuted and sometimes diverted to mental health facilities for training and treatment. Of the few treatment modalities used with this population, cognitive-behavioral approaches appear to hold most promise. In a preliminary study, we assessed whether three adult sexual offenders with intellectual disability could learn to control their deviant sexual arousal. Using a multiple-baseline design, we evaluated the individuals' ability to use self-control methods, Meditation on the Soles of the Feet, and a Mindful Observation of Thoughts meditation procedure to control their deviant sexual arousal when given relevant printed stimulus materials. Our data show that the individuals were minimally successful when they used their own self-control strategies, more effective with Meditation on the Soles of the Feet, and most effective with Mindful Observation of Thoughts meditation. We discuss the limitations of the study, as well as some reasons why mindfulness-based procedures may be worthy of future investigation for adult sexual offenders with intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 165-179 February 2011 EBSCOhost Psychology, Crime & Law 17 2 DOI 10.1080/10683160903392731 ISSN 1068316X journalArticle Thygeson M. Hooke M.C. Peaceful Play Program: Yoga for hematology/oncology inpatient children and their parents Objective Yoga is being used increasingly in the medical field as a healing modality for adult patients experiencing serious illness and for those undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a single 45-min yoga intervention on pediatric hematology/oncology inpatients and their parents facing a life-threatening disease and hospitalization.Methods The study included a cohort of 16 patients, ages 7-16, who were receiving inpatient treatment for cancer or blood disorders. There were 6 females and 10 males; 11 were ages 7-11, and 5 were ages 13-16. The parent cohort included 33 parents of children receiving inpatient treatment for cancer. There were 23 mothers and 10 fathers. The Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure subjects' anxiety and a general sense of well-being. Measurements were administered immediately before and after the yoga class. The adult version was used for the adolescents and the parents; and the child version was used for the children.Results In the child group (n=11), a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test showed that the pre-class STAI score (Md=31) evidenced little change. In the adolescent group (n=5), anxiety and sense of well-being significantly improved with the median STAI score decreasing from pre-class (Md=41) to post-class (Md=28), z=-2.03, p=0.042. In the parent cohort (n=33), STAI scores showed a decrease in anxiety and increase in well-being, with the median STAI score decreasing from pre-class (Md=45) to post-class (Md=30) z=-5.00, p<.001. An open-ended question administered at the end of class reflected a greatly improved sense of relaxation and ease.Conclusion Yoga is a feasible intervention in a hospital setting. Children, adolescents and parents were enthusiastic about class participation. There was a significant improvement in the sense of well-being in adolescents and parents, while well-being in children remained constant. The majority of participants enjoyed yoga as a family activity. Parents reported how meaningful it was to engage in a healthy activity with their ill child. As a mind body experience, adolescent patients appeared to be more sensitive to the benefits of yoga than the younger patients. This may be due to developmental differences and merits further investigation. Yoga is a beneficial activity for parents, who are stressed by the hospitalization of their chronically ill child. 207-208 December 2009 Peaceful Play Program http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B984N-4XNT3MD-1V/2/a2485ead30aae13f5054ee6b2fafeded 2009-12-30 17:09:16 ScienceDirect European Journal of Integrative Medicine 1 4 DOI 10.1016/j.eujim.2009.08.121 ISSN 1876-3820 journalArticle Cotton Sian Kudel Ian Roberts Yvonne Humenay Pallerla Harini Tsevat Joel Succop Paul Yi Michael S Adolescent Adult Case-Control Studies Child Female Humans Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Male mental health Ohio spirituality Young Adult Spiritual well-being and mental health outcomes in adolescents with or without inflammatory bowel disease PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to describe spiritual well-being (existential and religious well-being) in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) versus healthy peers; 2) to examine associations of spiritual well-being with mental health outcomes (emotional functioning and depressive symptoms); and 3) to assess the differential impact of existential versus religious well-being on mental health. METHODS: A total of 155 adolescents aged 11-19 years from a children's hospital and a university hospital filled out questionnaires including the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Covariates in multivariable models included demographics, disease status, and interactions. RESULTS: Participants' mean (SD) age was 15.1 (2.0) years; 80 (52%) were male; and 121 (78%) were of white ethnicity. Levels of existential and religious well-being were similar between adolescents with IBD and healthy peers. In multivariable analyses, existential well-being was associated with mental health (partial R(2) change = .08-.11, p < .01) above and beyond other characteristics (total R(2) = .23, p < .01). Presence of disease moderated both the relationship between existential well-being and emotional functioning and that between religious well-being and depressive symptoms: that is, the relationships were stronger in adolescents with IBD as compared with healthy peers. Religious well-being was only marginally significantly associated with mental health after controlling for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Although both healthy adolescents and those with IBD had high levels of spiritual well-being, having IBD moderated the relationship between spiritual well-being and mental health. Meaning/purpose was related to mental health more than was connectedness to the sacred. 485-492 May 2009 2011-02-23 00:17:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19380097 The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 44 5 J Adolesc Health DOI 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.09.013 ISSN 1879-1972 journalArticle Dalmida Safiya George Holstad Marcia McDonnell Diiorio Colleen Laderman Gary Spiritual Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life Among African-American Women with HIV/AIDS Many HIV-positive women regard spirituality as an important part of their lives and spirituality may have positive impact on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Particularly among African American women with HIV, spirituality may serve as a cultural and psychological resource. This descriptive, crosssectional study examined associations between spiritual well-being (SWB) and its components, existential well-being (EWB) and religious well-being (RWB), and dimensions of HRQOL among a non-random sample of 118 African American HIV-positive women. A secondary analysis of data from two similar, NIH-funded studies: The Get Busy Living (GBL) Project and the KHARMA Project, was conducted. Baseline data on women from both studies were combined into one database and statistical analyses, including descriptive, correlation and hierarchical regression analyses, were conducted. Existential well-being was significantly positively (β =.74; p=.014) associated with the physical composite of HRQOL and accounted for a significant amount of unique variance (10.0%) beyond that explained by socio-demographic variables, religious well-being (RWB), HIV medication adherence, CD4 cell count and percentage, HIV viral load, and depressive symptoms. EWB was also significantly positively (β =.57; p=.024) associated with the mental health composite of HRQOL. Depressive symptomatology was also significantly inversely (β =.40; p=.004) associated with mental HRQOL. EWB accounted for a significant amount of additional variance (6.3%) beyond that explained by other variables. Spirituality is an important factor in the lives and quality of life of African American women and women living with HIV/AIDS. Further research is needed to examine relationships between spirituality and HRQOL among HIV-positive African American women. 139-157 Jun 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21731593 2011-07-13 22:11:45 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21731593 Applied Research in Quality of Life 6 2 Appl Res Qual Life DOI 10.1007/s11482-010-9122-6 ISSN 1871-2576 <p>The authors argue in this study that many HIV-positive women regard spirituality as an important part of their lives.This descriptive, crosssectional study examined associations between spiritual well-being (SWB) and its components, existential well-being (EWB) and religious well-being (RWB), and dimensions of HRQOL among a non-random sample of 118 African American HIV-positive women.</p> journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 7/8 DOI 10.1080/13674676.2010.489390 ISSN 13674676 Kamble Shanmukh V. Lewis Christopher Alan Cruise Sharon Mary Internal reliability and temporal stability of the New Indices of Religious Orientation among Indian undergraduates: test-retest data over 15 days. The present study examined the internal reliability and temporal stability of both the long and short forms of the New Indices of Religious Orientation, containing measures of Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Quest religiosity, over a 15-day period among a sample of 100 Indian university students. Internal reliabilities for the long form of the measure at times 1 and 2 were acceptable for all subscales with the exception of the intrinsic subscale at time 2. Reliability estimates for the extrinsic and intrinsic subscales of the short form of the measure at both time 1 and time 2 were also less than satisfactory, though the alpha coefficients for the quest subscale were satisfactory. Data demonstrated that stability across the two administrations for both long- and short-form versions of the three dimensions of religious orientation were moderately high to high (ranging from r = 0.63 to r = 0.76). Moreover, intra-class correlation coefficients were similar to those derived from the Pearson's correlation coefficients, thus confirming that there were no systematic errors between the time 1 and time 2 datasets. However, there were significant differences in mean scores between time 1 and time 2 for both long- and short-form versions of the intrinsic and quest religious orientation subscales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 833-839 Nov November 2010 journalArticle Social Science & Medicine (1982) 71 4 Soc Sci Med DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.033 ISSN 1873-5347 Greil Arthur McQuillan Julia Benjamins Maureen Johnson David R Johnson Katherine M Heinz Chelsea R Specifying the effects of religion on medical helpseeking: the case of infertility Several recent studies have examined the connection between religion and medical service utilization. This relationship is complicated because religiosity may be associated with beliefs that either promote or hinder medical helpseeking. The current study uses structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between religion and fertility-related helpseeking using a probability sample of 2183 infertile women in the United States. We found that, although religiosity is not directly associated with helpseeking for infertility, it is indirectly associated through mediating variables that operate in opposing directions. More specifically, religiosity is associated with greater belief in the importance of motherhood, which in turn is associated with increased likelihood of helpseeking. Religiosity is also associated with greater ethical concerns about infertility treatment, which are associated with decreased likelihood of helpseeking. Additionally, the relationships are not linear throughout the helpseeking process. Thus, the influence of religiosity on infertility helpseeking is indirect and complex. These findings support the growing consensus that religiously-based behaviours and beliefs are associated with levels of health service utilization. 734-742 Aug 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20547437 PMID: 20547437 <p>While confirming recent findings that religiously-based behaviors are correlated to health service utilization, this study nevertheless finds that religiosity is only indirectly associated with greater likelihood of help-seeking for infertility treatment as religiosity is correlated with a stronger belief in the importance of motherhood.&nbsp; This finding is complicated by the fact that higher religiosity is also correlated with stronger ethical concerns about infertility treatment.&nbsp; The value of the study is in assessing the indirect nature of associations between religiosity and health service utilization.</p> journalArticle Kim Jungmeen McCullough Michael Cicchetti Dante ABUSED children -- Research ADJUSTMENT (Psychology) in children CHILD abuse CHILDREN -- Research PARENT & child RELIGIOUSNESS -- Psychological aspects Parents’ and Children’s Religiosity and Child Behavioral Adjustment Among Maltreated and Nonmaltreated Children. We investigated the role of parents’ and children’s religiosity in behavioral adjustment among maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Data were collected on 170 maltreated and 159 nonmaltreated children from low-income families (mean age = 10 years). We performed dyadic data analyses to examine unique contributions of parents’ and children’s religiosity and their interaction to predicting child internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. A four group structural equation modeling was used to test whether the structural relations among religiosity predictors and child outcomes differed by child maltreatment status and child gender. We found evidence of parent-child religiosity interaction suggesting that (1) parents’ frequent church attendance was related to lower levels of internalizing symptomatology among nonmaltreated children with low church attendance and (2) parents’ importance of faith was associated with lower levels of internalizing and externalizing symptomatology among nonmaltreated children with low faith. The results suggest that independent effects of parents’ religiosity varied depending on children’s religiosity and parent-child relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Science & Business Media B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) 594-605 October 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=43919461&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-10-22 17:01:14 EBSCOhost Journal of Child & Family Studies 18 5 DOI 10.1007/s10826-009-9262-1 ISSN 10621024 journalArticle Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49 4 DOI 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01544.x ISSN 00218294 Ogland Curtis P. Bartkowski John P. Sunil Thankam S. Xu Xiaohe Religious Influences on Teenage Childbearing Among Brazilian Female Adolescents: A Research Note Scholars have shown increasing interest in the social implications of Protestant and, specifically, Pentecostal expansion in Latin America over the past several decades. This study uses data from the National Demographic and Health Survey in Brazil to explore the influence of religious affiliation and attendance on the reproductive behavior of unmarried female adolescents (ages 15–19). Results demonstrate that religiously affiliated female adolescents are less likely to have had a child during their teen years when compared with their unaffiliated peers. These protective effects are quite robust for adolescents who claim a Pentecostal affiliation, which is consistent with the doctrine of sanctification, including norms of sexual restraint. Results also demonstrate that teens who attend worship services frequently are significantly less likely to have had a child. These findings augment prior research on religion and fertility while calling attention to the protective effects associated with emergent niches in Brazil's increasingly diversified religious economy. 754-760 12/2010 Religious Influences on Teenage Childbearing Among Brazilian Female Adolescents http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01544.x 2011-01-19 01:23:05 CrossRef journalArticle International Journal of Yoga 4 1 Int J Yoga DOI 10.4103/0973-6131.78173 ISSN 0973-6131 Gururaja Derebail Harano Kaori Toyotake Ikenaga Kobayashi Haruo Effect of yoga on mental health: Comparative study between young and senior subjects in Japan BACKGROUND Japan has a large number of senior citizens. Yoga can be wisely applied in old age care. There is no any age restriction to practice yoga. The effect may differ by age. There is a need to study the mechanism of action of yoga with respect to age. AIM This study was conducted in Japan to find the effect of yoga on mental health between young and senior people. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-five normal healthy volunteers of both sexes were divided into two groups according to age. Fifteen participants of the age group between 65 to 75 years and 10 participants of the age group between 20 to 30 years were selected. This study was approved by the ethical committee of Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare. Selected individuals were subjected to 90 min of yoga classes once or twice a week for a month. Salivary amylase activity was assessed before and after yoga practice. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was given before yoga on the first day and after one month of practice to assess the change in State anxiety and Trait anxiety. RESULTS Senior group - Salivary amylase activity decreased from 111.2±42.7 to 83.48±39.5 kU/L [average±standard deviation]. Younger group - Salivary amylase activity reduced from 60.74±31.8 to 42.39±24 kU/L. Senior group - State anxiety score decreased from 41.13 ±8.43 to 30.8±6.49, Trait anxiety score reduced from 45.66±7.5 to 40.73±8.3. Younger group - State anxiety score reduced from 38.7±4.8 to 30.8±4.1,Trait anxiety score reduced from 46.2±7.9 to 42.9±9.1. Changes were statistically significant with P<0.05. CONCLUSION Decrease in Salivary amylase activity may be due to reduction in sympathetic response. Reduction in State and Trait anxiety score signifies that yoga has both immediate as well as long-term effect on anxiety reduction. Thus yoga helps to improve the mental health in both the groups. 7-12 Jan 2011 Effect of yoga on mental health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21654969 2011-07-13 22:15:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21654969 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 8 DOI 10.1080/13674670903101218 ISSN 13674676 Haughn Clifford Gonsiorek John C. MEDICAL personnel MEDICINE -- Research Post-traumatic stress disorder SELF-congruence SYMPTOMS The Book of Job: Implications for construct validity of posttraumatic stress disorder diagnostic criteria. This project involved asking a group of clinicians experienced in working with trauma to rate (among other things) how well descriptions from the Book of Job matched current DSM diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This research found high ratings of congruence between descriptions of Job's reactions and symptoms of PTSD described in DSM-IV-TR. However, the congruence with the traumatising events was less certain. These findings are discussed in relation to the construct validity of PTSD diagnostic criteria. While symptoms of trauma are consistent and robust over millennia of observation of the human condition, the nature of the events required in criterion A (1) is likely flawed on a number of levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 833-845 December 2009 The Book of Job http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=45427290&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-12-31 16:27:32 EBSCOhost journalArticle Coleman Peter G. Carare Roxana O. Petrov Ignat Forbes Elizabeth Saigal Anita Spreadbury John H. Yap Andrea Kendrick Tony BULGARIA DEPRESSION in old age -- Research GERIATRIC psychiatry OLDER people -- Functional assessment ROMANIA social support SPIRITUALITY -- Research Spiritual belief, social support, physical functioning and depression among older people in Bulgaria and Romania. Objectives: An exploratory investigation is reported into the role of spirituality and religious practice in protecting against depression among older people living in rural villages in Bulgaria and Romania, two neighbouring countries with similar cultural, political and religious histories, but with differing levels of current religiosity. Methods: In both countries, interviews were conducted with samples of 160 persons of 60 years and over in villages of similar socio-economic status. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression-D scale and the Royal Free Interview for Religious and Spiritual Beliefs were used to assess depression and spiritual belief and practice respectively. In addition social support, physical functioning and the presence of chronic diseases were assessed. One year later, follow-up interviews were conducted with 58 of the original sample in Bulgaria, in which additional measures of depression and of spiritual belief and practice were also included. Results: The study demonstrates, as expected, significantly lower levels of spiritual belief in the Bulgarian sample (Bulgarian mean 29.7 (SD = 19.1), Romanian mean 47.6 (SD = 11.2), t = 10.2, p < 0.001), as well as significantly higher levels of depression (Bulgarian mean 12.0 (SD = 4.9), Romanian mean 7.3 (SD = 4.1), t = 9.3, p < 0.001), the latter attributable in large part to higher morbidity and disability rates, but less evidently to differences in strength of belief. However, analyses from both the cross-sectional study and the one-year follow-up of the Bulgarian sample do suggest that spiritual belief and practice may both influence and reflect physical and mental illness. Conclusions: Much of Eastern Europe displays high rates of depression among its older population and provides opportunities for investigation of the role of religious belief and practice in preventing and coping with depression. Further research is encouraged in populations of diverse religiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 327-333 April 2011 EBSCOhost Aging & Mental Health 15 3 DOI 10.1080/13607863.2010.519320 ISSN 13607863 journalArticle Burazeri Genc Kark Jeremy D. Alcohol intake and its correlates in a transitional predominantly Muslim population in southeastern Europe OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess alcohol consumption and its correlates in Albania, a predominantly Muslim though largely secular Southeast European republic in transition from rigidly structured socialism to a market-oriented system. METHODS: A population-based sample of Tirana residents aged 35-74 years was interviewed and examined in 2003-2006 (450 men and 235 women with data on alcohol intake, 65.5% response). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression was used to assess the association of drinking frequency, quantity and type of drink with socioeconomic, psychosocial and coronary risk characteristics. RESULTS: 30.6% (95%CI=26.3%-34.9%) of men, age-standardized to the 2005 census, and 5.6% (95%CI=2.6%-8.6%) of women reported almost daily intake of alcohol, whereas 17.0% (95%CI=13.4%-20.5%) of men and 46.6% (95%CI=40.2%-53.1%) of women abstained. In men, frequent drinking was positively associated with age and not receiving financial support from close family emigrants, and was strongly inversely related to religious observance in both Muslims and Christians. In women it was associated with smoking and upward social mobility. Alcohol intake was not associated with religious affiliation in either sex. In men, intake of spirits (predominantly raki) and beer were associated with lower socioeconomic indices, smoking and obesity (beer only), whereas wine intake was associated with financial security, being secular, and not smoking. Among men, 11.3% (95%CI=8.3%-14.3%) reported high intakes (> or =210 g of pure alcohol/week) and 6.0% (95%CI=3.8%-8.3%) very high intakes (> or = 420 g/week). High intakes were associated with frequent, rather than episodic, drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study may be the first to provide information on alcohol intake and its characteristics in an Albanian population sample, one of the few predominantly Muslim countries in Europe. Alcohol consumption in women was extremely low. However, consistent very heavy intake of alcohol appears to be more frequent among Albanian men than in many former communist countries in Europe, and is cause for concern. 706-713 Jul 2010 2010-07-27 16:13:51 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20381259 Addictive Behaviors 35 7 Addict Behav DOI 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.03.015 ISSN 1873-6327 journalArticle Banasik Jacquelyn Williams Holly Haberman Mel Blank Sally E Bendel Robert Effect of Iyengar yoga practice on fatigue and diurnal salivary cortisol concentration in breast cancer survivors In this study of the effect of regular Iyengar yoga practice on measures of self-perceived psychosocial function and diurnal salivary cortisol secretion in stage II-IV breast cancer survivors, women were randomly assigned to attend yoga practice for 90 min twice weekly for 8 weeks (n = 9) or to a wait-listed, noninterventional control group (n = 9). Traditional Iyengar yoga routines that progressively increased in difficulty as participants gained strength and flexibility were used. After 8 weeks, the yoga group had lower morning and 5 p.m. salivary cortisol and improved emotional well-being and fatigue scores. 135-142 Mar 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21355946 2011-04-04 23:46:40 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21355946 Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 23 3 J Am Acad Nurse Pract DOI 10.1111/j.1745-7599.2010.00573.x ISSN 1745-7599 <p>This study examines the effect of regular lyengar yoga practice on measures of self-perceived psychosocial function and diurnal salivary cortisol secretion in stage II-IV breast cancer survivors.</p> journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 7/8 DOI 10.1080/13674670802643047 ISSN 13674676 Williamson W. Paul Hood Ralph Ahmad Aneeq Sadiq Mahmood Hill Peter C. The Intratextual Fundamentalism Scale: cross-cultural application, validity evidence, and relationship with religious orientation and the Big 5 factor markers. This paper introduces a new five-item cross-cultural fundamentalism scale based on the principle of intratextuality. Free of belief content and concerns with militancy, each of the five items taps into a different facet of intratextuality that collectively assess the attitudes that fundamentalists maintain toward their sacred text-namely, a persuasion that it is divine in origin, inerrant, privileged above all other texts, authoritative, and unchanging as the embodiment of timeless truth. In this article, we present three studies concerned with the Intratextual Fundamentalism Scale (IFS). Study 1 introduces the development, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent validity of the IFS based on a sample of 119 Christians in the US as well as examines its relationship to religious orientation. Study 2 replicates the findings of the first study with a sample of 220 Muslims from Pakistan. Study 3 again confirms the structure of the IFS, addresses divergent validity, and investigates its relationship with religious orientation and Goldberg's Big 5 factor markers in a sample of 227 US Christians. Findings of all three studies suggest that the IFS is a psychometrically sound instrument that economically assesses religious fundamentalism without religious content bias or concern for aggression. Results also indicate that, only for Americans, fundamentalism, as measured by the IFS, is significantly related to intrinsic (r = 0.35; r = 0.51) and extrinsic-personal (r = 0.33; r = 0.23) religious orientations, but not extrinsic-social orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 721-747 Nov November 2010 journalArticle Abernethy Alexis D Houston Tina R Bjorck Jeffrey P Gorsuch Richard L Arnold Harold L Adult African Americans Aged Biopsy Digital Rectal Examination Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Intention Los Angeles Male Mass Screening Middle Aged Neoplasm Staging Patient Acceptance of Health Care Problem Solving Prostate Prostate-Specific Antigen Prostatic Neoplasms Self Efficacy Ultrasonography Religiousness and prostate cancer screening in African American men This study was designed to examine the relationship between religiousness (organized, nonorganized, and intrinsic) and religious problem solving (collaborative, deferring, and self-directing) in prostate cancer screening (PCS) attitudes and behavior. Men (N = 481) of African descent between the ages of 40 and 70 participated. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that religiousness and self-directed problem solving were associated with PCS attitudes. Intrinsic religiousness was associated with PCS attitudes after controlling for health and organized religiousness. Religiousness was not associated with PCS behavior. Intrinsic religiousness may be an important dimension of religiousness to be considered in tailoring cancer interventions for individuals from faith-based communities. 316-331 2009 2011-02-22 23:51:48 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19544179 Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 27 3 J Psychosoc Oncol DOI 10.1080/07347330902979036 ISSN 1540-7586 journalArticle Larsen Terry A Study of the Unique Contribution of Spiritual Coping to Health-Related Quality of Life with Heart Failure S103 August 2010 2010-09-14 00:46:32 ScienceDirect Journal of Cardiac Failure 16 8, Supplement 1 DOI 10.1016/j.cardfail.2010.06.360 ISSN 1071-9164 <p>Research suggests that the heart failure (HF) population is particularly vulnerable to depression due to neurohormonal derangement and its psychological impact. HF patients with depression have been found to have more hospitalizations and poorer outcomes than those who are not depressed. The purpose of this study is to examine factors that predict health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with heart failure. Its aims are (1) to examine level of religious/spiritual coping, spiritual distress, demoralization, depression and HRQoL among adults with heart failure, (2) to examine the relationships of religious/spiritual coping, spiritual distress demoralization, depression and selected demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity and length of living with HF) with HRQoL. The tests revealed significant differences for positive religious/spiritual coping <em>t(113) =</em> 2.72, 95, 84, p &lt; .05 by gender. Women reported lower mean HRQoL scores 58.86 (SD 26.59) than men 68.57 (SD 24.77); and used more positive religious coping 20.95 (SD 4.97) than men 18.05(SD 6.20) p &lt; .05. Correlation analysis found depression and demoralization to be highly correlated (r = .801; p &lt; .05). A significant negative relationship between depression and HRQoL (r = -.645, p &lt; .001), demoralization (r = -507; p &lt; .001) and spiritual distress (r = -.218; p &lt; .05) was found. One-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in KCCQ scores based upon the demographic variables. Trending towards statistical significance was found with Hispanics 21.26 (SD 5.04) who more likely to use positive religious/spiritual coping than non-Hispanic participants 17.96 (SD = 6.42, p = 0.54). Regression analysis indicate the overall model significantly predicted HRQOL R<span class="ce-inf">₂</span> = 0.424, F (4,110) = 20.267, p &lt; . 001. Depression was the only variable that significantly contributed to the model. A holistic approach to managing HF patients should consider the varied human responses of stress and coping, and be culturally sensitive and gender appropriate.</p> journalArticle Journal of Child & Family Studies 19 2 DOI 10.1007/s10826-009-9282-x ISSN 10621024 Burke Christine BEHAVIOR disorders in adolescence -- Treatment CHILD psychology CHILDREN -- Health & hygiene -- Research Cognitive Therapy MEDITATION -- Therapeutic use Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Mindfulness-Based Approaches with Children and Adolescents: A Preliminary Review of Current Research in an Emergent Field. Interest in applications of mindfulness-based approaches with adults has grown rapidly in recent times, and there is an expanding research base that suggests these are efficacious approaches to promoting psychological health and well-being. Interest has spread to applications of mindfulness-based approaches with children and adolescents, yet the research is still in its infancy. I aim to provide a preliminary review of the current research base of mindfulness-based approaches with children and adolescents, focusing on MBSR/MBCT models, which place the regular practice of mindfulness meditation at the core of the intervention. Overall, the current research base provides support for the feasibility of mindfulness-based interventions with children and adolescents, however there is no generalized empirical evidence of the efficacy of these interventions. For the field to advance, I suggest that research needs to shift away from feasibility studies towards large, well-designed studies with robust methodologies, and adopt standardized formats for interventions, allowing for replication and comparison studies, to develop a firm research evidence base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 133-144 April 2010 Mindfulness-Based Approaches with Children and Adolescents 2010-06-15 14:09:21 EBSCOhost <p>Interest in applications of mindfulness-based approaches has spread from applications of mindfulness-based approaches with adults to the same with children and adolescents, yet the research is still in its infancy. This article provides a preliminary review of the current research base of mindfulness-based approaches with children and adolescents, focusing on MBSR/MBCT models, which place the regular practice of mindfulness meditation at the core of the intervention. Overall, the current research base provides support for the feasibility of mindfulness-based interventions with children and adolescents, however there is no generalized empirical evidence of the efficacy of these interventions. For the field to advance, research needs to shift away from feasibility studies towards large, well-designed studies with robust methodologies, and adopt standardized formats for interventions, allowing for replication and comparison studies, to develop a firm research evidence base.</p> journalArticle Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal 33 1 DOI 10.1007/s10591-010-9136-0 ISSN 08922764 Carlson Thomas McGeorge Christi Anderson Amy Analysis of Variance COMPARATIVE studies CORRELATION (Statistics) COUNSELORS -- Attitudes EFFECT sizes (Statistics) FAMILY psychotherapy HEALTH attitudes HYPOTHESIS SCALE analysis (Psychology) spirituality TEACHERS -- Attitudes T-test (Statistics) The Importance of Spirituality in Couple and Family Therapy: A Comparative Study of Therapists' and Educators' Beliefs. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between the beliefs of couple and family therapists (CFTs) and CFT educators in accredited training programs regarding the importance of spirituality in their personal and professional lives. The results suggest a significant difference between the two populations, with clinicians reporting a higher level of agreement regarding the overall role of spirituality in their personal and professional identities compared to CFT faculty members. However, both therapists and educators reported similar levels of agreement in regard to the need for education related to integrating spirituality and its role in clinical practice. Implications for CFT training programs are discussed. 3-16 March 2011 The Importance of Spirituality in Couple and Family Therapy EBSCOhost journalArticle Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 24 2 Psychol Addict Behav DOI 10.1037/a0018746 ISSN 1939-1501 Lambert Nathaniel M. Fincham Frank D. Marks Loren D. Stillman Tyler F. Invocations and intoxication: does prayer decrease alcohol consumption? Four methodologically diverse studies (N = 1,758) show that prayer frequency and alcohol consumption are negatively related. In Study 1 (n = 824), we used a cross-sectional design and found that higher prayer frequency was related to lower alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior. Study 2 (n = 702) used a longitudinal design and found that more frequent prayer at Time 1 predicted less alcohol consumption and problematic drinking behavior at Time 2, and this relationship held when controlling for baseline levels of drinking and prayer. In Study 3 (n = 117), we used an experimental design to test for a causal relationship between prayer frequency and alcohol consumption. Participants assigned to pray every day (either an undirected prayer or a prayer for a relationship partner) for 4 weeks drank about half as much alcohol at the conclusion of the study as control participants. Study 4 (n = 115) replicated the findings of Study 3, as prayer again reduced drinking by about half. These findings are discussed in terms of prayer as reducing drinking motives. 209-219 Jun 2010 Invocations and intoxication 2010-07-07 13:46:31 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20565147 journalArticle DiClemente Carlo C. DEPRESSED persons NEUROLOGISTS PAIN -- Treatment rumination stress management SUBSTANCE abuse Transcendental Meditation Mindfulness-specific or generic mechanisms of action In this article, the author discusses the study which examines the effectiveness of transcendental meditation mindfulness training to treat patients with behavioral and emotional problems. It states that rumination and stress management are the key factors that help depression people and substance abuse disorders to respond brain activation using generic self-regulatory operations. Moreover, neurologists explained that approach would lower pain sensitivity in the brain. 1707-1708 October 2010 Addiction 105 10 DOI 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03013.x ISSN 09652140 journalArticle Finocchario-Kessler S Catley D Berkley-Patton J Gerkovich M Williams K Banderas J Goggin K Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Fatalism Baseline predictors of ninety percent or higher antiretroviral therapy adherence in a diverse urban sample: the role of patient autonomy and fatalistic religious beliefs The role of patient autonomy and influence of religious/spiritual beliefs on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is to date not fully understood. This study assessed baseline predictors of high ART adherence (≥90%) measured by electronic drug monitors (EDM) at 12 and 24 weeks after enrollment in a randomized controlled trial testing behavioral interventions to improve ART adherence. Baseline data were collected with audio computer-assisted self interviews (ACASI) surveys among a diverse urban sample of HIV-infected participants (n = 204) recruited from community clinics in a large midwestern city. Baseline variables included a range of established ART adherence predictors as well as several less frequently studied variables related to patient autonomy and religious/spiritual beliefs. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) variables identified in univariate analyses were included in subsequent multivariate analyses predicting higher than 90% adherence at 12 and 24 weeks. Several baseline predictors retained statistical significance in multivariate analysis at 24 weeks. Baseline levels of autonomous support from friends and family, motivation to adhere, and having an active coping style were all positively associated with adherence, while the belief that God is in control of one's health was negatively associated with adherence. Results indicate that effective interventions should include a focus on promoting patients' autonomous regulation and religious/spiritual beliefs regarding ART adherence. 103-111 Feb 2011 Baseline predictors of ninety percent or higher antiretroviral therapy adherence in a diverse urban sample 2011-03-15 18:21:34 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21235403 AIDS Patient Care and STDs 25 2 AIDS Patient Care STDS DOI 10.1089/apc.2010.0319 ISSN 1557-7449 <p>This study assessed baseline predictors of high antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence (≥90%) measured by electronic drug monitors (EDM) at 12 and 24 weeks after enrollment in a randomized controlled trial testing behavioral interventions to improve ART adherence.&nbsp; The object was to better understand the role of influence of religious/spiritual beliefs on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Results indicate that effective interventions should include a focus on promoting patients' autonomous regulation and religious/spiritual beliefs regarding ART adherence.</p> journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 5 DOI 10.1080/13674670902758257 ISSN 13674676 Oman Doug Thoresen Carl E. Park Crystal L. Shaver Phillip R. Hood Ralph W. Plante Thomas G. HUMAN behavior MODELS & modelmaking PSYCHOLOGY -- Methodology Psychometrics RELIGIOUS institutions SCALING (Social sciences) SPIRITUAL life United States WORSHIP How does one become spiritual? The Spiritual Modeling Inventory of Life Environments (SMILE). We report the theoretical background, psychometric properties, and correlates of the Spiritual Modeling Inventory of Life Environments (SMILE), a measure of perceptions of spiritual models, defined as everyday and prominent people who have functioned for respondents as exemplars of spiritual qualities, such as compassion, self-control, or faith. Demographic, spiritual, and personality correlates were examined in an ethnically diverse sample of college students from California, Connecticut, and Tennessee (N = 1010). A summary measure of model influence was constructed from perceived models within family, school, and religious organization, and among prominent individuals from both tradition and media. The SMILE, based on concepts from Bandura's (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, was well-received by respondents. The summary measure demonstrated good 7-week test-retest reliability (r = 0.83); patterns of correlation supporting convergent, divergent, and criterion-related validity; demographic differences in expected directions; and substantial individual heterogeneity. Implications are discussed for further research and for pastoral, educational, and health-focused interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Mental Health, Religion & Culture is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) 427-456 July 2009 How does one become spiritual? http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rlh&AN=42411016&site=ehost-live 2009-10-27 00:57:31 EBSCOhost journalArticle Dehan Nicole Levi Zipi Spiritual abuse: an additional dimension of abuse experienced by abused Haredi (Ultraorthodox) Jewish wives This article aims to conceptualize spiritual abuse as an additional dimension to physical, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse. Growing out of an interpretivist participatory action research study in a therapeutic Haredi (Jewish ultraorthodox) group of eight abused women, spiritual abuse has been defined as any attempt to impair the woman's spiritual life, spiritual self, or spiritual well-being, with three levels of intensity: (a) belittling her spiritual worth, beliefs, or deeds; (b) preventing her from performing spiritual acts; and (c) causing her to transgress spiritual obligations or prohibitions. The concept and its typology are illustrated by means of examples from the women's abusive experiences and may be of theoretical and therapeutic worldwide relevance. 1294-1310 Nov 2009 Spiritual abuse http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19809096 2009-10-20 00:16:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19809096 Violence Against Women 15 11 Violence Against Women DOI 10.1177/1077801209347619 ISSN 1077-8012 journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 66 4 J Clin Psychol DOI 10.1002/jclp.20663 ISSN 1097-4679 Koszycki Diana Raab Kelley Aldosary Fahad Bradwejn Jacques A multifaith spiritually based intervention for generalized anxiety disorder: a pilot randomized trial This pilot trial evaluated the efficacy of a multifaith spiritually based intervention (SBI) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for GAD of at least moderate severity were randomized to either 12 sessions of the SBI (n=11) delivered by a spiritual care counselor or 12 sessions of psychologist-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT; n=11). Outcome measures were completed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Primary efficacy measures included the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed on the intent-to-treat sample using the Last Observation Carried Forward method. Eighteen patients (82%) completed the study. The SBI produced robust and clinically significant reductions from baseline in psychic and somatic symptoms of GAD and was comparable in efficacy to CBT. A reduction in depressive symptoms and improvement in social adjustment was also observed. Treatment response occurred in 63.6% of SBI-treated and 72.3% of CBT-treated patients. Gains were maintained at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. These preliminary findings are encouraging and suggest that a multifaith SBI may be an effective treatment option for GAD. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy of this intervention. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: 66(4):1-12, 2010. 430-441 Feb 8, 2010 A multifaith spiritually based intervention for generalized anxiety disorder 2010-03-04 14:02:25 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20143382 <p>After a multifaith spiritually based intervention was applied to patients suffering generalized anxiety disorder, a reduction in depressive symptoms and improvement in social adjustment was observed.</p> journalArticle Karademas Evangelos C Illness cognitions as a pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic cardiac patients The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness cognitions as a possible pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic illness. A sample of 135 chronic cardiac patients completed questionnaires about intrinsic religiousness, frequency of church service attendance, basic illness cognitions (i.e., helplessness, illness acceptance, perceived benefits), and physical and emotional well-being. According to the results, religiousness was significantly associated with subjective health. However, this relationship was indirect, with helplessness and illness acceptance serving as mediators between intrinsic religiousness and health. This finding is significant for understanding the complex relation of religiousness to chronic patients' well-being. 239-247 Mar 2010 2010-03-23 00:11:10 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20207667 Journal of Health Psychology 15 2 J Health Psychol DOI 10.1177/1359105309347585 ISSN 1461-7277 <p>The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness cognitions as a possible pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic illness. A sample of 135 chronic cardiac patients completed questionnaires about intrinsic religiousness, frequency of church service attendance, basic illness cognitions (i.e., helplessness, illness acceptance, perceived benefits), and physical and emotional well-being. According to the results, religiousness was significantly associated with subjective health. However, this relationship was indirect, with helplessness and illness acceptance serving as mediators between intrinsic religiousness and health. This finding is significant for understanding the complex relation of religiousness to chronic patients’ well-being.</p> journalArticle Beuscher L. Grando V. T. Using Spirituality to Cope With Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease This study describes how individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) use spirituality to cope with losses of self-esteem, independence, and social interaction. Faith, prayer, connection to church, and family support enhanced the ability of people with early-stage AD to keep a positive attitude. 583-598 03/2009 http://wjn.sagepub.com/cgi/doi/10.1177/0193945909332776 Western Journal of Nursing Research 31 5 Western Journal of Nursing Research DOI 10.1177/0193945909332776 ISSN 0193-9459 journalArticle The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 44 4 J Adolesc Health DOI 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.08.022 ISSN 1879-1972 Pérez John E Little Todd D Henrich Christopher C Adaptation, Psychological Adolescent depression Female Humans Longitudinal Studies Male New England Prospective Studies Self Efficacy spirituality Spirituality and depressive symptoms in a school-based sample of adolescents: a longitudinal examination of mediated and moderated effects PURPOSE: To prospectively examine whether personal agency beliefs and direct coping mediate the association between spirituality and depressive symptoms in a school-based sample of adolescents, and whether gender, race, or grade level moderate this model. METHOD: Students (N = 1096) from sixth through ninth grades in a northeastern public school system were administered self-report instruments in group format at baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 1-year follow-up. Demographic variables and constructs of spirituality, personal agency, direct coping, and depressive symptoms were assessed. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling was used to examine the longitudinal associations among the constructs while controlling for socioeconomic status and baseline depressive symptoms. For the total sample, the model predicted 21% of the variance in depressive symptoms over 1 year. The model was moderated by gender but not by race or grade level. The model explained 28% of the variance in depressive symptoms for girls and 16% of the variance in depressive symptoms for boys. Moreover, there was an indirect effect of spirituality on depressive symptoms for girls but not for boys. CONCLUSION: These results suggest mechanisms by which spirituality may maintain lower levels of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls during periods of transition to middle and high school. 380-386 Apr 2009 Spirituality and depressive symptoms in a school-based sample of adolescents 2011-02-23 00:32:30 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19306797 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 14 3 DOI 10.1080/13674670903452132 ISSN 13674676 Ganzevoort R. R. van der Laan M. Olsman E. ATTITUDE (Psychology) Christianity Ethics HOMOSEXUALITY Qualitative Research ROLE conflict SELF-perception sex THOUGHT & thinking Growing up gay and religious. Conflict, dialogue, and religious identity strategies. Homosexuality has become a divisive issue in many religious communities. Partly because of that, individuals growing up in such a community and experiencing same sex attractions need to negotiate the messages about homosexuality with their own experiences. This paper explores the identity strategies of religious communities as the background of individual identity struggles. Following a discussion of Bauman's grammars of identity/alterity, it describes four different discourses employed in conservative protestant and evangelical circles: holiness, subjectivity, obedience, and responsibility and four modes of negotiation: Christian lifestyle, gay lifestyle, commuting (compartmentalisation), and integration. By combining an analysis of discourses on the community level with individual strategies, this narrative research helps to better understand the interactions of (group) culture and individual coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 209-222 March 2011 EBSCOhost journalArticle Lee Chin C. Czaja Sara J. Schulz Richard The moderating influence of demographic characteristics, social support, and religious coping on the effectiveness of a multicomponent psychosocial caregiver intervention in three racial ethnic groups This article extends the findings from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH II) program, a multisite randomized clinical trial of a multicomponent psychosocial intervention, to improve the well-being of informal caregivers (CGs) of persons with dementia. We used residual change scores and stepwise hierarchical regression analyses to explore separately in 3 racial ethnic groups (Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, and White or Caucasian) how the effects of the intervention were moderated by CG characteristics (sex, age, education, and relationship), CG resources (social support), and religious coping. The results indicated that CG's age and religious coping moderated the effects of the intervention for Hispanics and Blacks. The older Hispanic and Black CGs who received the intervention reported a decrease in CG burden from baseline to follow-up. Black CGs with less religious coping who received the intervention also reported a decrease in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up. 185-194 Mar 2010 2010-03-23 00:37:35 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20056684 The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 65B 2 J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci DOI 10.1093/geronb/gbp131 ISSN 1758-5368 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12 4 DOI 10.1080/13674670902732781 ISSN 13674676 Wernik Uri BEADS CLINICAL sociology HEALING -- Religious aspects Psychotherapy PUBLIC worship RELIGION & culture RITES & ceremonies Spiritual healing Spiritualism The use of prayer beads in psychotherapy. The history and the varieties of positive thinking interventions in psychotherapy are discussed. It is suggested that the measures used to install positive self statements are limited. Until now there are no reports of using prayer beads for this purpose. The use of prayer beads in different cultures and religions is described and three cases of using prayer beads in therapy are presented. The promising results are understood in terms of ritual. Further directions of research are proposed. The very process of preparing prayer beads benefits the therapeutic relationship, creating an opportunity for playful and creative interaction between client and therapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 359-368 May 2009 EBSCOhost journalArticle Djuric Zora Mirasolo Josephine Kimbrough LaVern Brown Diane R Heilbrun Lance K Canar Lisa Venkatranamamoorthy Raghu Simon Michael S African Americans Body Mass Index Breast Neoplasms Diet Records Directive Counseling Female Humans Middle Aged Motor Activity Obesity Pilot Projects Quality of Life Questionnaires Religion and Psychology Survival Analysis Survivors United States Weight Loss A pilot trial of spirituality counseling for weight loss maintenance in African American breast cancer survivors A continuing challenge in weight loss treatment is attaining maintenance of weight loss. The goal of this study was to develop a counseling method that would assist African American breast cancer survivors with weight loss maintenance. In this pilot study, 31 obese breast cancer survivors were recruited. Individualized, dietitian-led counseling by telephone and free Weight Watchers coupons were provided to all participants for 18 months. At the 6-month time point, women were randomized to receive spirituality counseling or not in addition to the standard program. The spirituality counseling was delivered via telephone using an 8-step framework. Subjects were asked to utilize daily meditation or prayer, daily readings, and the recording of thoughts in a journal. Mean weight loss from baseline to 6 months was a modest 2.0% of baseline weight. From 6 to 18 months, there was no further weight change in the spirituality arm and a gain of 0.7% in the dietitian-only arm. Despite little effect on weight loss, it did appear that spirituality counseling positively affected spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp) scores and dietary quality. The spirituality counseling framework therefore may be further refined and useful for other health promotion studies with African American populations. 552-564 Jun 2009 2011-02-22 23:45:01 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19585923 Journal of the National Medical Association 101 6 J Natl Med Assoc ISSN 0027-9684 journalArticle Violence Against Women 15 4 Violence Against Women DOI 10.1177/1077801208331244 ISSN 1077-8012 Schneider Rachel Zimmer Feltey Kathryn M Adaptation, Psychological Adult Anecdotes as Topic Battered Women Crime Victims Faith Healing Female Humans Middle Aged Pastoral Care prisoners Questionnaires spirituality Women's Health "No matter what has been done wrong can always be redone right": spirituality in the lives of imprisoned battered women In this article, the authors explore the religious and spiritual experiences and beliefs of incarcerated battered women who killed abusive intimate partners or (step)fathers. Through in-depth interviews with 12 imprisoned battered women, the authors examine the role that religion and spirituality played in the women's lives before and during their incarceration. Regardless of their religious upbringing, most had what they described as spiritual experiences during their time in prison. For them, participation in the support group for battered women and their spiritual experiences "freed them" by giving them a way to reconstruct and reinterpret their victimization, perpetration of violence, and subsequent incarceration. 443-459 Apr 2009 "No matter what has been done wrong can always be redone right" 2011-02-23 00:48:15 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19223663 journalArticle Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 41 2 DOI 10.1037/a0017471 ISSN 0735-7028 Sherry Alissa Adelman Andrew Whilde Margaret R. Quick Daniel gay homosexual lesbian religion spirituality Competing Selves: Negotiating the Intersection of Spiritual and Sexual Identities Psychotherapy has sometimes been seen as incongruent with religion and spirituality. This fact is even more pronounced when counseling lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients, who feel as if their sexual orientation places them at odds with religious doctrine that is experienced as antigay. Postmodern theory provides a context for understanding socially constructed identities that may be in conflict with one another and may also provide some insight into how therapists may approach religious issues with LGB clients. The current study uses a mixed method design to investigate the relation between religious and sexuality variables in a sample of 422 LGB respondents. Quantitative results indicated that conservative religious beliefs were related to higher levels of shame, guilt, and internalized homophobia. Qualitative results appeared to highlight eight themes, the more dominant of which indicated that issues around sexual orientation were the catalyst for questioning or changing religious affiliation or beliefs. 112-119 April 2010 Competing Selves 2010-05-07 19:02:14 ScienceDirect journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 2 DOI 10.1080/13674670903277984 ISSN 13674676 O'Connor Shawn Vandenberg Brian Faith MODERNIST-fundamentalist controversy PSYCHOLOGY, Pathological PSYCHOSES RELIGION & politics RELIGIOUS fundamentalism THEOLOGICAL virtues Differentiating psychosis and faith: the role of social norms and religious fundamentalism. Although delusion is a central characteristic of psychosis, problems with the DSM definition make identification difficult, especially when religious content is involved. This study, involving 255 participants, sought to (1) determine if untrained participants' assessment of religious beliefs would be similar to that of trained clinicians in a previous study and (2) determine whether participants' Religious Fundamentalism (RF) influenced assessment. Three sets of religious beliefs, with varying levels of conventionality, were assessed. Results indicate that untrained participants rated religious beliefs in much the same way as did clinicians in a previous study, suggesting that social norms play an important role in the assessment of religious ideation. It was also found that High RF participants rated beliefs similar to their own as less pathological than did Low RF participants. Furthermore, High RF participants did not lower pathology ratings for beliefs from the least conventional religion, even when identified as religious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 171-186 March 2010 Differentiating psychosis and faith 2010-03-24 20:44:58 EBSCOhost journalArticle Telles Shirley Singh Nilkamal Balkrishna Acharya Heart rate variability changes during high frequency yoga breathing and breath awareness UNLABELLED ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND Pre and post comparison after one minute of high frequency yoga breathing (HFYB) suggested that the HFYB modifies the autonomic status by increasing sympathetic modulation, but its effect during the practice was not assessed. METHODS Thirty-eight male volunteers with group average age ± S.D., 23.3 ± 4.4 years were each assessed on two separate days in two sessions, (i) HFYB and (ii) breath awareness. Each session was for 35 minutes, with 3 periods, i.e., pre (5 minutes), during HFYB or breath awareness (15 minutes) and post (5 minutes). RESULTS There was a significant decrease in NN50, pNN50 and the mean RR interval during and after HFYB and after breath awareness, compared to the respective 'pre' values (p < 0.05) (repeated measures ANOVA followed by post-hoc analysis). The LF power increased and HF power decreased during and after breath awareness and LF/HF ratio increased after breath awareness (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The results suggest that there was reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after HFYB and increased sympathetic modulation with reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after breath awareness. 4 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21486495 2011-05-09 22:59:23 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21486495 BioPsychoSocial Medicine 5 Biopsychosoc Med DOI 10.1186/1751-0759-5-4 ISSN 1751-0759 <p>A study on the Pre and post comparison after one minute of high frequency yoga breathing (HFYB) suggested that the HFYB modifies the autonomic status by increasing sympathetic modulation, but its effect during the practice was not assessed. Thirty-eight male volunteers with group average age ± S.D., 23.3 ± 4.4 years were each assessed on two separate days in two sessions, (i) HFYB and (ii) breath awareness. Each session was for 35 minutes, with 3 periods, i.e., pre (5 minutes), during HFYB or breath awareness (15 minutes) and post (5 minutes). Results showed that there was a significant decrease in NN50, pNN50 and the mean RR interval during and after HFYB and after breath awareness, compared to the respective 'pre' values (p &lt; 0.05) (repeated measures ANOVA followed by post-hoc analysis). The LF power increased and HF power decreased during and after breath awareness and LF/HF ratio increased after breath awareness (p &lt; 0.05). The results suggest that there was reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after HFYB and increased sympathetic modulation with reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after breath awareness.</p> journalArticle International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 21 1 DOI 10.1080/10508619.2011.532450 ISSN 10508619 Masters Kevin S. Knestel Andrea Body Mass Index Health Behavior Health Status Indicators RELIGIOUS institutions SURVEYS Religious Orientation Among a Random Sample of Community-Dwelling Adults: Relations With Health Status and Health-Relevant Behaviors. This empirical study was designed as the first to describe the distribution of the four religious orientation types in the general population, based on Allport and Ross's Intrinsic/Extrinsic typology, and to test whether differences in health status and health relevant behaviors based on religious type exist. Throughout 2005-2006 individuals (N = 157) were randomly telephoned and administered a measure of religious orientation. They reported health status, height/weight, use of tobacco and alcohol, and engagement in aerobic exercise. All four religious orientation types were represented (Intrinsic = 19.1%, Extrinsic = 22.3%, Pro-religious = 36.9%, Non-religious = 21.7%). Intrinsic and Non-religious types reported the most favorable health perceptions and lowest body mass indexes. Intrinsic and Pro-religious types were least likely to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. Religious orientation is a useful construct pertaining to health status and health relevant behaviors and further demonstrates the multidimensional nature of religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 63-76 Jan-Mar2011 January 2011 Religious Orientation Among a Random Sample of Community-Dwelling Adults EBSCOhost journalArticle Stewart William C Sharpe Elizabeth D Kristoffersen Caroline J Nelson Lindsay A Stewart Jeanette A Association of Strength of Religious Adherence with Attitudes regarding Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension Background: To evaluate the impact of religious adherence on a patient's outlook on disease in a glaucoma population. Methods: A prospective survey analysis of patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension evaluating self-reported global religious adherence, adherence to specific basic activities and knowledge of faith ('maturity') and 'comfort' (ability to cope, attitude toward glaucoma, motivation to take medication and God's concern). This specific analysis was limited to self-professed Christians. Results: 248 patients were included and religious adherence was correlated to religious activity and knowledge (p < 0.0001). Patients who scored as adherent on at least 1 of 4 maturity questions had greater benefit than less adherent patients from each of the 5 comfort questions (p < 0.0001). We found an increased statistical separation on each of the 5 comfort questions between religiously adherent and less adherent individuals for patients who scored as adherent on any 2 (n = 40), 3 (n = 50) or all 4 (n = 57) of the maturity questions (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests, at least for the Christian faith, that religious patients are subjectively more prone to cope with treatment and that religiosity increases the self-confidence, and possibly the quality of life, of patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Whether this necessarily translates into better glaucoma practices remains to be demonstrated by further studies. 53-56 Aug 11, 2010 2010-08-30 20:56:52 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20714192 Ophthalmic Research 45 1 Ophthalmic Res DOI 10.1159/000313986 ISSN 1423-0259 journalArticle Gravitt Wendy Jones God's Ruthless Embrace: Religious Belief in Three Women with Borderline Personality Disorder This exploratory study was designed to determine if three people with the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) viewed religion in characteristic and unique ways. The data was analyzed using Object Relations Theory, Attachment Theory, and an integrated cognitive, affect, and object relations theory. I concluded that the participants shared a faith style that resulted from an early developmental failure and that their image and response to God and the moral universe were a re-enactment of the dysfunctional mother/infant dyad. Specifically, God's character was seen as (1) self-evident and inescapable and (2) stationary and large. God was envisioned (3) as a person who is (4) magical; (5) inexplicable, and therefore, unreliable. Participants believed that (6) God's task was to provide and that (7) God created a moral universe. Their responses had an intense and desperate quality, were typified by ambivalence, and emphasized a power differential. Finally, the women's relationship with God took the form of a deal: if she was dependent, then God would provide. The interface between BPD and psychological and spiritual well-being is discussed and a tentative application of the findings is made to the field of mental health nursing. I suggest that an understanding of BPD religious constructs and the sensitive application of a few principles can contribute to the spiritual and psychological well-being of the BPD inpatient. 301-317 2011 God's Ruthless Embrace http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21574844 2011-06-08 22:56:39 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21574844 Issues in Mental Health Nursing 32 5 Issues Ment Health Nurs DOI 10.3109/01612840.2010.558234 ISSN 1096-4673 journalArticle Zautra Alex J. Fasman Robert Davis Mary C. Craig Arthur D. (Bud) Affect Fibromyalgia Pain Slow breathing The effects of slow breathing on affective responses to pain stimuli: An experimental study This study examined whether breathing rate affected self-reported pain and emotion following thermal pain stimuli in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM: n = 27) or age-matched healthy control women (HC: n = 25). FM and HC were exposed to low and moderate thermal pain pulses during paced breathing at their normal rate and one-half their normal rate. Thermal pain pulses were presented in four blocks of four trials. Each block included exposure to both mild and moderate pain trials, and periods of both normal and slow paced breathing. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were recorded immediately following each pain trial, and positive and negative affect were assessed at the end of each block of trials. Compared to normal breathing, slow breathing reduced ratings of pain intensity and unpleasantness, particularly for moderately versus mildly painful thermal stimuli. The effects of slow breathing on pain ratings were less reliable for FM patients than for HCs. Slow versus normal breathing decreased negative affect ratings following thermal pain pulses for both groups, and increased positive affect reports, but only for healthy controls with high trait negative affect. Participants who reported higher levels of trait positive affect prior to the experiment showed greater decreases in negative affect as a result of slow versus normal breathing. These experimental findings provide support for prior reports on the benefits of yogic breathing and mindful Zen meditation for pain and depressed affect. However, chronic pain patients may require more guidance to obtain therapeutic benefit from reduced breathing rates. 12-18 April 2010 The effects of slow breathing on affective responses to pain stimuli 2010-05-07 19:01:53 ScienceDirect Pain 149 1 DOI 10.1016/j.pain.2009.10.001 ISSN 0304-3959 <p>This study examined whether breathing rate affected self-reported pain and emotion following thermal pain stimuli in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM: <em>n</em><img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />=<img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />27) or age-matched healthy control women (HC: <em>n</em><img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />=<img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />25). FM and HC were exposed to low and moderate thermal pain pulses during paced breathing at their normal rate and one-half their normal rate. Thermal pain pulses were presented in four blocks of four trials. Each block included exposure to both mild and moderate pain trials, and periods of both normal and slow paced breathing. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were recorded immediately following each pain trial, and positive and negative affect were assessed at the end of each block of trials. Compared to normal breathing, slow breathing reduced ratings of pain intensity and unpleasantness, particularly for moderately versus mildly painful thermal stimuli. The effects of slow breathing on pain ratings were less reliable for FM patients than for HCs. Slow versus normal breathing decreased negative affect ratings following thermal pain pulses for both groups, and increased positive affect reports, but only for healthy controls with high trait negative affect. Participants who reported higher levels of trait positive affect prior to the experiment showed greater decreases in negative affect as a result of slow versus normal breathing. These experimental findings provide support for prior reports on the benefits of yogic breathing and mindful Zen meditation for pain and depressed affect. However, chronic pain patients may require more guidance to obtain therapeutic benefit from reduced breathing rates.</p> journalArticle Sinclair Shane Mysak Marlene Hagen Neil A What are the core elements of oncology spiritual care programs? OBJECTIVE:Tending to the spiritual needs of patients has begun to be formally recognized by professional spiritual care providers, health care councils, and health delivery systems over the last 30 years. Recognition of these programs has coincided with evidence-based research on the effect of spirituality on health. Palliative care has served as a forerunner to an integrated professional spiritual care approach, recognizing the importance of addressing the spiritual needs of the dying from its inauguration within Western medicine almost 50 years ago. Oncology programs have also begun to recognize the importance of spirituality to patients along the cancer continuum, especially those who are approaching the end of life. Although standards and best practice guidelines have been established and incorporated into practice, little is known about the actual factors affecting the practice of spiritual care programs or professional chaplains working within an oncology setting.METHODS:Participant observation and interactive interviews occurred at five cancer programs after we conducted a literature search.RESULTS:This study identified underlying organizational challenges, cultural and professional issues, academic program development challenges, administrative duties, and therapeutic interventions that determined the success of oncology spiritual care programs in practice.SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS:Although spiritual care services have developed as a profession and become recognized as a service within oncology and palliative care, organizational and operational issues were underrecognized yet significant factors in the success of oncology spiritual care programs. Spiritual care programs that were centrally located within the cancer care center, reported and provided guidance to senior leaders, reflected a multifaith approach, and had an academic role were better resourced, utilized more frequently, and seen to be integral members of an interdisciplinary care team than those services who did not reflect these characteristics. 415-422 Dec 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19939304 2009-12-28 19:59:18 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19939304 Palliative & Supportive Care 7 4 Palliat Support Care DOI 10.1017/S1478951509990423 ISSN 1478-9523 <p>Tending to the spiritual needs of patients has begun to be formally recognized by professional spiritual care providers, health care councils, and health delivery systems over the last 30 years. Recognition of these programs has coincided with evidence-based research on the effect of spirituality on health. Palliative care has served as a forerunner to an integrated professional spiritual care approach, recognizing the importance of addressing the spiritual needs of the dying from its inauguration within Western medicine almost 50 years ago. Oncology programs have also begun to recognize the importance of spirituality to patients along the cancer continuum, especially those who are approaching the end of life. Although standards and best practice guidelines have been established and incorporated into practice, little is known about the actual factors affecting the practice of spiritual care programs or professional chaplains working within an oncology setting. Participant observation and interactive interviews occurred at five cancer programs after we conducted a literature search</p> journalArticle Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49 3 DOI 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01528.x ISSN 00218294 Childs Ellen Religious Attendance and Happiness: Examining Gaps in the Current Literature-A Research Note Two major gaps exist in research examining the positive association between religious attendance and happiness. First, scholars have argued that this association may be because of people's perceived relationship with God or the social cohesion one experiences with other parishioners, but scholars have not studied both pathways simultaneously. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data (General Social Survey), I first examine the influence of one's perceived relationship with God and one's perceived social cohesion within the religious community on happiness. One's perceived relationship with God is more strongly associated with happiness than is social cohesion. Second, scholars overwhelmingly use religious attendance as the independent variable, with happiness as the dependent variable. Using two waves of data from a nationally representative panel study (National Survey of Families and Households), I then examine the relationship between religious attendance and happiness over time, finding that religious attendance has a greater effect on happiness than happiness has on religious attendance. 550-560 09/2010 http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01528.x journalArticle International Journal of Yoga 2 1 Int J Yoga DOI 10.4103/0973-6131.43293 ISSN 0973-6131 Pradhan Balaram Nagendra H R Effect of yoga relaxation techniques on performance of digit-letter substitution task by teenagers BACKGROUND/AIMS Memory and selective attention are important skills for academic and professional performance. Techniques to improve these skills are not taught either in education or company training courses. Any system which can systematically improve these skills will be of value in schools, universities, and workplaces. Aims:To investigate possible improvements in memory and selective attention, as measured by the Digit-Letter Substitution Task (DLST), due to practice of Cyclic Meditation (CM), a yoga relaxation technique, as compared to Supine Rest (SR). MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects consisted of 253 school students, 156 boys, 97 girls, in the age range 13-16 years, who were attending a 10-day yoga training course during summer vacation. The selected subjects had English as their medium of instruction in school and they acted as their own controls. They were allocated to two groups, and tested on the DLST, immediately before and after 22.5 minutes practice of CM on one day, and immediately before and after an equal period of SR on the other day. The first group performed CM on day 9 and SR on day 10. For the second group, the order was reversed. RESULTS Within each group pre-post test differences were significant for both the relaxation techniques. The magnitude of net score improvement was greater after SR (7.85%) compared to CM (3.95%). Significance levels were P < 0.4 × 10(-9)for SR and P < 0.1 × 10(-3) for CM. The number of wrong attempts also increased significantly on both interventions, even after removing two outlier data points on day 1 in the SR group. CONCLUSIONS Both CM and SR lead to improvement in performance on the DLST. However, these relaxation techniques lead to more wrong cancellation errors. 30-34 Jan 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21234213 2011-03-28 22:13:46 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21234213 journalArticle Fitzpatrick Lee Simpson Jane Smith Alistair A qualitative analysis of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in Parkinson's disease OBJECTIVES: To analyse the experiences of participants with Parkinson's disease (PD), who participated in an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) course. DESIGN AND METHOD: Interpretative phenomenological analysis guided the design and method used in this study. A total of twelve participants (seven men and five women) with PD were recruited prior to and following participation in an MBCT course and interviewed with a semi-structured interview schedule. One participant who opted out of the course was also interviewed. The researcher also participated in another MBCT course to enhance their understanding of the participants' experience, keeping a detailed diary as a means of acknowledging bias in the analysis process. Themes were summarized from transcripts and later classified into superordinate themes, which were compared across all cases. Transcripts were also read and analysed by a second author and participants were given the opportunity to comment upon emerging themes. RESULTS: Major themes included (1) changing patterns of coping; (2) the role of mindfulness in consolidating existing coping skills in the context of loss; (3) group support in the context of loss and society that stigmatizes difference; and (4) the dualism of experience between Parkinson's and mindful meditation. CONCLUSIONS: This study has indicated that MBCT could benefit people with PD and was an acceptable form of group intervention. 179-192 Jun 2010 2010-07-07 15:42:04 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19843353 Psychology and Psychotherapy 83 Pt 2 Psychol Psychother DOI 10.1348/147608309X471514 ISSN 1476-0835 journalArticle Matchim Yaowarat Armer Jane M Stewart Bob R Mindfulness-based stress reduction among breast cancer survivors: a literature review and discussion Purpose/Objectives: To evaluate and discuss existing studies of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) among breast cancer survivors.Data Sources: Articles published from 1987-2009 were retrieved using MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, Ovid, and Scopus. Key words, including mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness meditation, were combined with breast cancer.Data Synthesis: The search resulted in 26 articles that were narrowed down to 16 by selecting only quantitative studies of MBSR conducted with breast cancer (n = 7) or heterogeneous types of cancer in which the predominant cancer was breast cancer (n = 9). Most studies were one-group pre- and post-test design and examined the effect of MBSR on psychological outcomes. Overall, the studies had large effect sizes on perceived stress and state anxiety and medium effect sizes on symptoms of stress and mood disturbance. Four studies measured biologic outcomes and had small effect sizes, except cytokine production, which showed a large effect size at 6- and 12-month follow-ups.Conclusions: Future studies using randomized, control trials and longitudinal, repeated-measures designs are needed. Studies conducted with heterogeneous types of cancer and gender should be analyzed and the results reported separately. Implications for Nursing: The comprehensive summary and critical discussion of existing studies of MBSR usage among breast cancer survivors provide essential information that can be used by nurses and others working in the healthcare setting. E61-71 Mar 1, 2011 Mindfulness-based stress reduction among breast cancer survivors http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21356643 2011-04-04 23:46:40 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21356643 Oncology Nursing Forum 38 2 Oncol Nurs Forum DOI 10.1188/11.ONF.E61-E71 ISSN 1538-0688 <p>Purpose of study is to evaluate and discuss existing studies of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) among breast cancer survivors.</p> journalArticle Agrimson Laurie B Taft Lois B Adult Aged, 80 and over Female Holistic Health Holistic Nursing Humans Male Middle Aged Religion and Psychology spirituality Spiritual crisis: a concept analysis AIM This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of spiritual crisis. BACKGROUND The term spiritual crisis has been used ambiguously in the literature, resulting in lack of clarity. A holistic approach includes spirituality in nursing care of the whole person. DATA SOURCES Papers available online between 1998 and 2007 in the CINAHL, Medline and PsycInfo databases were retrieved for analysis. The search engine Google was also used to examine additional references to 'spiritual crisis'. REVIEW METHODS Spiritual crisis, spiritual emergency and life crisis were the terms initially used to search each database. The search was expanded to include spirituality to draw more literature into the review. FINDINGS Using Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis, a definition of spiritual crisis was identified. Spiritual crisis can be described as a unique form of grieving or loss, marked by a profound questioning of or lack of meaning in life, in which an individual or community reaches a turning point, leading to a significant alteration in the way life is viewed. Possible antecedents include sudden acute illness and loss of important relationships. Potential consequences may include physical and emotional responses. CONCLUSION People with terminal illness, depression, and those who are grieving losses may be at special risk of spiritual crisis. The literature suggests an interdisciplinary approach, nurses' self-exploration of spirituality, and refraining from defining spirituality by religious affiliation as part of improving practice. 454-461 Feb 2009 Spiritual crisis http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19040691 2011-03-28 22:23:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19040691 Journal of Advanced Nursing 65 2 J Adv Nurs DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04869.x ISSN 1365-2648 journalArticle Johnstone Brick Dong Pil Yoon Rupright Jon Reid-Arndt Stephanie BRAIN -- Wounds & injuries MENTAL health -- Religious aspects PUBLIC health -- Research REHABILITATION -- Social aspects religion spirituality Relationships among spiritual beliefs, religious practises, congregational support and health for individuals with traumatic brain injury. Objective: To determine relationships among spiritual beliefs, religious practises, congregational support and health for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: A cross-sectional analysis of 61 individuals with TBI evaluated in an outpatient clinic using the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) and the Medical Outcomes Scale-Short Form 36 (SF-36). Results: For persons with TBI the BMMRS Meaning and Values/Beliefs sub-scales were significantly correlated with the SF-36 General Health Perception sub-scale and the BMMRS Religious Support sub-scale was significantly correlated with the SF-36 General Mental Health sub-scale. Hierarchical regressions indicated that the BMMRS Values/Beliefs and Forgiveness sub-scales accounted for 16% additional variance in SF-36 General Health Perception scores beyond that accounted for by demographic variables (i.e. age, income); no BMMRS sub-scales accounted for additional variance in predicting the SF-36 General Mental Health sub-scale beyond that accounted for by demographic variables (i.e. age, income). Conclusions: The physical health of individuals with TBI is associated with spiritual beliefs but not religious practises or congregational support. Better mental health is associated with increasing congregationally based social support for persons with TBI. Religious practises (i.e. praying, etc.) are not related to either physical or mental health, as some persons with TBI may increase prayer with declining health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 411-419 May 2009 EBSCOhost Brain Injury 23 5 DOI 10.1080/02699050902788501 ISSN 02699052 journalArticle Psycho-Oncology 19 7 Psychooncology DOI 10.1002/pon.1625 ISSN 1099-1611 Ando Michiyo Kawamura Ryo Morita Tatsuya Hirai Kei Miyashita Mitsunori Okamoto Takuya Shima Yasuo Value of religious care for relief of psycho-existential suffering in Japanese terminally ill cancer patients: the perspective of bereaved family members OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify the experience of bereaved family members of cancer patients regarding the usefulness of religious care (perceived usefulness). The value of this care to palliate psycho-existential suffering in future patients was also examined (predicted usefulness). METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 592 bereaved family members of cancer patients who were admitted to certified palliative care units in Japan. Responses were obtained from 378 families, indicating whether the patient received religious care, the perceived usefulness of the care, and its predicted usefulness for palliation of psycho-existential suffering. RESULTS: About 25% (N=83) indicated that the patient had received religious care, whereas 75% (N=255) had not received it. Families of patients who had received religious care evaluated pastoral care workers (86%), religious services (82%), and religious music (80%) as 'very useful' or 'useful'. Families predicted usefulness of religious care for future patients: attending a religious service (very useful or useful, 56%; not useful or harmful, 44%), a religious atmosphere (48%, 52%), meeting with a pastoral care worker (50%, 50%), and religious care by physicians (26%, 74%), and nurses (27%, 73%). Families with a religion were significantly more likely to rate religious care as useful for future patients. CONCLUSIONS: Families of patients who received religious care generally evaluated this care to be very useful or useful. For future patients, some families felt that religious care would be useful, but some did not. In Japan, religious care is more likely to provide benefits to patients who have a religion. 750-755 Jul 2010 Value of religious care for relief of psycho-existential suffering in Japanese terminally ill cancer patients 2010-07-27 16:26:51 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19780204 journalArticle Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 37 4 Behav Cogn Psychother DOI 10.1017/S135246580999004X ISSN 1469-1833 Allen Mark Bromley Andrew Kuyken Willem Sonnenberg Stefanie J Cognitive Therapy Cost-Benefit Analysis Depressive Disorder, Major Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Female Humans Interpersonal Relations Learning Male Middle Aged Primary Health Care Program Development Recurrence Rural Population Self Efficacy Semantics Severity of Illness Index Treatment Outcome Urban Population Participants' experiences of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: "It changed me in just about every way possible" BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a promising approach to help people who suffer recurrent depression prevent depressive relapse. However, little is known about how MBCT works. Moreover, participants' subjective experiences of MBCT as a relapse prevention treatment remain largely unstudied. AIM: This study examines participants' representations of their experience of MBCT and its value as a relapse-prevention program for recurrent depression. METHOD: Twenty people who had participated in MBCT classes for recurrent depression within a primary care setting were interviewed 12 months after treatment. The focus of the interview was on participants' reflections on what they found helpful, meaningful and difficult about MBCT as a relapse prevention program. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key patterns and elements in participants' accounts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Four overarching themes were extracted: control, acceptance, relationships and struggle. The theoretical, clinical and research implications are discussed. 413-430 Jul 2009 Participants' experiences of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy 2011-02-22 23:55:46 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19508744 journalArticle Carlin Nathan Capps Donald BLASPHEMY FREUD, Sigmund, 1856-1939 KISSING PANKEJEFF, Sergei REPRESSION (Psychology) SEDUCTION SUBLIMATION (Psychology) -- Religious aspects Visual Acuity Freud's Wolf Man: A Case of Successful Religious Sublimation. This article focuses on Freud's view that the case of Sergei Pankejeff, commonly known as Wolf Man, is an example of an unsuccessful religious sublimation. Freud focuses on the efforts by Sergei's mother and his nurse to educate him in the Christian faith. He points out that, although these efforts were successful in making him into a piously religious boy, they contributed to the repression of his sexual attraction to his father, the arrest of his psychosexual development, and to an obsessional neurosis reflected in blasphemous thoughts and compulsive acts of religious piety. The authors suggest, however, that there was one feature of his early religious behavior that reflected a successful religious sublimation and explain why it was successful. They conclude that even small children may experience a successful religious sublimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 149-166 February 2011 Freud's Wolf Man EBSCOhost Pastoral Psychology 60 1 DOI 10.1007/s11089-009-0212-z ISSN 00312789 journalArticle Ahrens C.E. Abeling S. Ahmad S. Hinman J. Spirituality and Well-Being: The Relationship Between Religious Coping and Recovery From Sexual Assault Despite a growing body of literature documenting beneficial outcomes of religious coping, there are virtually no studies examining sexual assault survivors' use of religious coping. To fill this gap in the literature, the current study examines predictors and outcomes of positive and negative religious coping among 100 sexual assault survivors who believed in God. Results suggested that African American survivors were more likely to use both forms of religious coping than survivors from other ethnicities. Yet, results also suggest that positive religious coping is related to higher levels of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression, whereas negative religious coping is related to higher levels of depression, regardless of ethnicity. The only outcome where ethnicity makes a difference is posttraumatic growth with a stronger relationship between positive religious coping and posttraumatic growth among Caucasian survivors space. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed. 1242-1263 JUL 2010 Spirituality and Well-Being 2010-07-07 22:29:28 ISI Web of Knowledge Journal of Interpersonal Violence 25 7 DOI 10.1177/0886260509340533 ISSN 0886-2605 journalArticle Journal of Health Psychology 15 2 J Health Psychol DOI 10.1177/1359105309345556 ISSN 1461-7277 Ai Amy Lee Pargament Kenneth Kronfol Ziad Tice Terrence N. Appel Hoa Pathways to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients: mediation of coping, spiritual struggle and interleukin-6 Using structural equation modeling, we estimated major pathways from preoperative distress, indicated by anxiety and other factors, to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients. Sequential interviews were conducted before and after surgery. Standardized medical and surgical indices were selected from a national database. Results showed that preoperative spiritual struggle mediated indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on Interleukin-6 (IL-6) immediately before surgery. The link between spiritual struggle and IL-6 further mediated the indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on postoperative hostility. Anger coping mediated the harmful influence of anxiety and counteracted the protection of positive religious coping on adjustment. 186-195 Mar 2010 Pathways to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients 2010-03-23 00:11:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20207662 <p>Using structural equation modeling, we estimated major pathways from preoperative distress, indicated by anxiety and other factors, to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients. Sequential interviews were conducted before and after surgery. Standardized medical and surgical indices were selected from a national database. Results showed that preoperative spiritual struggle mediated indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on Interleukin-6 (IL-6) immediately before surgery. The link between spiritual struggle and IL-6 further mediated the indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on postoperative hostility. Anger coping mediated the harmful influence of anxiety and counteracted the protection of positive religious coping on adjustment.</p> journalArticle Huijts Tim Kraaykamp Gerbert Religious involvement, religious context, and self-assessed health in europe In the present study, the authors examine the extent to which effects of individual religious involvement on self-assessed health are influenced by the religious context (i.e., religious involvement at the country level). The authors test their expectations using individual level data (N = 127,257) on 28 countries from the European Social Surveys (2002-2008). Results of multilevel analyses show that individual religious attendance is positively related to self-assessed health in Europe. Protestants appear to feel healthier than Catholics. Moreover, modeling cross-level interactions demonstrates that religious denominations at the national level are influential: The health advantage of Protestants as compared to Catholics is greater as the percentage of Protestants in a country is higher, yet smaller as countries have a higher percentage of Catholics. The association between religious attendance and self-assessed health does not depend on the national level of religious attendance. 91-106 Mar 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21362614 2011-04-04 23:46:40 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21362614 Journal of Health and Social Behavior 52 1 J Health Soc Behav DOI 10.1177/0022146510394950 ISSN 0022-1465 journalArticle Journal of Religion and Health 49 3 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-009-9245-y ISSN 0022-4197 Penzner Julie B. Kelly Kevin V. Sacks Michael H. Religious Conversion in a Psychotic Individual The authors describe the case of a man who appeared to have psychotic symptoms, including self-injurious behavior, but who understood his own experience as a religious conversion. The symptoms, clinical course, and treatment response are described with reference to the works of Kurt Schneider and William James. Empirical studies of the attitudes of psychiatrists, psychiatric patients, and clergypersons about the relationship between religious belief and psychiatric illness are described, and various theoretical models used to understand this relationship are articulated. 351-360 3/2010 2010-10-07 00:56:32 CrossRef journalArticle Purnell Jason Q Andersen Barbara L Wilmot James P Religious Practice and Spirituality in the Psychological Adjustment of Survivors of Breast Cancer Religion and spirituality are resources regularly used by patients with cancer coping with diagnosis and treatment, yet there is little research that examines these factors separately. This study investigated the relationships between religious practice and spirituality and quality of life (QoL) and stress in survivors of breast cancer. The sample included 130 women assessed 2 years following diagnosis. Using hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the authors found that spiritual well-being was significantly associated with QoL and traumatic stress, whereas religious practice was not significantly associated with these variables. The results suggest that it may be helpful for clinicians to address spirituality, in particular with survivors of breast cancer. 165 Apr 1, 2009 2011-02-22 23:32:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20098664 Counseling and Values 53 3 Couns Values ISSN 0160-7960 journalArticle Bohlmeijer Ernst Prenger Rilana Taal Erik Cuijpers Pim Chronic medical disease depression mental health Meta-analysis Mindfulness The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on mental health of adults with a chronic medical disease: A meta-analysis Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on depression, anxiety and psychological distress across populations with different chronic somatic diseases.Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to examine the effects of MBSR on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. The influence of quality of studies on the effects of MBSR was analyzed.Results Eight published, randomized controlled outcome studies were included. An overall effect size on depression of 0.26 was found, indicating a small effect of MBSR on depression. The effect size for anxiety was 0.47. However, quality of the studies was found to moderate this effect size. When the studies of lower quality were excluded, an effect size of 0.24 on anxiety was found. A small effect size (0.32) was also found for psychological distress.Conclusions It can be concluded that MBSR has small effects on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in people with chronic somatic diseases. Integrating MBSR in behavioral therapy may enhance the efficacy of mindfulness based interventions. 539-544 June 2010 The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on mental health of adults with a chronic medical disease 2010-07-27 18:05:06 ScienceDirect Journal of Psychosomatic Research 68 6 DOI 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.10.005 ISSN 0022-3999 journalArticle Schwartz Stephan A Nonlocality and exceptional experiences: a study of genius, religious epiphany, and the psychic Two hundred years of reductive materialism has failed to explain the extraordinary experiences we know as moments of genius, religious epiphany, and psychic insight. This paper proposes that these three experiences are in essence the same experience, differentiated only by intention and context. It reaches this conclusion based on well-conducted experimental research across the continuum of science--work that proposes a new interdependent model of consciousness that takes into consideration a nonlocal linkage or entanglement, as an aspect of consciousness not limited by space and time. The paper surveys some of the most important relevant research from quantum biology, physics, psychology, medicine, anthropology, and parapsychology. It proposes that more attention should be paid to the autobiographies, correspondence, and journals of men and women to whom history unequivocally accords the designation of genius, saint, or psychic, offering examples from these sources. And it presents comparisons between ethnohistorical material and spiritual traditions, suggesting they arrive at a similar worldview. Finally, it proposes that meditation research, some examples of which are cited, be seen in the context of psychophysical self-regulation, and that it offers one powerful avenue for producing these exceptional experiences. 227-236 2010 Jul-Aug Nonlocality and exceptional experiences 2010-07-27 15:49:57 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20633837 Explore 6 4 Explore (NY) DOI 10.1016/j.explore.2010.04.008 ISSN 1878-7541 journalArticle Stirling B. Furman L. D. Benson P. W. Canda E. R. Grimwood C. A Comparative Survey of Aotearoa New Zealand and UK Social Workers on the Role of Religion and Spirituality in Practice Increasingly, social work is being challenged to consider the role of spirituality and religion in practice and education as the profession has witnessed an expanding interest in the integration of spirituality, motivated by the recognition of spiritual diversity as an important component of human experience, cultural competency and anti-racist social work practice. In response to the lack of international empirical research in general, and relating to spirituality in particular, cross-national survey research was conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) and the UK as part of a larger multi-national study of social workers' attitudes about the role of spirituality in their practice. Although the two countries share some cultural similarities due to the impact of secularization, British settlement and colonization in ANZ, there are also significant differences related to the unique multicultural make-up of ANZ, emphasizing the indigenous Maori and the centrality of spirituality within a Maori worldview. 602-621 MAR 2010 2010-03-25 17:19:56 ISI Web of Knowledge British Journal of Social Work 40 2 DOI 10.1093/bjsw/bcp008 ISSN 0045-3102 <p>This article analyzes the role of spirituality in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom and considers specifically social worker's attitudes about the role of spirituality in their practice.&nbsp;</p> journalArticle Journal of Clinical Psychology 66 5 DOI 10.1002/jclp.20677 Aten Jamie D. Mangis Michael W. Campbell Clark Psychotherapy with rural religious fundamentalist clients Successful psychotherapy with rural fundamentalist Christians requires psychologists to understand the clients' culture and worldview. They often rely heavily on religious authorities, interpret Scriptures literally, adhere to strict moral codes of behavior, and believe that they should evangelize those around them. Common therapeutic challenges include: spiritualizing problems, relational conflicts related to gender role expectations, addiction problems, and the religious agendas of family and clergy. We recommend that psychotherapists evaluate their own attitudes, collaborate with community gatekeepers, sensitively address clients' rigid beliefs, address religious differences, and take a holistic approach to treatment. A case example illustrates this approach. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 66:1-11, 2010. 513-523 2010 2010-05-08 20:27:03 Wiley InterScience journalArticle Manoch Ramesh Gordon Amy Black Deborah Malhi Gin Seidler Raymond Education, Medical, Continuing Family Practice Feasibility Studies Humans Meditation Pain Measurement Stress, Psychological Using meditation for less stress and better wellbeing - A seminar for GPs BACKGROUND: General practitioner stress is a recognised problem for which meditation is a potential intervention. The aim of this project was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of an initiative to train GPs in a set of evidence based meditation skills. METHOD: General practitioners attended a seminar comprising a 1 hour lecture on GP wellbeing, a 45 minute session on meditation, meditation skills practise in groups with an experienced instructor, a larger group review and the provision of take home kits. At the seminar's conclusion, GPs were offered the option of meditating at home twice daily. Measures were taken before and after the seminar and after 2 weeks home practise. The measures included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale - 10 (K10), personal experience rating by visual analogue scale, and diary card. RESULTS: A total of 299 GPs attended the seminar, from which 293 provided visual analogue scale on the day. Pre- and post-K10 data was provided by 111 GPs. The mean pre-K10 score for these GPs was 17.2 (SD: 5.67); the post-K10 score was 14.7 (SD: 3.92), with 25.1% of the 'at risk' participants moving to the 'low risk' category. Mean compliance with meditation was 79.5%. DISCUSSION: A meditation workshop for GP wellbeing is practical, feasible and appealing to GPs. Quantitative feedback from the workshop indicates its potential as an effective mental health promotion and prevention strategy. 454-458 Jun 2009 2011-02-22 23:54:15 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19530378 Australian Family Physician 38 6 Aust Fam Physician ISSN 0300-8495 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 1 DOI 10.1080/13674670903196721 ISSN 1367-4676 Walker Steven Young people's mental health: the spiritual power of fairy stories, myths and legends Children and young people have the capacity to conjure feelings of faith and hope when experiencing emotional and psychological distress. World myths, legends and fairy stories as part of early child development offer a rich source of material to draw from and enlist in the therapeutic endeavour. Fairies often act in a healing capacity in mythology, or they appear as agents between the world of human affairs and the invisible forces of nature. Mythological beings also possess helping powers in advance of mortals achieving superhuman tasks, but they can also when used as metaphor, frighten children and potentially cause psychological harm. This paper suggests that mental health practitioners can utilise such powerful narratives therapeutically and in a culturally respectful and spiritually innovative way. Harnessing the child's imagination can be a powerful vehicle for a transforming experience at the psychic level with consequent positive benefits for emotional well-being. 81 2010 Young people's mental health http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/13674670903196721 2010-01-11 20:25:06 Informaworld journalArticle Dobmeier Robert A. School Counselors Support Student Spirituality through Developmental Assets, Character Education, and ASCA Competency Indicators. This article identifies the Search Institute's Developmental Assets, character education, and the ASCA National Model's Competency Indicators as education-based programs in which spirituality is accessed for children to enhance resiliency. The author presents school counselor interventions based on these three programs that mutually support spiritual with other developmental domains. He also identifies responsibilities of school counselors, professional organizations, district stakeholders, and counselor educators to address ethical and legal concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 317-327 June 2011 EBSCOhost Professional School Counseling 14 5 ISSN 10962409 <p>This article identifies the Search Institute's Developmental Assets, character education, and the ASCA National Model's Competency Indicators as education-based programs in which spirituality is accessed for children to enhance resiliency. The author presents school counselor interventions based on these three programs that mutually support spiritual with other developmental domains. He also identifies responsibilities of school counselors, professional organizations, district stakeholders, and counselor educators to address ethical and legal concerns.</p> journalArticle Aging & Mental Health 13 6 Aging Ment Health DOI 10.1080/13607860903046446 ISSN 1364-6915 Rabinowitz Yaron G Mausbach Brent T Atkinson Philip J Gallagher-Thompson Dolores The relationship between religiosity and health behaviors in female caregivers of older adults with dementia The current study explored the relationship between three dimensions of religiosity: (a) organizational religiosity (e.g. attendance at religious events), (b) non-organizational religiosity (e.g. prayer), and (c) subjective religiosity (e.g. importance of religion) and caregiver health behavior patterns in a sample of Latina and Caucasian female caregivers of older adult relatives with dementia. It was hypothesized that religiosity would have a significant association with reduced cumulative health risk as determined by an index of health behaviors. It was also hypothesized that, when examining the individual health behaviors subsumed in the overarching index, religiosity would be positively associated with adaptive health behaviors like exercise and negatively associated with health risk behaviors like smoking. Amongst Caucasians, increased subjective religiosity was related to increased cumulative health risk. Conversely, in Latinas, non-organizational religiosity was positively correlated with improved dietary practices (reduced dietary restriction). Increased levels of subjective religiosity were significantly associated with decreased maintenance of a routine exercise regimen across ethnic groups. Recommendations for clinicians and religious leaders, and avenues of future research are discussed. 788-798 Nov 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19888699 2009-11-24 00:58:06 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19888699 journalArticle Berry Devon M York Kate Depression and religiosity and/or spirituality in college: A longitudinal survey of students in the USA The aim of this study was to conduct a longitudinal test of an explanatory model of depression, where religiosity and/or spirituality (R/S) represents a potentially protective factor in college students in the USA. A Web-based survey was administered monthly to 214 students from religious and public colleges. At 1 month and 6 months, the measures of R/S, depression, stress, and cognitive vulnerability were administered. Between 2 and 5 months, only the measures of stress and depression were administered. The data were analyzed to test the hypothesis that R/S buffers the effect of stress on depression over time in the context of cognitive vulnerability. The results supported a direct and protective effect over time between R/S and depression, but a buffering effect on the relationship between stress and depression was not found. Although all aspects of R/S were demonstrated to protect the participants from depression, it did not appear that the relationship between R/S and stress or R/S and cognitive vulnerability explains this relationship. Nurses who are working with college students should take holistic approaches to their emotional difficulties, realizing the potentially beneficial effects of students' religiousness or spirituality. 76-83 Mar 2011 Depression and religiosity and/or spirituality in college http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21426459 2011-04-04 23:42:30 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21426459 Nursing & Health Sciences 13 1 Nurs Health Sci DOI 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2011.00584.x ISSN 1442-2018 journalArticle Foley Elizabeth Baillie Andrew Huxter Malcolm Price Melanie Sinclair Emma Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for individuals whose lives have been affected by cancer: a randomized controlled trial OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for individuals with a diagnosis of cancer. METHOD: Participants (N = 115) diagnosed with cancer, across site and stage, were randomly allocated to either the treatment or the wait-list condition. Treatment was conducted at 1 site, by a single therapist, and involved participation in 8 weekly 2-hr sessions that focused on mindfulness. Participants meditated for up to 1 hr daily and attended an additional full-day session during the course. Participants were assessed before treatment and 10 weeks later; this second assessment occurred immediately after completion of the program for the treatment condition. The treatment condition was also assessed at 3 months postintervention. All postinitial assessments were completed by assessors who were blind to treatment allocation. RESULTS: There were large and significant improvements in mindfulness (effect size [ES] = 0.55), depression (ES = 0.83), anxiety (ES = 0.59), and distress (ES = 0.53) as well as a trend for quality of life (ES = 0.30) for MBCT participants compared to those who had not received the training. The wait-list group was assessed before and after receiving the intervention and demonstrated similar change. CONCLUSIONS: These improvements represent clinically meaningful change and provide evidence for the provision of MBCT within oncology settings. 72-79 Feb 2010 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for individuals whose lives have been affected by cancer 2010-02-20 17:14:52 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20099952 Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 78 1 J Consult Clin Psychol DOI 10.1037/a0017566 ISSN 1939-2117 <p>This study evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for individuals with a diagnosis of cancer.</p> journalArticle Zou James Yamanaka Yvonne John Muze Watt Melissa Ostermann Jan Thielman Nathan Adult Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active Chi-Square Distribution Cultural Characteristics Culture Developing Countries Female Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice HIV Infections Humans Logistic Models Male Multivariate Analysis Patient Acceptance of Health Care Population Surveillance Probability Questionnaires Religion and Psychology Risk Factors Social Isolation Stereotyping Tanzania Urban Population Young Adult Religion and HIV in Tanzania: influence of religious beliefs on HIV stigma, disclosure, and treatment attitudes Background Religion shapes everyday beliefs and activities, but few studies have examined its associations with attitudes about HIV. This exploratory study in Tanzania probed associations between religious beliefs and HIV stigma, disclosure, and attitudes toward antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. Methods A self-administered survey was distributed to a convenience sample of parishioners (n = 438) attending Catholic, Lutheran, and Pentecostal churches in both urban and rural areas. The survey included questions about religious beliefs, opinions about HIV, and knowledge and attitudes about ARVs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess how religion was associated with perceptions about HIV, HIV treatment, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Results Results indicate that shame-related HIV stigma is strongly associated with religious beliefs such as the belief that HIV is a punishment from God (p < 0.01) or that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have not followed the Word of God (p < 0.001). Most participants (84.2%) said that they would disclose their HIV status to their pastor or congregation if they became infected. Although the majority of respondents (80.8%) believed that prayer could cure HIV, almost all (93.7%) said that they would begin ARV treatment if they became HIV-infected. The multivariate analysis found that respondents' hypothetical willingness to begin ARV treatme was not significantly associated with the belief that prayer could cure HIV or with other religious factors. Refusal of ARV treatment was instead correlated with lack of secondary schooling and lack of knowledge about ARVs. Conclusion The decision to start ARVs hinged primarily on education-level and knowledge about ARVs rather than on religious factors. Research results highlight the influence of religious beliefs on HIV-related stigma and willingness to disclose, and should help to inform HIV-education outreach for religious groups. 75 2009 Religion and HIV in Tanzania 2011-02-23 00:42:47 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19261186 BMC Public Health 9 BMC Public Health DOI 10.1186/1471-2458-9-75 ISSN 1471-2458 <p>Religion shapes everyday beliefs and activities, but few studies have examined its associations with attitudes about HIV. This exploratory study in Tanzania probed associations between religious beliefs and HIV stigma, disclosure, and attitudes toward antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.</p> journalArticle Rogers Carol Keller Colleen Larkey Linda K. Perceived Benefits of Meditative Movement in Older Adults In a review of 37 studies (n = 1,856) regarding the perceived psychosocial benefits and health outcomes of meditative movement (MM) such as Tai chi (TC) and Qigong, the authors found that older persons initiated MM because of perceived benefits to health and with a desire to exercise in a group setting for socialization. Perceived improved function and quality of life related to chronic diseases were the most common reasons for initiating the TC classes. Perceived safety was also critical to the initiation and maintenance of an exercise intervention for older adults. 37-51 01/2010 http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0197457209004170 Geriatric Nursing 31 1 Geriatric Nursing DOI 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2009.10.002 ISSN 01974572 journalArticle Loa Zavala Nashyiela The expulsion of evil and its return: An unconscious fantasy associated with a case of mass hysteria in adolescents The formal study of hysteria started with psychoanalysis, which opened paths to studying the unconscious. However, we have found no psychoanalytic or psychiatric studies in the literature reporting epidemics of hysteria in hundreds of adolescent girls affected for several months like the one we describe. This epidemic occurred in a religious boarding-school in a rural area of Mexico. Our study aimed to determine psychoanalytic and sociocultural elements contributing to explain a behavioural epidemic outbreak during which young girls were unable to walk normally and which led to a temporary cessation of routine activities at the boarding-school. Key informers were interviewed, including the first cases of affected adolescent girls and the nuns. Interviews included questions concerning informers' life history and their life at the boarding-school before and during the epidemic. We found that this boarding-school functioned as a large family affected by a psychotic episode which resulted from modes of communication of its members. This article describes the phenomenon and emphasizes perceived communication among members of the boarding-school and visitors at the time of the outbreak. 1157-1178 Oct 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20955250 2010-11-15 19:56:21 The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis 91 5 Int J Psychoanal DOI 10.1111/j.1745-8315.2010.00322.x ISSN 1745-8315 book Hoboken N.J. John Wiley Simpkins Annellen Meditation and yoga in psychotherapy: techniques for clinical practice ISBN 9780470562413 journalArticle Creswell J David Myers Hector F Cole Steven W Irwin Michael R Adult CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes Female Follow-Up Studies HIV Infections HIV-1 Humans Male Meditation Middle Aged Stress, Psychological Time Factors Treatment Outcome Mindfulness meditation training effects on CD4+ T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infected adults: a small randomized controlled trial Mindfulness meditation training has stress reduction benefits in various patient populations, but its effects on biological markers of HIV-1 progression are unknown. The present study tested the efficacy of an 8-week Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation program compared to a 1-day control seminar on CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in stressed HIV infected adults. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with enrollment and follow-up occurring between November 2005 and December 2007. A diverse community sample of 48 HIV-1 infected adults was randomized and entered treatment in either an 8-week MBSR or a 1-day control stress reduction education seminar. The primary outcome was circulating counts of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Participants in the 1-day control seminar showed declines in CD4+ T lymphocyte counts whereas counts among participants in the 8-week MBSR program were unchanged from baseline to post-intervention (time x treatment condition interaction, p=.02). This effect was independent of antiretroviral (ARV) medication use. Additional analyses indicated that treatment adherence to the mindfulness meditation program, as measured by class attendance, mediated the effects of mindfulness meditation training on buffering CD4+ T lymphocyte declines. These findings provide an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training can buffer CD4+ T lymphocyte declines in HIV-1 infected adults. Clinical Trials Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00600561. 184-188 Feb 2009 Mindfulness meditation training effects on CD4+ T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infected adults http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678242 2011-03-28 22:29:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 18678242 Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 23 2 Brain Behav. Immun DOI 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.07.004 ISSN 1090-2139 <p>The present study tested the efficacy of an 8-week Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation program compared to a 1-day control seminar on CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in stressed HIV infected adults. The authors' findings provide an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training can buffer CD4+ T lymphocyte declines in HIV-1 infected adults.</p> journalArticle Murray Scott A. Kendall Marilyn Boyd Kirsty Grant Liz Highet Gill Sheikh Aziz Adult Aged Caregivers Family Female Health Status Home Care Services Humans Lung Neoplasms Male mental health Middle Aged Neoplasm Recurrence, Local social support spirituality Stress, Psychological Terminally Ill Archetypal trajectories of social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing and distress in family care givers of patients with lung cancer: secondary analysis of serial qualitative interviews OBJECTIVE: To assess if family care givers of patients with lung cancer experience the patterns of social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing and distress typical of the patient, from diagnosis to death. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of serial qualitative interviews carried out every three months for up to a year or to bereavement. SETTING: South east Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 19 patients with lung cancer and their 19 family carers, totalling 88 interviews (42 with patients and 46 with carers). RESULTS: Carers followed clear patterns of social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing and distress that mirrored the experiences of those for whom they were caring, with some carers also experiencing deterioration in physical health that impacted on their ability to care. Psychological and spiritual distress were particularly dynamic and commonly experienced. In addition to the "Why us?" response, witnessing suffering triggered personal reflections in carers on the meaning and purpose of life. Certain key time points in the illness tended to be particularly problematic for both carers and patients: at diagnosis, at home after initial treatment, at recurrence, and during the terminal stage. CONCLUSIONS: Family carers witness and share much of the illness experience of the dying patient. The multidimensional experience of distress suffered by patients with lung cancer was reflected in the suffering of their carers in the social, psychological, and spiritual domains, with psychological and spiritual distress being most pronounced. Carers may need to be supported throughout the period of illness not just in the terminal phase and during bereavement, as currently tends to be the case. c2581 2010 Archetypal trajectories of social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing and distress in family care givers of patients with lung cancer 2010-07-07 14:18:47 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20538635 BMJ: British Medical Journal 340 BMJ ISSN 1468-5833 journalArticle Journal of Child & Family Studies 19 3 DOI 10.1007/s10826-009-9305-7 ISSN 10621024 Bjorck Jeffrey Braese Robert Tadie Joseph Gililland David ADJUSTMENT (Psychology) ADOLESCENT psychology -- Research BELIEF & doubt LIFE skills PSYCHOLOGY, Religious RELIGIOUS adherents The Adolescent Religious Coping Scale: Development, Validation, and Cross-Validation. Research literature on adolescent coping is growing, but typically such studies have ignored religious coping strategies and their potential impact on functioning. To address this lack, we developed the Adolescent Religious Coping Scale and used its seven subscales to examine the relationship between religious coping and emotional functioning. A cross-sectional research design was used with both a validation sample of Christian school students (Sample 1, N = 500, ages 12–19) and a cross-validation sample of Christian youth group attenders (Sample 2, N = 62, ages 11–18). Emotional functioning was assessed positively (life satisfaction) and negatively (hopelessness). Factor analyses supported factorial validity, and alpha levels supported reliability of the seven religious coping subscales (Positive God-Focused Coping, Seeking Religious Support, Constructive Distraction, Questioning, Avoidance, Denial, and Deferring). For both samples, religious coping was significantly related (unique variance) to religious support, parental support, and emotional functioning, respectively. In general, positive religious coping strategies were related to more support and better functioning, whereas the reverse was true for negative religious coping strategies. Moreover, many of these results were maintained even after controlling for variance due to age, gender, and religious attendance. As such, clinicians working with religious adolescents should consider encouraging these teens to optimize use of positive religious coping strategies and minimize reliance on negative ones as part of a holistic approach to handling stress. Religious coping findings are discussed regarding their comparison to general adolescent coping and with respect to future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 343-359 June 2010 The Adolescent Religious Coping Scale 2010-07-07 21:28:48 EBSCOhost <p>Research literature on adolescent coping is growing, but typically such studies have ignored religious coping strategies and their potential impact on functioning. This article develops the Adolescent Religious Coping Scale using its seven subscales to examine the relationship between religious coping and emotional functioning. In general, positive religious coping strategies were related to more support and better functioning, whereas the reverse was true for negative religious coping strategies. Moreover, many of these results were maintained even after controlling for variance due to age, gender, and religious attendance. As such, clinicians working with religious adolescents should consider encouraging these teens to optimize use of positive religious coping strategies and minimize reliance on negative ones as part of a holistic approach to handling stress. Religious coping findings are discussed regarding their comparison to general adolescent coping and with respect to future research directions.</p> journalArticle Chow Esther O.W. Nelson-Becker Holly Culture Disability Self-making Spiritual recovery spirituality Stroke Suffering Spiritual distress to spiritual transformation: Stroke survivor narratives from Hong Kong Cardiovascular accident (stroke) is a leading cause of long-term disability for older adults worldwide, including Hong Kong. The stroke event leaves stroke survivors experiencing great distress as they struggle to regain physical ability and develop a frame of meaning. In a Chinese context, several religious traditions and secular philosophies including Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Confucianism contribute to reconstruction of a meaningful post-stroke self. Symbolic interactionism interpreted by Charmaz (1987) and social constructionism offer perspectives for this work. This paper reports on a qualitative study about the spiritual transformation of 11 female stroke survivors in Hong Kong using a naturalistic inquiry approach. Data was analyzed using NVivo to create common categories and profiles. After an initial period of despair and disequilibrium, participants drew on social/environmental resources and personal spiritual resources to reconnect to spiritually-rich beliefs and practices. The stroke ultimately resulted in transformation of the loss and creation of a resilient post-stroke self. Implications suggest that the spiritual transformation process is complex in a diverse society and social care professionals do well to recognize and support culturally relevant spiritual expressions. 313-324 December 2010 Spiritual distress to spiritual transformation http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6W51-50WYSMV-1/2/289fb6ce9c435a49b8e4868a82503a3b 2011-01-19 01:06:19 ScienceDirect Journal of Aging Studies 24 4 DOI 10.1016/j.jaging.2010.06.001 ISSN 0890-4065 journalArticle Nidich Sanford I Rainforth Maxwell V Haaga David A F Hagelin John Salerno John W Travis Fred Tanner Melissa Gaylord-King Carolyn Grosswald Sarina Schneider Robert H A randomized controlled trial on effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping in young adults BACKGROUND: Psychological distress contributes to the development of hypertension in young adults. This trial assessed the effects of a mind-body intervention on blood pressure (BP), psychological distress, and coping in college students. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 298 university students randomly allocated to either the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program or wait-list control. At baseline and after 3 months, BP, psychological distress, and coping ability were assessed. A subgroup of 159 subjects at risk for hypertension was analyzed similarly. RESULTS: Changes in systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) for the overall sample were -2.0/-1.2 mm Hg for the TM group compared to +0.4/+0.5 mm Hg for controls (P = 0.15, P = 0.15, respectively). Changes in SBP/DBP for the hypertension risk subgroup were -5.0/-2.8 mm Hg for the TM group compared to +1.3/+1.2 mm Hg for controls (P = 0.014, P = 0.028, respectively). Significant improvements were found in total psychological distress, anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, and coping (P values < 0.05). Changes in psychological distress and coping correlated with changes in SBP (P values < 0.05) and DBP (P values < 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first RCT to demonstrate that a selected mind-body intervention, the TM program, decreased BP in association with decreased psychological distress, and increased coping in young adults at risk for hypertension. This mind-body program may reduce the risk for future development of hypertension in young adults. 1326-1331 Dec 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19798037 2009-12-28 16:55:05 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19798037 American Journal of Hypertension 22 12 Am. J. Hypertens DOI 10.1038/ajh.2009.184 ISSN 1879-1905 journalArticle Amaro Hortensia Magno-Gatmaytan Cielo Meléndez Michael Cortés Dharma E Arevalo Sandra Margolin Arthur Addiction treatment intervention: an uncontrolled prospective pilot study of spiritual self-schema therapy with latina women Spiritual Self-Schema (3-S) is a weekly 8-session, mindfulness-based, manual-guided, individual intervention targeting addiction and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors that integrates cognitive behavioral strategies with Buddhist principles and clients' religious/spiritual beliefs. 3-S is efficacious for reducing drug use and HIV risk behaviors among mixed-gender, methadone-maintained outpatients. The study goal was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of 3-S therapy among urban, low-income Latinas (n = 13) in residential addiction treatment. Data gathered via in-person interviews (baseline, 8 and 20 weeks postentry) showed high rates of 3-S acceptability and positive changes in a number of outcomes relevant to recovery from addiction and to HIV prevention, including impulsivity, spirituality, motivation for change, and HIV prevention knowledge. The study findings are promising; however, a controlled study with longer follow-up is needed to rigorously assess the efficacy of 3-S therapy with Latinas in substance abuse treatment. 117-125 Apr 2010 Addiction treatment intervention 2010-04-25 21:27:24 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20408063 Substance Abuse: Official Publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse 31 2 Subst Abus DOI 10.1080/08897071003641602 ISSN 1547-0164 journalArticle Asian Journal of Social Psychology 12 4 DOI 10.1111/j.1467-839X.2009.01291.x Maheshwari Saurabh Singh Purnima Psychological well-being and pilgrimage: Religiosity, happiness and life satisfaction of Ardh-Kumbh Mela pilgrims (Kalpvasis) at Prayag, India Pilgrimage is an important aspect of our life and has both religious as well as spiritual significance. The present study examined the relationship of religiosity, happiness and satisfaction with life in the case of pilgrims in a very special cultural context of the Ardh-Kumbh Mela (held in Prayag, Allahabad, India) during the months of January and February, 2007). The study specifically examined these relationships in a sample of Kalpvasis (pilgrims who stay at the banks of the Sangam for a month in the holy city of Prayag during the Mela period). One hundred and fifty-four Kalpvasis participated in the study. Positive association between religiosity, happiness and life satisfaction was obtained. Results showed that gender did not have a significant role on these relations in the case of pilgrims. Implications of these results are discussed. 285-292 December 2009 Psychological well-being and pilgrimage http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.bu.edu/10.1111/j.1467-839X.2009.01291.x 2009-12-17 18:34:09 Wiley InterScience journalArticle The God representation in the psychoanalytic relationship Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis & Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.165 ISSN 1546-0371 Peteet John R. countertransference depression Emotional Trauma God Concepts Major Depression Psychotherapeutic Processes Psychotherapeutic Transference Religious Beliefs religious countertransferences religious faith transferences trauma survivors treatments Struggles with God: Transference and religious countertransference in the treatment of a trauma survivor. Transference and countertransference in treatment situations where the patient and the therapist share religious faith can be complex. This article discusses the course of therapy of a Christian woman with a history of trauma and depression by a therapist who shared her religious orientation. Counter-transference reactions shaped the therapist's responses to the patient's struggles, and eventually contributed to a new level of trust in their shared God. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 165-174 2009 Struggles with God EBSCOhost journalArticle British Journal of Social Work 40 1 DOI 10.1093/bjsw/bcn116 Horwath Jan Lees Janet Assessing the Influence of Religious Beliefs and Practices on Parenting Capacity: The Challenges for Social Work Practitioners The 1989 Children Act emphasizes the importance of giving due consideration to the child's religious persuasion. Yet, government assessment guidance provides practitioners with very little assistance in terms of establishing ways in which religious beliefs and practices influence family life. This is concerning at a time when considerable attention is being paid in the media to the negative influences of religious beliefs on parenting and Britain is becoming increasingly diverse. Drawing on a literature review of seventy-seven papers on religion and parenting, consideration is given to some of the challenges encountered by social workers when assessing the influence of religious beliefs on parenting. These challenges include: a lack of clarity with regard to what is meant by religion'; small-scale research studies with limited scope; a focus on perceptions of the influence of religious beliefs; disregard for both social workers' own views about religion and the ways in which these views are likely to influence practice. Moreover, poor preparation on social work training programmes and minimal support from supervisors mean that practitioners do not feel confident exploring religious beliefs and practices with families. All these factors lead to a significant influence in many families' lives being ignored. 82-99 January 1, 2010 Assessing the Influence of Religious Beliefs and Practices on Parenting Capacity http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/40/1/82 2010-01-30 00:25:41 HighWire journalArticle Issues in Mental Health Nursing 32 6 Issues Ment Health Nurs DOI 10.3109/01612840.2011.568160 ISSN 1096-4673 Walulu Rosemary N Role of Spirituality in HIV-Infected Mothers The purpose of this study was to describe the processes by which HIV-infected mothers manage mothering. A semi-structured guide was used to facilitate discussion from a convenience sample of 15 mothers. The core category was "The Process of Living for My Children." "Leaning on God" was a part of "Taking Care of Myself" and reflected the ways in which the mothers used spiritual aspects to manage mothering and live with HIV infection. Leaning on God was an important tool in managing mothering and self-care. Health care providers can enhance this tool by being aware of their own values and beliefs. 382-384 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21692577 2011-07-13 22:15:27 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21692577 <p>The purpose of this study was to describe the processes by which HIV-infected mothers manage mothering. A semi-structured guide was used to facilitate discussion from a convenience sample of 15 mothers. The core category was "The Process of Living for My Children." "Leaning on God" was a part of "Taking Care of Myself" and reflected the ways in which the mothers used spiritual aspects to manage mothering and live with HIV infection. Leaning on God was an important tool in managing mothering and self-care. Health care providers can enhance this tool by being aware of their own values and beliefs.</p> journalArticle Sun Yi-Chin Hung Ya-Chi Chang Yuanmay Kuo Su-Chen Effects of a prenatal yoga programme on the discomforts of pregnancy and maternal childbirth self-efficacy in Taiwan OBJECTIVE: to evaluate a yoga programme provided to primigravidas in the third trimester of pregnancy with the aim of decreasing the discomforts associated with pregnancy and increasing childbirth self-efficacy. DESIGN: non-randomised controlled experimental study. SETTING: a hospital in northern Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: the target population was primigravidas at 26-28 weeks of gestation (no high-risk pregnancies) who had not engaged in regular exercise or yoga for at least one year. The study included 88 individuals; 43 in the control group and 45 in the experimental group who took part in the prenatal yoga programme. INTERVENTION: the duration of the prenatal yoga programme was 12-14 weeks, with at least three sessions per week. Each workout lasted for 30 minutes. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: women who took part in the prenatal yoga programme reported significantly fewer pregnancy discomforts than the control group (38.28 vs 43.26, z=-2.58, p=0.01) at 38-40 weeks of gestation. The subjects who participated in the yoga programme exhibited higher outcome and self-efficacy expectancies during the active stage of labour (104.13 vs 83.53, t=3.24, p=0.002; 99.26 vs 77.70, t=3.99, p ≤ 0.001) and the second stage of labour (113.33 vs 88.42, t=3.33, p=0.002; 102.19 vs 79.40, t=3.71, p ≤ 0.001) compared with the control group. KEY CONCLUSIONS: the provision of booklets and videos on yoga during pregnancy may contribute to a reduction in pregnancy discomforts and improved childbirth self-efficacy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: this yoga programme provides health-care professionals with an evidence-based intervention. e31-36 Dec 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19246136 2011-01-19 00:03:57 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19246136 Midwifery 26 6 Midwifery DOI 10.1016/j.midw.2009.01.005 ISSN 1532-3099 <p>This study finds that pregnant women who participate in yoga exercises three times per week for 12-14 weeks at the end of the pregnancy for 30 minutes per session had reduced pregnancy discomfort and increased childbirth self-efficacy by comparison with the control group.</p> journalArticle Sampalli Tara Berlasso Elizabeth Fox Roy Petter Mark Fibromyalgia MBSR mindfulness based stress reduction A controlled study of the effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction technique in women with multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on women diagnosed with conditions such as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS The intervention group underwent a 10-week MBSR program. Symptoms Checklist Inventory (SCL-90R) was used as outcome measure and was administered before the start of the program (pre-), immediately upon completion (post-) and at three-month follow-up. Women on the wait list to receive treatment at the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Centre were used as control subjects for the study. RESULTS A total of 50 participants in the intervention group and 26 in the wait-list controls group were recruited for this study. Global scores in the intervention group reached statistical significance pre-post (<0.0001) and at pre-follow-up (<0.0001) while the global scores in the control group remained the same. Five of nine and eight of nine subscales of the SCL-90R showed improvement of statistical significance in MBSR group following treatment and at three-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The study showed the importance of complementary interventions such as MBSR techniques in the reduction of psychological distress in women with chronic conditions. 53-59 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21197347 2011-03-28 22:13:46 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21197347 Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2 J Multidiscip Healthc ISSN 1178-2390 journalArticle Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 16 2 Complement Ther Clin Pract DOI 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.10.007 ISSN 1873-6947 Ülger Özlem Yağli Naciye Vardar Effects of yoga on the quality of life in cancer patients OBJECTIVE: This study sought to investigate the effects of yoga on the quality of life in patients with breast cancer. DESIGN: Twenty patients between 30 and 50 years of age presently under treatment for breast cancer were included in the study. The physical characteristics of the patients were recorded and general physiotherapy assessments performed. Eight sessions of a yoga program including warming and breathing exercises, asanas, relaxation in supine position, and meditation were applied to participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The pre- and post-yoga quality of life assessments for the patients were conducted using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Patients' stress levels were assessed using the STAI-I and STAI-II anxiety inventory. Their satisfaction levels about the yoga program was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: It was found that patients' quality of life scores after the yoga program were better than scores obtained before the yoga program (p < 0.05). After sessions, there was a statistically significant decrease in their STAI-I (measuring the reactions of anxiety) scores and STAI-II (measuring the permanence of anxiety) scores (p < 0.05). It was found out that the satisfaction score concerning the yoga program was considerably increased after the yoga program (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that yoga is valuable in helping to achieve relaxation and diminish stress, helps cancer patients perform daily and routine activities, and increases the quality of life in cancer patients. This result was positively reflected in patients satisfaction with the yoga program. 60-63 May 2010 2010-04-25 22:12:26 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20347834 <p>This study sought to investigate the effects of yoga on the quality of life in patients with breast cancer.</p> journalArticle Headey Bruce Schupp Juergen Tucci Ingrid Wagner Gert G. Authentic happiness theory supported by impact of religion on life satisfaction: A longitudinal analysis with data for Germany Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Survey, this paper assesses the relationship between life satisfaction and religious practice. It is shown that individuals who become more religious over time record long term gains in life satisfaction, while those who become less religious record long term losses. This result holds net of the effects of personality traits, and also in fixed effects panel models. 73-82 January 2010 Authentic happiness theory supported by impact of religion on life satisfaction 2010-03-30 00:27:56 Informaworld The Journal of Positive Psychology 5 1 DOI 10.1080/17439760903435232 ISSN 1743-9760 journalArticle Chen Kuei-Min Chen Ming-Hsien Lin Mei-Hui Fan Jue-Ting Lin Huey-Shyan Li Chun-Huw Effects of yoga on sleep quality and depression in elders in assisted living facilities BACKGROUND: Being relocated to an assisted living facility can result in sleep disturbances and depression in elders. This may be attributed to or worsened by lack of regular physical activity. Appropriate exercise programs may be an important component of quality of life in this group of transitional frail elders. PURPOSE: This study aimed to test the effects of a 6-month yoga exercise program in improving sleep quality and decreasing depression in transitional frail elders living in assisted living facilities. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pretest-and-posttest design was used. A convenience sample of 69 elderly residents of assisted living facilities was divided randomly into a yoga exercise (n = 38) and control group (n = 31) based on residence location. A total of 55 participants completed the study. The intervention was implemented in three small groups, and each practice group was led by two pretrained certified yoga instructors three times per week at 70 min per practice session for 24 weeks. The outcome measures of sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and depression state (Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire) were examined at baseline, at the 12th week, and at the 24th week of the study. RESULTS: After 6 months of performing yoga exercises, participants' overall sleep quality had significantly improved, whereas depression, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction had decreased significantly (p < .05). In addition, participants in the intervention group had better results on all outcome indicators than those of participants in the control group (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is recommended that yoga exercise be incorporated as an activity program in assisted living facilities or in other long-term care facilities to improve sleep quality and decrease depression in institutionalized elders. 53-61 Mar 2010 2010-03-23 00:08:16 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20220611 The Journal of Nursing Research 18 1 J Nurs Res DOI 10.1097/JNR.0b013e3181ce5189 ISSN 1948-965X journalArticle Payman Vahid Ryburn Bridget Religiousness and recovery from inpatient geriatric depression: Findings from the PEJAMA Study OBJECTIVE: To determine whether religiousness, in particular intrinsic religiosity, influences the prognosis of elderly inpatients with major depression, and, if so, whether this effect is related to social support. METHOD: A total of 94 patients (71% women; mean age = 76) with DSM-IV major depression were assessed on admission to a psychogeriatric unit in Melbourne, and then reviewed at 6, 12 and 24 months. Depression was measured using the Geriatric Depression Rating Scale - short form, religiousness, using the five-item Duke University Religion Index, and social support using the Social Support Questionnaire. RESULTS: Just over one-third of the sample was highly intrinsically religious. High intrinsic religiosity on admission predicted lower depression scores at 24 months (standardised beta = 0.252; P < 0.05). Intrinsic religiosity's effect was independent of social support as well as other demographic, treatment and health variables. CONCLUSION: Intrinsic religiosity (i.e. a person's commitment to and motivation by religious beliefs) predicts lower depression scores over time among inpatients with geriatric depression. Psychogeriatricians should consider a patient's religious history in order to make informed judgements about depression prognosis. 560-567 Jun 2010 Religiousness and recovery from inpatient geriatric depression 2010-07-07 15:31:20 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20482415 The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44 6 Aust N Z J Psychiatry DOI 10.3109/00048671003606078 ISSN 1440-1614 journalArticle Gearing Robin Edward Alonzo Dana Smolak Alex McHugh Katie Harmon Sherelle Baldwin Susanna Association of religion with delusions and hallucinations in the context of schizophrenia: Implications for engagement and adherence OBJECTIVE The relationship of religion and schizophrenia is widely acknowledged, but often minimized by practitioners and under investigated by researchers. In striving to help fill this gap, this paper focuses on examining four aims: 1) how research has investigated the association between religiosity and schizophrenia; 2) how is religiosity associated with delusions and hallucinations; 3) what are the risk and protective factors associated with religiosity and schizophrenia; and 4) does religion influence treatment adherence with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. METHODS A systematic literature search of PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases from January 1, 1980 through January 1, 2010 was conducted using the terms schizophrenia, schizoaffective, schizophreniform, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) and religion, religiosity, spirituality, or faith. Seventy (n=70) original research studies were identified. RESULTS Religion can act as both a risk and protective factor as it interacts with the schizophrenia symptoms of hallucination and delusions. Cultural influences tend to confound the association of religion and schizophrenia. Adherence to treatment has a mixed association with religiosity. CONCLUSION The relationship between religion and schizophrenia may be of benefit to both clinicians and researchers through enhancing adherence to treatment, and enhancement of the protective aspects while minimizing associated risk. The relationship of religion and schizophrenia needs further research that is more nuanced and methodologically rigorous, specifically concerning its influence on engagement and adherence to treatment. 150-163 Mar 2011 Association of religion with delusions and hallucinations in the context of schizophrenia http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21131180 2011-04-04 23:48:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21131180 Schizophrenia Research 126 1-3 Schizophr. Res DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2010.11.005 ISSN 1573-2509 journalArticle Milot Alyssa S. Ludden Alison Bryant ACADEMIC achievement academic engagement Adolescent Development adolescents DRUG abuse Gender differences Human Sex Differences religion Religious Beliefs substance use well being Well-Being The effects of religion and gender on well-being, substance use, and academic engagement among rural adolescents. The effects of religious attendance, religious importance, and gender on well-being, substance use, and academic engagement were examined among early adolescents (N = 683) from rural schools. Results indicated that females viewed religion as more important than males, although the frequency of religious attendance did not differ for males and females. Hierarchical regression results revealed that religious importance was a more prominent protective factor than attendance against substance use even after accounting for parental support; however, no links were found between religiosity and depression or self-esteem. Adolescents who reported that religion was important in their lives reported lower school misbehavior and higher motivation, although those with high religious attendance had higher grades. Interaction effects indicated that religious importance was particularly salient for males compared to females in terms of enhanced school bonding and self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 403-425 March 2009 EBSCOhost Youth & Society 40 3 DOI 10.1177/0044118X08316668 ISSN 0044-118X journalArticle Weisman de Mamani Amy G. Tuchman Naomi Duarte Eugenio A. Incorporating Religion/Spirituality Into Treatment for Serious Mental Illness This paper examines whether religion and spirituality (R/S) should be incorporated into treatment for patients with serious mental illness. This question merits attention, especially in light of the strong presence of R/S in the United States and, in particular, among members of ethnic minorities. While the literature is somewhat mixed, prior research supports the view that incorporating adaptive R/S elements into treatment for patients with serious mental illness is beneficial, particularly for patients who do not exhibit severe psychotic symptoms. Drawing from our experiences in developing a family-focused Culturally-Informed Therapy for Schizophrenia (CIT-S), we will also highlight the importance of addressing spiritual issues within minority populations. In the second half of this paper, we will present several case illustrations of how R/S issues were used in CIT-S to help patients make sense of adverse situations and obtain much-needed support and coping resources outside the treatment room. Findings from this study indicate that religion and spirituality can often be incorporated into treatment in a way that coalesces with patients' values and enhances treatment gains. Future research should investigate how therapists' own R/S values interact with those of their clients, and whether congruency in R/S values has any impact on treatment efficacy. 348-357 November 2010 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B7XMX-4YC8118-1/2/4c0c2498a8d16ebbc073a491058eb0c2 2010-12-14 01:33:29 Cognitive and Behavioral Practice 17 4 DOI 10.1016/j.cbpra.2009.05.003 ISSN 1077-7229 journalArticle Evans Subhadra Cousins Laura Tsao Jennie Ci Subramanian Saskia Sternlieb Beth Zeltzer Lonnie K Irritable Bowel Syndrome Iyengar yoga Protocol yoga Youth A randomized controlled trial examining Iyengar yoga for young adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a study protocol Background Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, disabling disease that can compromise mobility, daily functioning, and health-related quality of life, especially in older adolescents and young adults. In this project, we will compare a standardized Iyengar yoga program for young people with rheumatoid arthritis to a standard care wait-list control condition. Methods/Design Seventy rheumatoid arthritis patients aged 16-35 years will be randomized into either the 6-week Iyengar yoga program (12 - 1.5 hour sessions twice weekly) or the 6-week wait-list control condition. A 20% attrition rate is anticipated. The wait-list group will receive the yoga program following completion of the first arm of the study. We will collect data quantitatively, using questionnaires and markers of disease activity, and qualitatively using semi-structured interviews. Assessments include standardized measures of general and arthritis-specific function, pain, mood, and health-related quality of life, as well as qualitative interviews, blood pressure/resting heart rate measurements, a medical exam and the assessment of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Data will be collected three times: before treatment, post-treatment, and two months following the treatment. Discussion Results from this study will provide critical data on non-pharmacologic methods for enhancing function in rheumatoid arthritis patients. In particular, results will shed light on the feasibility and potential efficacy of a novel intervention for rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, paving the way for a larger clinical trial. 19 2011 A randomized controlled trial examining Iyengar yoga for young adults with rheumatoid arthritis 2011-02-13 15:16:21 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21255431 Trials 12 15 Trials DOI 10.1186/1745-6215-12-19 ISSN 1745-6215 journalArticle European Journal of Integrative Medicine 1 3 DOI 10.1016/j.eujim.2009.07.001 ISSN 1876-3820 Posadzki Paul Concept formation Physiotherapy Qi Gong Review Qi Gong and physiotherapy: A narrative review and conceptual synthesis Background The practice of Qi Gong is based on the following assumptions: complexity and multidimensionality, various positive influences on an individual's wholeness through the mind, body, and the relationships between them. In a similar vein, the essence of physiotherapy as a multifaceted process requires teamwork and the efforts of various specialists such as psychologists, sociologists, occupational therapists, and nurses if patients are to benefit.Aims This paper aims to present the conceptual integration of Qi Gong and physiotherapy when considering the essence of their underlying principles. The author also emphasizes the usefulness of Qi Gong practice in clinical units and explains how Qi Gong might be extrapolated and incorporated into the theoretical principles of the physiotherapy process.Methods This paper reviews Qi Gong literature in a narrative manner. Consequently, during the discourse analysis some information regarding Qi Gong's and physiotherapy's essence is derived from the presented data to reveal the underlying core principles and the conceptual interface of both practices on the level of abstraction grounded in the qualitative approaches.Results Within the scope of this article the existence of several similarities between these two `concepts' has been suggested in terms of their multidisciplinary approach toward patients and complexity of holistic care.Discussion Researchers, physiotherapists and their patients as well as Qi Gong practitioners can obtain valuable and additional arguments through the cross-fertilization of ideas across presented studies united by shared, underlying concepts.Conclusion Such conceptual enrichment may be a useful source of inspiration for physiotherapists concerned about their patients' overall health on a daily basis. 139-144 October 2009 Qi Gong and physiotherapy http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B984N-4X7PPWN-1/2/05bba08dc3d88bb3abff7bc5c4362cc7 2009-10-29 03:17:46 ScienceDirect journalArticle Büssing Arndt The SpREUK-SF10 questionnaire as a rapid measure of spiritual search and religious trust in patients with chronic diseases Background:There is growing evidence that aspects of spirituality have an impact on health. Measures of spirituality must be adapted to the kinds of populations being studied. In order to investigate how patients with chronic diseases living in secular societies view the impact of spirituality on their health and how they cope with illness, the SpREUK questionnaire was developed. Objective: This paper describes the background and psychometric properties of an assessment tool which might be suited for patients living in secular societies, and summarizes confirmatory findings of patients from Germany. Design and participants: Cross-sectional study among 496 patients (mean age 53.5+/-14.4 years) with chronic diseases (84% chronic pain conditions, 6% cancer, and 10% other). All subjects completed the questionnaires by themselves.Outcome measures: We intended to develop a short form of the already established SpREUK questionnaire, and tested it with respect to its factorial structure and conceptual validity. Other measures were engagement in spiritual practices (SpREUK-P), life satisfaction (BMLSS), and interpretation of illness (IIQ). Results: The good psychometric properties of the contextual (disease-related) instrument which differentiates 3 factors were confirmed: (1) Trust (in Higher Guidance/Source) (alpha=0.898), (2) Search (for Support/Access to Spirituality/Religiosity) (alpha=0.844), and (3) Reflection (Positive Interpretation of Disease) (alpha=0.736). Particularly the positive interpretations of disease were moderately associated with Search and Trust, indicating their spiritual connotation. Conclusion: To assess aspects of spirituality in secular societies which are not biased for or against a particular religious commitment, the SpREUK-SF10 questionnaire appears to be a good choice. Adaptations to other cultural backgrounds are encouraged. 832-841 Sep 2010 2010-10-07 01:01:56 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20836973 Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao = Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine 8 9 Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao ISSN 1672-1977 journalArticle Gates K Pritchard M Adolescent Analysis of Variance Anxiety BODY image Catholicism Christianity Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) eating disorders Feeding Behavior Female Health Behavior Humans Male Multivariate Analysis Northwestern United States Religion and Psychology Self Concept Young Adult The relationships among religious affiliation, religious angst, and disordered eating Although religion is thought to be a positive aspect of life, sometimes that is not always the case. One potentially negative effect of religion is the way people learn to perceive their bodies. Although many studies have examined factors that influence disordered eating (e.g., gender, self-esteem), few studies have examined the relationships among disordered eating and religious affiliation and religious angst. In the present study of 330 undergraduates, we found that Catholics and Christians displayed significantly more disordered eating than did other students. In addition, individuals scoring high on religious angst also reported more disordered eating behaviors than did other students. Implications for counseling will be discussed. e11-15 Mar 2009 2011-02-23 00:19:08 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19367131 Eating and Weight Disorders: EWD 14 1 Eat Weight Disord ISSN 1590-1262 journalArticle Journal of Biosocial Science 41 1 J Biosoc Sci DOI 10.1017/S0021932008002861 ISSN 1469-7599 Antai Diddy Adolescent Adult Child Child Mortality Child Welfare Child, Preschool DEMOGRAPHY Female Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Health Surveys Humans Immunization Infant Logistic Models Male Middle Aged Mothers Nigeria Patient Acceptance of Health Care religion Socioeconomic Factors Young Adult Faith and child survival: the role of religion in childhood immunization in Nigeria This study assessed the role of mother's religious affiliation in child immunization status of surviving children 12 months of age and older in Nigeria, using data from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Guided by two competing hypotheses--the 'characteristics hypothesis' and the 'particularized theology hypothesis'--variations in the risks of child immunization in Nigeria were examined using logistic regression analysis. The results indicate that religion plays a role in the risk of non-immunization; religion was not associated with the risk of partial immunization; however, religion was significantly associated with the reduced risk of full immunization. 57-76 Jan 2009 Faith and child survival http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471339 2011-03-28 22:29:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 18471339 <p>This study assessed the role of mother's religious affiliation in child immunization status of surviving children 12 months of age and older in Nigeria, using data from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The results indicate that religion plays a role in the risk of non-immunization; religion was not associated with the risk of partial immunization; however, religion was significantly associated with the reduced risk of full immunization.</p> journalArticle Baldacchino Donia R. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Education Impact Post-graduate learners Spiritual care Spiritual coping spirituality Teaching Teaching on spiritual care: The perceived impact on qualified nurses This study unit as part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme aimed at reviving the spiritual dimension in nursing care. This paper discusses the perceived impact of the study unit Spiritual Coping in Illness and Care on qualified nurses. The paucity of literature demonstrates some benefits perceived by the learners namely, clarification of the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care, self-awareness of personal spirituality and their current clinical practice which neglects the spiritual dimension. The ASSET model [Narayanasamy, A., 1999. ASSET: a model for actioning spirituality and spiritual care education and training in nursing. Nurse Education Today 19, 274-285] guided the teaching of this study unit. The nature of this study unit demanded an exploratory method of teaching to encourage the nurses to be active participants. Qualitative data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire from the three cohort groups of qualified nurses who undertook this study unit in 2003-2004 (A: n = 33), 2004-2005 (B: n = 35) and 2006-2007 (C: n = 35). Learners found the study unit as a resource for updating their knowledge on spirituality in care and increased self-awareness of their own spirituality and nursing care. They acknowledged their role as change agents in order to implement holistic care in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team. Recommendations were proposed to integrate the spiritual dimension in education and patient care. 47-53 January 2011 Teaching on spiritual care 2011-02-16 00:04:39 ScienceDirect Nurse Education in Practice 11 1 DOI 10.1016/j.nepr.2010.06.008 ISSN 1471-5953 journalArticle Carson James W Carson Kimberly M Porter Laura S Keefe Francis J Seewaldt Victoria L prepub Yoga of Awareness program for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors: results from a randomized trial GOAL OF WORK: Breast cancer survivors have limited options for the treatment of hot flashes and related symptoms. Further, therapies widely used to prevent recurrence in survivors, such as tamoxifen, tend to induce or exacerbate menopausal symptoms. The aim of this preliminary, randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a yoga intervention on menopausal symptoms in a sample of survivors of early-stage breast cancer (stages IA-IIB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven disease-free women experiencing hot flashes were randomized to the 8-week Yoga of Awareness program (gentle yoga poses, meditation, and breathing exercises) or to wait-list control. The primary outcome was daily reports of hot flashes collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 3 months after treatment via an interactive telephone system. Data were analyzed by intention to treat. MAIN RESULTS: At posttreatment, women who received the yoga program showed significantly greater improvements relative to the control condition in hot-flash frequency, severity, and total scores and in levels of joint pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, symptom-related bother, and vigor. At 3 months follow-up, patients maintained their treatment gains in hot flashes, joint pain, fatigue, symptom-related bother, and vigor and showed additional significant gains in negative mood, relaxation, and acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study provides promising support for the beneficial effects of a comprehensive yoga program for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms in early-stage breast cancer survivors. 1301-1309 Oct 2009 Yoga of Awareness program for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19214594 2009-09-26 19:29:26 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19214594 Supportive Care in Cancer: Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer 17 10 Support Care Cancer DOI 10.1007/s00520-009-0587-5 ISSN 1433-7339 <p>Breast cancer survivors have limited options for the treatment of hot flashes and related symptoms. Further, therapies widely used to prevent recurrence in survivors, such as tamoxifen, tend to induce or exacerbate menopausal symptoms. The aim of this preliminary, randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a yoga intervention on menopausal symptoms in a sample of survivors of early-stage breast cancer (stages IA-IIB).</p> journalArticle Chatters Linda M Mattis Jacqueline S Woodward Amanda Toler Taylor Robert Joseph Neighbors Harold W Grayman Nyasha A Use of ministers for a serious personal problem among African Americans: findings from the national survey of American life This study examined use of ministers for assistance with a serious personal problem within a nationally representative sample of African Americans (National Survey of American Life-2001-2003). Different perspectives on the use of ministers-social stratification, religious socialization, and problem-oriented approach-were proposed and tested using logistic regression analyses with demographic, religious involvement, and problem type factors as predictors. Study findings supported religious socialization and problem-oriented explanations indicating that persons who are heavily invested in religious pursuits and organizations (i.e., women, frequent attenders) are more likely than their counterparts to use ministerial assistance. Contrary to expectations from the social stratification perspective, positive income and education effects indicated that higher status individuals were more likely to report use of ministers. Finally, problems involving bereavement are especially suited for assistance from ministers owing to their inherent nature (e.g., questions of ultimate meaning) and the extensive array of ministerial support and church resources that are available to address the issue. 118-127 Jan 2011 Use of ministers for a serious personal problem among African Americans 2011-02-13 15:35:40 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21219283 The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 81 1 Am J Orthopsychiatry DOI 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01079.x ISSN 1939-0025 journalArticle Rasic Daniel T Belik Shay-Lee Elias Brenda Katz Laurence Y Enns Murray Sareen Jitender Adolescent Adult Aged Canada Cross-Sectional Studies Female Humans Logistic Models Male Middle Aged Odds Ratio Risk Assessment Risk Factors social support Socioeconomic Factors spirituality Suicide Suicide, Attempted Young Adult Spirituality, religion and suicidal behavior in a nationally representative sample BACKGROUND Studies show that religion and spirituality are associated with decreased rates of mental illness. Some studies show decreased rates of suicide in religious populations, but the association between religion, spirituality and suicidal behaviors in people with mental illness are understudied. Few studies have examined the influence of social supports in these relationships. METHODS Data were drawn from the Canadian Community Health Survey 1.2. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between spiritual values and religious worship attendance with twelve-month suicidal ideation and attempts. Regressions were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and social supports. Interaction variables were then tested to examine possible effect modification by presence of a mental disorder. RESULTS Identifying oneself as spiritual was associated with decreased odds of suicide attempt (adjusted odds ratio-1 [AOR-1]=0.65, CI: 0.44-0.96) but was not significant after adjusting for social supports. Religious attendance was associated with decreased odds of suicidal ideation (AOR-1=0.64, 95% CI: 0.53-0.77) but not after adjusting for social supports. Religious attendance was associated with decreased odds of suicide attempt and remained significant after adjusting for social supports (AOR-2=0.38, 95% CI: 0.17-0.89). No significant interaction effects were observed between any of the tested mental disorders and religion, spirituality and suicidal behavior. LIMITATIONS This was a cross-sectional survey and causality of relationships cannot be inferred. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that religious attendance is associated with decreased suicide attempts in the general population and in those with a mental illness independent of the effects of social supports. 32-40 Apr 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18799219 2011-03-28 22:29:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 18799219 Journal of Affective Disorders 114 1-3 J Affect Disord DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2008.08.007 ISSN 1573-2517 <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">This study suggests that religious attendance is associated with decreased suicide attempts in the general population and in those with a mental illness independent of the effects of social supports.</p> journalArticle da Silva Tricia L. Ravindran Lakshmi N. Ravindran Arun V. Alternative medicine Anxiety Disorders Complementary therapy depressive disorders yoga Yoga in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders: A review Background Patient use of complementary and alternative treatments, including yoga, to manage mood and anxiety disorders, has been well documented. Despite research interest, there are few recent reviews of the evidence of the benefit of yoga in these conditions. Method The PubMed, Medline and PsycInfo databases were searched for literature published up to July 2008, relating to yoga and depressive and anxiety disorders. Results The paucity of reported studies and several methodological constraints limit data interpretation. In depressive disorders, yoga may be comparable to medication and the combination superior to medication alone. There is reasonable evidence for its use as second-line monotherapy or augmentation to medication in mild to moderate major depression and dysthymia, with early evidence of benefit in more severe depression. In anxiety disorders, yoga may be superior to medication for a subgroup of patients, but its benefits in specific conditions are still largely unknown. Second-line monotherapy is indicated in performance or test anxiety, but only preliminary evidence exists for obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Yoga appears to be superior to no treatment and progressive relaxation for both depression and anxiety, and may benefit mood and anxiety symptoms associated with medical illness. It shows good safety and tolerability in short-term treatment. Conclusion Reasonable evidence supports the benefit of yoga in specific depressive disorders. The evidence is still preliminary in anxiety disorders. Given its patient appeal and the promising findings thus far, further research on yoga in these conditions is encouraged. 6-16 March 2009 Yoga in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B9837-4VK69C3-1/2/5b7ba708ced6cc5b35768caf422ab928 2011-03-28 23:23:46 ScienceDirect Asian Journal of Psychiatry 2 1 DOI 10.1016/j.ajp.2008.12.002 ISSN 1876-2018 journalArticle Zeng Yi Gu Danan George Linda K. Age differences Aging Chinese Cultural Groups Chinese older adults Death and Dying Gender differences Human Sex Differences mortality Participation Racial and Ethnic Differences Religious Participation Religious Practices Association of religious participation with mortality among Chinese old adults. This research examines the association of religious participation with mortality using a longitudinal data set collected from 9,017 oldest-old aged 85+ and 6,956 younger elders aged 65 to 84 in China in 2002 and 2005 and hazard models. Results show that adjusted for demographics, family/social support, and health practices, risk of dying was 24% (p < 0.001) and 12% (p < 0.01) lower among frequent and infrequent religious participants than among nonparticipants for all elders aged 65+. After baseline health was adjusted, the corresponding risk of dying declined to 21% (p < 0.001) and 6% (not significant), respectively. The authors also conducted hazard models analysis for men versus women and for young-old versus oldest-old, respectively, adjusted for single-year age; the authors found that gender differentials of association of religious participation with mortality among all elderly aged 65+ were not significant; association among young-old men was significantly stronger than among oldest-old men, but no such significant young-old versus oldest-old differentials in women were found. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 51-83 January 2011 EBSCOhost Research on Aging 33 1 DOI 10.1177/0164027510383584 ISSN 0164-0275 journalArticle Ekas Naomi V. Whitman Thomas L. Shivers Carolyn AUTISM in children AUTISTIC children Developmental Disabilities MOTHERS of children with disabilities Religiousness SELF-esteem Socioeconomic Factors STRESS (Psychology) Religiosity, Spirituality, and Socioemotional Functioning in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Religious beliefs, religious activities, and spirituality are coping resources used by many mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined whether and how these resources were related to maternal socioemotional functioning. Mothers of children with ASD completed questionnaires assessing religiosity, spirituality, and a wide range of outcome variables, including stress, depression, self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect, and sense of control. Analyses revealed that religious beliefs and spirituality were associated with better positive outcomes and, to a lesser extent, lower levels of negative outcomes. Of the two predictors, spirituality accounted for more unique variance in positive outcomes. In contrast, religious activities were related to more negative outcomes and lower levels of positive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 706-719 May 2009 EBSCOhost Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders 39 5 DOI 10.1007/s10803-008-0673-4 ISSN 01623257 journalArticle Journal of Adolescent Health 48 1 DOI 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.05.019 ISSN 1054-139X Gregoski Mathew J. Barnes Vernon A. Tingen Martha S. Harshfield Gregory A. Treiber Frank A. adolescents Ambulatory blood pressure Botvin LifeSkills Training Breathing awareness meditation Clinical trial Sodium excretion Breathing Awareness Meditation and LifeSkills Training Programs Influence Upon Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Sodium Excretion Among African American Adolescents Purpose To evaluate the effect of breathing awareness meditation (BAM), Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST), and health education control (HEC) on ambulatory blood pressure and sodium excretion in African American adolescents.Methods Following 3 consecutive days of systolic blood pressure (SBP) screenings, 166 eligible participants (i.e., SBP >50th-95th percentile) were randomized by school to either BAM (n = 53), LST (n = 69), or HEC (n = 44). In-school intervention sessions were administered for 3 months by health education teachers. Before and after the intervention, overnight urine samples and 24-hour ambulatory SBP, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were obtained.Results Significant group differences were found for changes in overnight SBP and SBP, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate over the 24-hour period and during school hours. The BAM treatment exhibited the greatest overall decreases on these measures (Bonferroni adjusted, ps < .05). For example, for school-time SBP, BAM showed a change of -3.7 mmHg compared with no change for LST and a change of -.1 mmHg for HEC. There was a nonsignificant trend for overnight urinary sodium excretion (p = .07), with the BAM group displaying a reduction of -.92 ± 1.1 mEq/hr compared with increases of .89 ± 1.2 mEq/hr for LST and .58 ± .9 mEq/hr for HEC group.Conclusion BAM appears to improve hemodynamic function and may affect sodium handling among African American adolescents who are at increased risk for development of cardiovascular disease. 59-64 January 2011 2011-02-15 23:59:12 ScienceDirect journalArticle Pereira Deidre B Christian Lisa M Patidar Seema Bishop Michelle M Dodd Stacy M Athanason Rebecca Wingard John R Reddy Vijay S Spiritual absence and 1-year mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplant Religiosity and spirituality have been associated with better survival in large epidemiologic studies. This study examined the relationship between spiritual absence and 1-year all-cause mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Depression and problematic compliance were examined as possible mediators of a significant spiritual absence-mortality relationship. Eighty-five adults (mean = 46.85 years old, SD = 11.90 years) undergoing evaluation for allogeneic HSCT had routine psychologie evaluation prior to HSCT admission. The Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic was used to assess spiritual absence, depression, and problematic compliance, the psychosocial predictors of interest. Patient status at 1 year and survival time in days were abstracted from medical records. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the psychosocial factors of interest and mortality after adjusting for relevant biobehavioral factors. Twenty-nine percent (n = 25) of participants died within 1 year of HSCT. After covarying for disease type, individuals with the highest spiritual absence and problematic compliance scores were significantly more likely to die 1-year post-HSCT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.49, P = .043 and HR = 3.74, P = .029, respectively), particularly secondary to infection, sepsis, or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (HR = 4.56, P = .01 and HR = 5.61, P = .014), relative to those without elevations on these scales. Depression was not associated with 1-year mortality, and problematic compliance did not mediate the relationship between spiritual absence and mortality. These preliminary results suggest that both spiritual absence and problematic compliance may be associated with poorer survival following HSCT. Future research should examine these relations in a larger sample using a more comprehensive assessment of spirituality. 1171-1179 Aug 2010 2010-08-18 00:26:37 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20227510 Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation: Journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation 16 8 Biol. Blood Marrow Transplant DOI 10.1016/j.bbmt.2010.03.003 ISSN 1523-6536 journalArticle Ellison Christopher G. Finch Brian K. Ryan Daniell Nicole Salinas Jennifer J. California COMMUNITY psychology FRESNO (Calif.) Hispanic Americans MENTAL health -- Religious aspects RELIGIOUS groups Religiousness SOCIAL interaction SOCIAL sciences Religious involvement and depressive symptoms among Mexican-origin adults in California. A burgeoning literature has documented generally salutary relationships between various aspects of religious involvement and mental health outcomes, including depressive symptoms. However, few of these studies have focused on Latinos (Hispanics), who now constitute the largest ethnic minority population in the United States. Our work addresses this gap in the literature. A number of hypotheses concerning main and contingent effects of religious attendance, salience, and consolation-seeking are developed and tested, using data on a large (N=3,012) sample of Mexican-origin adults drawn in the Fresno, CA area in 1995–1996. An initial inverse association between religious attendance and depressive symptoms disappears with controls for supportive social ties. However, an apparently salutary association between religious salience and depression persists despite all statistical controls; this relationship is present among both men and women, but it is significantly stronger for women. Contrary to expectations, there are signs that religious involvement may exacerbate the deleterious effects of discrimination and acculturation stress on depressive symptoms. A number of study implications, limitations, and directions for future research is discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 171-193 March 2009 EBSCOhost Journal of Community Psychology 37 2 DOI 10.1002/jcop.20287 ISSN 00904392 journalArticle Moghanloo Mahnaz Aguilar-Vafaie Maryam Shahraray Mehrnaz Berzonsky models identity styles Models religiosity Self Concept Students The relationship between identity styles and religiosity in students. Objectives: The aim of this descriptive study was to examine the relationships between identity styles of the Berzonsky model and religiosity. Method: 359 students (182 males and 177 females) who were selected using a randomized stratified multi-stage method from among undergraduate students of Shahid Beheshti and Tehran universities, were assessed using Berzonsky Identity Styles Inventory (ISI), Islamic Orientation Questionnaire, and the Duriez Post Critical Belief Scale (PCBS). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis. Results: Based on correlation analysis, most religiousity variables were positively related to informational and normative identity styles and negatively related to diffuse/avoidant identity style. Also, stepwise regression analysis showed that religious belief and practice, was predicted by informational and normative identity styles, inclusion of transcendence was predicted by normative and diffuse/avoidant identity styles (negatively) and symbolic processing was positively predicted by informational identity style. Conclusion: The positive relation of most religiousity factors with informational and normative identity styles, and their negative relationship with diffuse/avoidant identity styles indicates that these factors belong to a common religious construct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 377-387 2010 EBSCOhost Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology 15 4 ISSN 1735-4315 journalArticle Lee Jerry W Morton Kelly R Walters James Bellinger Denise L Butler Terry L Wilson Colwick Walsh Eric Ellison Christopher G McKenzie Monica M Fraser Gary E Cohort profile: The biopsychosocial religion and health study (BRHS) In The Secrets of Long Life in the National Geographic1 Buettner explored longevity among three communities in Sardinia Italy, Okinawa Japan, and Loma Linda California. Loma Linda is largely a community of 7th-day Adventists. In 1969 initial research2 found that among individuals surviving past age 35 Adventist women in California lived 3.7 years longer than their counterparts and Adventist men 6.2 years longer. In a later, larger California sample3 the differences were even stronger—4.4 years for women and 7.3 years for men. Exercise, vegetarian diet, not smoking, eating nuts and social support have been found to predict longevity in Adventists.4 Yet even when these and several psychological variables are controlled church attendance still predicts greater longevity.5 Interest has been increasing regarding the association of both mental and physical health with religion or spirituality.6 There have been a number of literature reviews that have concluded that the associations of religion and . . . 1470-1478 Dec 2009 Cohort profile http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19052114 2009-12-28 17:11:31 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19052114 International Journal of Epidemiology 38 6 Int J Epidemiol DOI 10.1093/ije/dyn244 ISSN 1464-3685 journalArticle Hampton Melvin C Halkitis Perry N Mattis Jacqueline S Coping, drug use, and religiosity/spirituality in relation to HIV serostatus among gay and bisexual men Cross-sectional data were collected on a sample of 259 gay and bisexual, male-identified individuals as part of a larger study of the psychosocial functioning of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. Analyses considered differences between HIV-positive and HIV-negative men in relation to active and religious coping strategies; avoidant coping strategies (specifically, illicit drug use); and the psychosocial states of anxiety, hostility, and depression in relation to self-reported HIV-status of the participants. As compared with HIV-negative men, the HIV positive participants indicated a greater likelihood of engaging in illicit substance use within the previous 3 months, as well as higher levels of both active and religious coping strategies. Illicit substance use also was found to be related to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and hostility. A multivariate model indicated a significant difference in substance-based and active coping strategies among the men surveyed, with persons with a self-reported HIV-positive serostatus endorsing higher levels of both strategies. These results and their implications for prevention and future research are discussed, rooted in the understanding that a complex reality for coping is often enacted by HIV-positive men. 417-429 Oct 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20973662 2010-11-15 19:54:10 AIDS Education and Prevention: Official Publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 22 5 AIDS Educ Prev DOI 10.1521/aeap.2010.22.5.417 ISSN 1943-2755 journalArticle Nosa Vili Ofanoa Malakai Adult Aged Beverages Culture Health Behavior Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Interpersonal Relations Kava Male Middle Aged New Zealand Plant Preparations Qualitative Research Risk-Taking Social perception The social, cultural and medicinal use of kava for twelve Tongan born men living in Auckland, New Zealand Kava consumption is a very popular practise amongst Pacific people especially amongst the Tongan communities. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the key cultural, social and medicinal elements of kava use amongst Tongan men. Twelve face to face interviews in this study were undertaken. The paper argues that kava drinking is strongly linked to many of the ceremonial, social and cultural obligations that are deeply embedded within the Tongan culture. The positive uses of kava include medicinal purposes, male bonding, alternative to alcohol consumption, reaffirming and establishing relationships amongst other Tongan men, The men also stated negative uses of kava such as it made them lazy, tired so they were not able to go to work, a lack of sexual activities by being too tired have sex with their partners, and very expensive to buy in New Zealand. AIM: The aim of this paper is to discuss and examine the social, cultural and medicinal kava use amongst twelve Tongan born men living in Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS: The study used qualitative methods, specifically individual interviews were conducted in Tongan or English. Participants were recruited through community networks in Auckland. A number of Tongan churches, Tongan medical clinics such as Langimailie, and kava clubs were approached to recruit participants. The open ended interview schedule covered themes such as access, quantity, frequency, and problems associated with kava use. The interviews were conducted by a Tongan researcher either in English or Tongan. All interviews were translated and transcribed into English. A thematic analysis based on multiple readings of the transcripts was used The analysis identified commonalities and differences. The study was granted ethical approval by the University of Auckland Human Subjects Ethics Committee in December 2004. Interviews were conducted at the beginning of 2005. Interviews were undertaken in a place where the participants felt comfortable. Interview times were arranged at a time convenient for the participants. All participants were given information sheets prior to interviews, and participants were asked to sign consent forms before the interviews commenced. These forms were provided in Tongan and English versions. Most of the interviews ranged between one to three hours. Interviews were audiotaped, and confidentiality was maintained throughout the research. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve men were interviewed. All participants were Tongan men born and raised in Tonga. The ages of men ranged between 30 and 75 years. Most of the men had been residing in New Zealand for over 30 years, although some men had only been in New Zealand between 2-18 years. Most of the men were employed and a few had retired from work. Most of these men also belonged to a church. All of the men who participated were married. 96-102 Feb 2009 2011-02-22 23:45:06 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19585739 Pacific Health Dialog 15 1 Pac Health Dialog ISSN 1015-7867 journalArticle Pain 148 1 DOI 10.1016/j.pain.2009.10.034 ISSN 0304-3959 McCracken Lance M. Velleman Sophie C. Acceptance Chronic pain Cognitive behavioral therapy Disability Mindfulness Psychological flexibility Psychological flexibility in adults with chronic pain: A study of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action in primary care There is an increasing number of studies of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action in relation to chronic pain. Evidence from these studies suggests that these processes may be important for reducing the suffering and disability arising in these conditions. Taken together these processes entail an overarching process referred to as "psychological flexibility." While these processes have been studied in people with chronic pain contacted in specialty treatment centers, they have not yet been investigated in primary care. Thus, participants in this study were 239 adults with chronic pain surveyed in primary care, through contact with their General Practitioners (GPs), in the UK. They completed measures of acceptance of chronic pain, mindfulness, psychological acceptance, values-based action, health status, and GP visits related to pain. Correlation coefficients demonstrated significant relations between the components of psychological flexibility and the measures of health and GP visits. In regression analyses, including both pain intensity and psychological flexibility as potential predictors, psychological flexibility accounted for significant variance, [Delta]R2 = .039-.40 (3.9-40.0%). In these regression equations pain intensity accounted for an average of 9.2% of variance while psychological flexibility accounted for 24.1%. These data suggest that psychological flexibility may reduce the impact of chronic pain in patients with low to moderately complex problems outside of specialty care. Due to a particularly conservative recruitment strategy the overall response rate in this study was low and the generality of these results remains to be established. 141-147 January 2010 Psychological flexibility in adults with chronic pain 2010-01-29 17:57:04 ScienceDirect <p>There is an increasing number of studies of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action in relation to chronic pain. Evidence from these studies suggests that these processes may be important for reducing the suffering and disability arising in these conditions. Taken together these processes entail an overarching process referred to as “psychological flexibility.” While these processes have been studied in people with chronic pain contacted in specialty treatment centers, they have not yet been investigated in primary care. Thus, participants in this study were 239 adults with chronic pain surveyed in primary care, through contact with their General Practitioners (GPs), in the UK. They completed measures of acceptance of chronic pain, mindfulness, psychological acceptance, values-based action, health status, and GP visits related to pain. Correlation coefficients demonstrated significant relations between the components of psychological flexibility and the measures of health and GP visits. In regression analyses, including both pain intensity and psychological flexibility as potential predictors, psychological flexibility accounted for significant variance, Δ<em>R</em>²<img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />=<img src="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html" alt="" width="4" height="1" />.039–.40 (3.9–40.0%). In these regression equations pain intensity accounted for an average of 9.2% of variance while psychological flexibility accounted for 24.1%. These data suggest that psychological flexibility may reduce the impact of chronic pain in patients with low to moderately complex problems outside of specialty care. Due to a particularly conservative recruitment strategy the overall response rate in this study was low and the generality of these results remains to be established.</p> journalArticle The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 37 1 J Am Acad Psychoanal Dyn Psychiatry DOI 10.1521/jaap.2009.37.1.153 ISSN 1546-0371 O'Connell Anthony Alcoholism Clergy Countertransference (Psychology) Freudian Theory Humans Male Middle Aged Physician-Patient Relations Psychoanalytic Therapy Religion and Psychology Self Disclosure Temperance Man is born broken. He lives by mending. the grace of God is glue. How religion can Enrich an analysis The patient, a 59-year-old Caucasian male, was self-referred for analysis. The analysis lasted a period of four years on a thrice-weekly basis. The patient introduced the topic of religion directly in the analysis, and the analyst initially treated it as a psychological construct. The importance of the religious meaning of the patient's desires was not treated directly at the beginning of the analysis, which led to an impasse in the treatment. Further, the analyst's role as a priest was not disclosed to the patient. When the analysand discovered this, the analysis seemed to take a turn for the worse, but in actual fact, it was the real beginning of the analysis that allowed other topics to be faced, and the patient was able to move on with his life, as best he could, toward retirement and search for a new marriage partner. 153-164 2009 2011-02-23 00:20:39 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19364266 journalArticle Fallahi Khoshknab Masoud Mazaheri Monir Maddah Sadat Sb Rahgozar Mehdi Validation and reliability test of Persian version of The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS) Aim Validation of a scale. Background Commitment to the concept of holistic nursing and considering the importance of meeting the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs has been well established in nursing practice (Mitchell et al. 2006). However, spiritual care is frequently overlooked and disregarded or delegated to the religious leaders (Govier 2000). Considering the definition of nursing as the diagnosis and treatment of human responses, nurses need to be well prepared in recognising and meeting the spiritual needs of their patients. There is a consensus of opinions that spirituality is important for our existence (Narayanasamy 2004). Spirituality could be defined as a sense of something greater than oneself, which comprise meaning, purpose, values and hope. Spiritual care includes those interventions which address spiritual needs of patients like respecting patients religious and cultural beliefs; communicating by listening and talking with clients; being with the patient by caring; supporting; showing empathy; facilitating participation in religious rituals; promoting a sense of well-being; and referring to chaplains and other professionals. How nurses perceive the spiritual dimension of their care and their philosophical framework has an important contribution in the ways nurses fulfil patient needs. Although this rather neglected dimension of care has a universal demand, it would be interesting to discover how different cultures perceive and understand it. No valid instrument to assess spirituality and spiritual care exists in the Persian language which is mother tongue in some countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, etc. This study, therefore, was designed to validate the Persian version of The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS) to be used in Iranian context and carry out reliability test (test re-test). Design A descriptive cross-cultural design was employed. Method Most qualified nurses working in Razi Psychiatric Center (n = 107) which is an educational centre in Tehran, countrys capital, participated in the study. All (45 women and 62 man) had at least a bachelor degree in nursing. The instrument The scale consisted of two parts, background information (22 questions) and The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS). SSCRS was originally constructed by McSherry et al. (2002) as a multidimensional instrument. It accessed nurses beliefs and values in relation to the areas of hope, meaning and purpose, forgiveness, beliefs and values, spiritual care, relationships belief in a God, or deity, morality, creativity and self expression. Procedure The SSCRS instrument underwent the standard forward-backward procedure to translate from English to Persian. The relevant cultural adaptation was carried out. An expert panel from different disciplines was held to review it and to reach a consensus on the discrepancies. The final version in Persian was prepared after confirmation of the committee on the equivalence between the source and the translated version semantically, idiomatically, experientially and conceptually. To validate the Persian version of the instrument, content validity method was used. The SSCRS was given to ten faculty members with relevant specialties. Minor changes were made on questionnaire based on their comments. To assess face validity, the instrument was given to 13 psychiatric nurses to see how they perceive and interpret the items and to discover the potential problems. The think aloud method was used, asking the participants to reflect on the questions and share their thoughts on the entire instrument. The participants of face validity test found the wording and the components of the instrument clear and easy to understand and answer. The statistical methods used for testing the equivalence included the Cronbachs alpha coefficient, Spearmans rank correlation coefficients and t-test. The reliability and cultural equivalence between the English and Persian versions of the scale and total SSCRS scores were assessed by Cronbachs alpha. To assess reliability of the scale, test-retest was carried out. Results Background information of the participants is presented in Table 1. The internal consistency estimate was found to be satisfactory at both assessments. Test-retest results (r = 0.83) of the scale scores did not show any significant differences between test-retest values. Cronbachs alphas value showed good internal consistency of the instrument (? = 0.85). The face and content validity of the questionnaire were reached through described procedure. Table 1. ?Background variables of the participants Sex Women n = 45 Men n = 62 Total n = 107 1. *In psychiatric hospitals in Iran, usually only female staff work in wards where female patients are cared for. Discussion It is of interest that Iranian nurses who are living in a different socio-cultural context could relate to the domain of spirituality and spiritual care in the way the developers of the SSCRS with a different background have constructed. It confirms McSherry et al. (2002) saying that these components of spirituality may be universally transferrable to all individuals. The study helps to provide an understanding of how psychiatric nurses perceive spiritual care in Iran, as there were no previous studies looking at this neglected area of care in the Iranian context. The importance of this is heightened by knowing that no independent subject or lectures on spirituality and spiritual care is taught in specialised nursing programmes in Iran, only some general religion courses. This lack of conceptual clarity and difficulty in delineating these concepts in Iran brings ambiguities in identifying spiritual needs and providing spiritual care for patients. Having more people with an existentialistic perspective, these terms need to be more universal and applicable to all people regardless of having any religion or not. The present study could be a starting point in conceptualisation and clarification of spirituality and spiritual care in Iran. Conclusion The SSCRS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing spirituality and spiritual care among psychiatric nurses in Iran. Relevance to clinical practice Valid and reliable scales are needed to assess spirituality and spiritual care by Iranian nurses as an initial step in evaluating how they recognise and meet the spiritual needs of their patients. The SSCRS, as a simple administered scale, could be used in appropriate contexts with confidence. The carefully conducted process of translation minimised potential errors in transforming the scale to the new language. However, it might need future examination in different contexts in Iran to be use widely in the country. Key words Persian, reliability, scale, spiritual care, spirituality, validation 2939-2941 Oct 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20846236 2010-11-15 20:02:06 Journal of Clinical Nursing 19 19-20 J Clin Nurs DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03411.x ISSN 1365-2702 journalArticle Elsass Peter Carlsson Jessica Jespersen Kristian Phuntsok Kalsang Anxiety Buddhism depression Educational Status Female Humans India Male Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Sex Factors Stress, Psychological Survivors Tibet Torture Questioning western assessment of trauma among Tibetan torture survivors. A quantitative assessment study with comments from Buddhist Lamas Our study falls in line with the numerous studies providing a critique of the use of western diagnostic instruments for assessing trauma in a cross-cultural context. Our purpose has been to give evidence for the Tibetan torture survivors' degree of traumatisation and for their use of spirituality to overcome their difficult situation. In addition we wanted to question the use of our western methods in an Asian context. 102 tortured refugees attended a formalised needs assessment including neuropsychological and psychological measures of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 (HSCL-25). Even though significant correlations between the amount of the measures of organized violence and neuropsychological and psychological distress were found in our data, the division of the material into different subgroups according to e.g. religious and non-religious groups did not have an influence on the level of distress. After the assessment study, eight Tibetan lamas were interviewed about their views on our methods and results. They questioned the validity of our western rating scales and explained that our results might be influenced by the Tibetan culture, which among other things can be characterized as having a view and articulation of suffering much more complex than the units of our study's rating scales. 194-203 2009 2011-02-22 23:32:08 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20065538 Torture: Quarterly Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture 19 3 Torture ISSN 1997-3322 journalArticle Gold Melanie A Sheftel Anya V Chiappetta Laurel Young Amanda J Zuckoff Allan DiClemente Carlo C Primack Brian A Associations between religiosity and sexual and contraceptive behaviors STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine associations between religiosity and female adolescents' sexual and contraceptive behaviors. DESIGN: We conducted a secondary analysis on data from a randomized controlled trial comparing interventions designed to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Multivariable modeling assessed the association between a religiosity index consisting of items related to religious behaviors and impact of religious beliefs on decisions and sexual outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: 572 female adolescents aged 13 to 21, recruited via a hospital-based adolescent clinic and community-wide advertisements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual experience, pregnancy, STDs, number of lifetime partners, frequency of sexual activity, previous contraceptive use, and planned contraceptive use. RESULTS: Mean participant age was 17.4 +/- 2.2 years and 68% had been sexually active. Most (74.1%) had a religious affiliation and over half (52.8%) reported that their religious beliefs impact their decision to have sex at least "somewhat." Multivariate analyses showed that, compared with those with low religiosity, those with high religiosity were less likely to have had sexual intercourse (OR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.39). Among sexually active participants, those with high religiosity were less likely to have been pregnant (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.22, 0.97), to have had an STD (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.22, 0.81), or to have had multiple (>or=4) lifetime partners (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.21, 0.68) compared to those with low religiosity. Levels of religiosity were not significantly associated with frequency of intercourse, contraception use at last intercourse, or planned contraceptive use. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, religiosity appeared to be a protective factor rather than a risk factor with regard to sexual behavior and was not associated with contraception use. 290-297 Oct 2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20493738 2010-11-15 20:09:33 Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology 23 5 J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol DOI 10.1016/j.jpag.2010.02.012 ISSN 1873-4332 <p>This study of religiosity and sexual and contraceptive behaviors among female adolescents finds that those with high levels of religiosity are less likely than those with low levels of religiosity to have intercourse.&nbsp; Of those that did have intercourse, those with high religiosity were less likely to be pregnant, have an STD, or have multiple lifetime partners.&nbsp; Levels of religiosity were not, however, correlated to frequency of intercourse or contraceptive use.</p> journalArticle Downey Lois Engelberg Ruth A Standish Leanna J Kozak Leila Lafferty William E Three lessons from a randomized trial of massage and meditation at end of life: patient benefit, outcome measure selection, and design of trials with terminally ill patients Improving end-of-life care is a priority in the United States, but assigning priorities for standard care services requires evaluations using appropriate study design and appropriate outcome indicators. A recent randomized controlled trial with terminally ill patients produced no evidence of benefit from massage or guided meditation, when evaluated with measures of global quality of life or pain distress over the course of patient participation. However, reanalysis using a more targeted outcome, surrogates' assessment of patients' benefit from the study intervention, suggested significant gains from massage-the treatment patients gave their highest preassignment preference ratings. The authors conclude that adding a menu of complementary therapies as part of standard end-of-life care may yield significant benefit, that patient preference is an important predictor of outcome, and that modifications in trial design may be appropriate for end-of-life studies. 246-253 2009 Aug-Sep Three lessons from a randomized trial of massage and meditation at end of life http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.bu.edu/pubmed/19395701 2009-09-26 19:38:25 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19395701 The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care 26 4 Am J Hosp Palliat Care DOI 10.1177/1049909109331887 ISSN 1938-2715 journalArticle Pastoral Psychology 58 3 DOI 10.1007/s11089-008-0187-1 ISSN 00312789 Doyle Thomas CATHOLICS CHILDREN -- Crimes against PSYCHIC trauma RELIGIOUS leaders SEX crimes SEXUALLY abused children -- Psychology The Spiritual Trauma Experienced by Victims of Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy. Most of the published literature on clergy abuse of children has addressed the emotional and psychological effects of sexual abuse common to all victims. The literature published by Church-related sources has consistently addressed the impact of clergy abuse on the Church as an institution as well as the problems and treatment needs of the clergy abusers. Little has been written or even explored about the spiritual trauma suffered by clergy victims. This article examines some of the symptoms and possible recovery from the spiritual dimension of post abuse trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 239-260 June 2009 EBSCOhost journalArticle Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 17 2 DOI 16/j.ctcp.2010.08.003 ISSN 1744-3881 Kerrigan Deanna Johnson Kelly Stewart Miriam Magyari Trish Hutton Nancy Ellen Jonathan M. Sibinga Erica M.S. Adolescents/youth At-risk Health and well-being HIV/AIDS Qualitative Stress/distress Perceptions, experiences, and shifts in perspective occurring among urban youth participating in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program <p><br/>Interest in mindfulness as a tool to improve health and well-being has increased rapidly over the past two decades. Limited qualitative research has been conducted on mindfulness and health. This study utilized in-depth interviews to explore the context, perceptions, and experiences of a sub-set of participants engaged in an acceptability study of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) among urban youth. Content analysis revealed that all in-depth interview participants reported experiencing some form of positive benefit and enhanced self-awareness as a result of MBSR program participation. Significant variation in the types and intensity of changes occurring was identified, ranging from a reframing and reduction of daily stressors to transformational shifts in life orientation and well-being. Variations in perceptions of and experiences with mindfulness should be studied in further depth in the context of prospective intervention research, including their potentially differential influence on mental and physical health outcomes.</p> 96-101 May 2011 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388110000587 2011-06-09 22:07:50 ScienceDirect journalArticle Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 15 2 Complement Ther Clin Pract DOI 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.01.002 ISSN 1873-6947 Irving Julie Anne Dobkin Patricia L Park Jeeseon Burnout, Professional Clinical Trials as Topic Health Personnel Humans Meditation Stress, Psychological Cultivating mindfulness in health care professionals: a review of empirical studies of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) Demands faced by health care professionals include heavy caseloads, limited control over the work environment, long hours, as well as organizational structures and systems in transition. Such conditions have been directly linked to increased stress and symptoms of burnout, which in turn, have adverse consequences for clinicians and the quality of care that is provided to patients. Consequently, there exists an impetus for the development of curriculum aimed at fostering wellness and the necessary self-care skills for clinicians. This review will examine the potential benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs aimed at enhancing well-being and coping with stress in this population. Empirical evidence indicates that participation in MBSR yields benefits for clinicians in the domains of physical and mental health. Conceptual and methodological limitations of the existing studies and suggestions for future research are discussed. 61-66 May 2009 Cultivating mindfulness in health care professionals 2011-02-23 00:27:31 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19341981 journalArticle Journal of Religion and Health 49 1 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-008-9232-8 ISSN 1573-6571 Gullatte Mary Magee Brawley Otis Kinney Anita Powe Barbara Mooney Kathi Religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism beliefs on delay in breast cancer diagnosis in African American women African American women are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to present with a later stage of breast cancer at initial diagnosis. Delay in breast cancer detection is a critical factor in diagnosis at a later stage. Available data indicate a delay of 3 months or more is a significant factor in breast cancer mortalty. Numerous factors have been reported as contributing to delay in time to seek medical care including religiosity, spirituality, and fatalistic beliefs. This study examined the influence of religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism on delay in diagnosis and breast cancer stage in African American women with self-detected breast symptoms. A descriptive correlation, retrospective methodology using an open-ended questionnaire and three validated measurement scales were used: the Religious Problem Solving Scale (RPSS), the Religious Coping Activity Scale (RCAS) subscale measuring spiritually based coping, and the modified Powe Fatalism Inventory (mPFI). A convenience sample of 129 women ages between 30 and 84 years who self-reported detecting a breast symptom before diagnosis of breast cancer within the preceding 12 months were included in the study. Outcome variables were time to seek medical care and breast cancer stage. Other variables of interest included marital status, income, education, insurance status, and to whom the women spoke about their breast symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression analysis, Pearson r correlations, Mann-Whitney U analysis, and Chi Square analysis. Participants were found to be highly religious and spiritual but not fatalistic. While most women delayed more than 3 months in seeking medical care, no associations were found between the three predictor variables and time to seek medical care. The median delay in time from self detection of a breast symptom to seeking medical care was 5.5 months. Women who were less educated, unmarried, and talked to God only about their breast change were significantly more likely to delay seeking medical care. An association was found between disclosing a breast symptom to God only and delay in seeking medical care. In contrast, women who had told a person about their breast symptom were more likely to seek medical care sooner. African American women who delayed seeking medical care for longer than 3 months were more likely to present with a later stage of breast cancer than women who sought care within 3 months of symptom discovery. 62-72 Mar 2010 2010-03-23 00:39:04 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19184437 journalArticle Death Studies 35 2 DOI 10.1080/07481187.2010.535390 ISSN 07481187 Bachner Yaacov G. O'Rourke Norm Carmel Sara Analysis of Variance CANCER -- Patients -- Psychological aspects CAREGIVERS -- Psychological aspects CHI-square test death attitudes INTERVIEWS Israel PATH analysis (Statistics) PATIENT-family relations PROBABILITIES Retrospective Studies spirituality STRESS (Psychology) Fear of Death, Mortality Communication, and Psychological Distress Among Secular and Religiously Observant Family Caregivers of Terminal Cancer Patients. Previous research suggests that caregivers and terminally ill patients face substantial difficulties discussing illness and death. Existing research, however, has focused primarily on the experience of patients. The current study compared responses as well as the relative strength of association between mortality communication, fear of death, and psychological distress (i.e., depressive symptomatology, emotional exhaustion) among secular and religiously observant family caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients. A total of 236 participants were recruited over 18 months within the first year of caregiver bereavement. Retrospectively reported mortality communication was statistically greater among secular caregivers; in contrast, both fear of death and depressive symptoms were greater among the religiously observant. Path analyses subsequently revealed notable differences between groups. Among secular caregivers, a significant inverse relationship between mortality communication and the two indices of caregiver distress emerged. In contrast, the association between mortality communication and psychological distress among the religious was moderated by these caregivers' fear of death. The results of this study suggest that fear of death is a significant predictor of psychological distress among religiously observant caregivers of terminal cancer patients (i.e., fear of their own death as elicited by the caregiving role). Fostering morality communication between secular caregivers and patients would appear to be one means of reducing the likelihood of clinically significant psychological distress. This may be insufficient among religiously observant caregivers, however, for whom fear of death may first need to be redressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 163-187 February 2011 EBSCOhost journalArticle Mosko Jonathan E. Pistole M. Carole attachment behavior Christian religious affiliation Christianity Christians family counseling Family Therapy intrinsic religious motivation marital readiness Marriage Attitudes religiosity religious affiliation Religiousness young adult marital attitudes Attachment and religiousness: Contributions to young adult marital attitudes and readiness. In this study (N = 239), Christian religious affiliation, low attachment avoidance, and intrinsic religious motivation contributed uniquely to positive marital attitudes; more serious relational status, low attachment avoidance, and intrinsic religious motivation contributed uniquely to marital readiness. Implications for family counseling practice and research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) 127-135 April 2010 Attachment and religiousness 2010-06-15 14:24:20 EBSCOhost The Family Journal 18 2 ISSN 1066-4807 journalArticle Campesino Maureen Belyea Michael Schwartz Gary COLLEGE students Latinos/Latinas spirituality Spirituality and Cultural Identification Among Latino and Non-Latino College Students The purposes of this study were to examine (a) differences in spiritual perspectives and practices of Latino and non-Latino young adults and (b) the cultural relevance of the Latino Spiritual Perspective Scale (LSPS). Studies indicate that spiritual perspectives are embedded within cultural group norms and vary significantly across ethnic groups. A cross-sectional survey design was used with a convenience sample of 223 Latino and non-Latino university students in the Southwestern United States. The Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS), the LSPS, the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale, and a demographic questionnaire were used. Latinos scored significantly higher than non-Latinos in both measures of spiritual perspectives. Self-reported behavioral measures, such as frequency of personal prayer, were also higher among the Latino group. Latino cultural identification was the only significant predictor of LSPS scores. Findings from this study indicate that spirituality among Latinos has meanings specific to the cultural group context. These findings have implications for nursing research involving the conceptualization and measurement of spirituality among multiethnic groups.Los propósitos de este estudio eran examinar: (a) diferencias en perspectivas espirituales y prácticas de jóvenes Latinos y no Latinos; y (b) la relevancia cultural de la Escala de la Perspectiva Espiritual Latina. Estudios indican que perspectivas espirituales están incrustadas entre normas culturales del grupo y varían considerablemente entre grupos étnicos. Un diseño transversal y de encuesta fue utilizado con una muestra de conveniencia de 233 estudiantes universitarios Latinos y no Latinos en el Suroeste de los Estados Unidos. La Escala de la Perspectiva Espiritual (EPE), la Escala de la Perspectiva Espiritual Latina (EPEL), la Escala Ortogonal de Identificación Cultural, y un cuestionario demográfico fueron utilizados. Los Latinos calificaron considerablemente más alto que los no Latinos en ambas medidas de perspectivas espirituales. Medidas de comportamiento auto-reportadas, como la frecuencia de oración, también estuvieron más altas en el grupo Latino. La identificación con la cultura Latina fue el único vaticinador de las calificaciones de la EPEL. Los resultados de este estudio indican que la espiritualidad entre Latinos tiene significados específicos al contexto del grupo cultural. Estas conclusiones tienen implicaciones para las investigaciones de enfermería que involucran la conceptualización y medida de la espiritualidad entre grupos multiétnicos. 72 2009 2011-02-22 23:30:34 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20165566 Hispanic Health Care International: The Official Journal of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses 7 2 Hisp Health Care Int DOI 10.1891/1540-4153.7.2.72 ISSN 1540-4153 journalArticle Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13 3 DOI 10.1080/13674670903367199 ISSN 13674676 Bray Peter MIDLIFE crisis Post-traumatic stress disorder Psychotherapy STRESS (Psychology) TRAUMATIC neuroses A broader framework for exploring the influence of spiritual experience in the wake of stressful life events: examining connections between posttraumatic growth and psycho-spiritual transformation. The literature suggests that spiritual domains of experience may be influential to an individual's growth in the aftermath of stressful life events. This paper explores the role that spiritual experience might play in the process of posttraumatic growth by examining two quite different approaches to transformational growth: Lawrence Calhoun and Richard Tedeschi's posttraumatic growth model; and Stanislav and Christina Grof's framework of psycho-spiritual transformation. Both approaches are briefly outlined, compared and discussed. Some observations are made about their shared understanding of the human potential for growth and the significance of spiritual experience in the struggle to master distressing life events. A further hypothetical model is presented that marries the two approaches and offers the opportunity for individuals in the posttraumatic process and helping professionals to examine their experiences in a broader context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 293-308 April 2010 A broader framework for exploring the influence of spiritual experience in the wake of stressful life events 2010-05-07 19:27:30 EBSCOhost journalArticle Pain 148 1 DOI 10.1016/j.pain.2009.10.030 ISSN 0304-3959 Schütze Robert Rees Clare Preece Minette Schütze Mark Acceptance Attention Catastrophizing Chronic pain Cognition Fear-avoidance Mindfulness Low mindfulness predicts pain catastrophizing in a fear-avoidance model of chronic pain The relationship between persistent pain and self-directed, non-reactive awareness of present-moment experience (i.e., mindfulness) was explored in one of the dominant psychological theories of chronic pain - the fear-avoidance model [53]. A heterogeneous sample of 104 chronic pain outpatients at a multidisciplinary pain clinic in Australia completed psychometrically sound self-report measures of major variables in this model: Pain intensity, negative affect, pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, pain hypervigilance, and functional disability. Two measures of mindfulness were also used, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale [4] and the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire [1]. Results showed that mindfulness significantly negatively predicts each of these variables, accounting for 17-41% of their variance. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that mindfulness uniquely predicts pain catastrophizing when other variables are controlled, and moderates the relationship between pain intensity and pain catastrophizing. This is the first clear evidence substantiating the strong link between mindfulness and pain catastrophizing, and suggests mindfulness might be added to the fear-avoidance model. Implications for the clinical use of mindfulness in screening and intervention are discussed. 120-127 January 2010 2010-01-29 17:56:51 ScienceDirect <p>The relationship between persistent pain and self-directed, non-reactive awareness of present-moment experience (i.e., mindfulness) was explored in one of the dominant psychological theories of chronic pain – the <em>fear-avoidance model</em> <a id="cross-ref-bib53" class="cross-ref" name="back-bib53" href="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html">[53]</a>. A heterogeneous sample of 104 chronic pain outpatients at a multidisciplinary pain clinic in Australia completed psychometrically sound self-report measures of major variables in this model: Pain intensity, negative affect, pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, pain hypervigilance, and functional disability. Two measures of mindfulness were also used, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale <a id="cross-ref-bib4" class="cross-ref" name="back-bib4" href="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html">[4]</a> and the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire <a id="cross-ref-bib1" class="cross-ref" name="back-bib1" href="jar:file:///C:/Users/Muwina/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/fbysetgd.default/extensions/zotero@chnm.gmu.edu/chrome/zotero.jar!/content/zotero/tinymce/note.html">[1]</a>. Results showed that mindfulness significantly negatively predicts each of these variables, accounting for 17–41% of their variance. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that mindfulness uniquely predicts pain catastrophizing when other variables are controlled, and moderates the relationship between pain intensity and pain catastrophizing. This is the first clear evidence substantiating the strong link between mindfulness and pain catastrophizing, and suggests mindfulness might be added to the fear-avoidance model. Implications for the clinical use of mindfulness in screening and intervention are discussed.</p> journalArticle Journal of Health Psychology 14 1 J Health Psychol DOI 10.1177/1359105308097946 ISSN 1359-1053 Manzaneque Juan M Vera Francisca M Rodriguez Francisco M Garcia Gaspar J Leyva Laura Blanca Maria J Adolescent Affect Breathing Exercises Cytokines Female Humans Male Questionnaires Sleep Time Factors Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Young Adult Serum cytokines, mood and sleep after a qigong program: is qigong an effective psychobiological tool? Qigong is an ancient Chinese psychosomatic exercise that integrates movement, breathing and meditation into a single multifaceted practice. The present study was designed to assess the effects of qigong practice on serum cytokines, mood and subjective sleep quality. Experimental participants underwent a qigong training program for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, and several instruments to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as well as SSQ, were obtained before and after the program. Our findings revealed that while the practice of qigong for one month did not alter serum cytokines, it enhanced psychological well-being, including sleep duration. 60-67 Jan 2009 Serum cytokines, mood and sleep after a qigong program http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19129338 2011-03-28 22:09:28 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19129338 journalArticle Feltman Roger Robinson Michael D. Ode Scott Anger Attention depression Mindfulness Neuroticism Self-regulation Mindfulness as a moderator of neuroticism-outcome relations: A self-regulation perspective Neuroticism's prediction of negative emotional outcomes has been linked to negative reactivity tendencies. Dispositional mindfulness, defined in terms of being attentive and aware (versus not) of present-moment reality, appears to mitigate negative reactivity tendencies. The present two studies, involving 289 undergraduate participants, sought to integrate these two personality-processing perspectives. Neuroticism was an inverse predictor of mindfulness and both neuroticism and mindfulness independently predicted trait anger (Study 1) and depressive symptoms (Study 2). Of more importance, neuroticism-outcome relations were stronger (weaker) among individuals low (high) in mindfulness. The results document the role that dispositional mindfulness appears to play in moderating neuroticism's pernicious correlates. Results are discussed from personality, cognitive, emotional, social, and clinical perspectives. 953-961 December 2009 Mindfulness as a moderator of neuroticism-outcome relations http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6WM0-4X4Y22P-1/2/6c5518e8f7062e230d53b9523f10b72c 2009-12-30 16:43:43 ScienceDirect Journal of Research in Personality 43 6 DOI 10.1016/j.jrp.2009.08.009 ISSN 0092-6566 journalArticle Ai Amy L. Wink Paul Tice Terrence N. Bolling Steven F. Shearer Marshall CORONARY artery bypass DISEASES -- Religious aspects HEART -- Blood-vessels PATIENTS SURGERY -- Complications Prayer and reverence in naturalistic, aesthetic, and socio-moral contexts predicted fewer complications following coronary artery bypass. This prospective study explores prayer, reverence, and other aspects of faith in postoperative complications and hospital length of stay of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Alongside traditional religiousness measures, we examined sense of reverence in religious and secular contexts. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 177 patients 2 weeks before surgery at a medical center. Medical variables were retrieved from the national Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ Database. Logistic and multiple regression models were performed to predict outcomes. Prayer frequencies were associated with reduced complications but not hospitalization. Sense of reverence in secular contexts predicted fewer complications and shorter hospitalization. Controlling for complications reduced the initial influence of reverence on hospitalization, suggesting the potential mediation of complications. No interaction between demographics and faith factors was evident. The role of faith in medicine is complex and context-dependent. Future studies are needed on mediating factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 570-581 December 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=45362477&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-12-31 16:20:45 EBSCOhost Journal of Behavioral Medicine 32 6 DOI 10.1007/s10865-009-9228-1 ISSN 01607715 <p><span>This prospective study explores prayer, reverence, and other aspects of faith in postoperative complications and hospital length of stay of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.</span><span> Alongside traditional religiousness measures, we examined sense of reverence in religious and secular contexts.</span><span> Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 177 patients 2 weeks before surgery at a medical center.</span><span> Medical variables were retrieved from the national Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ Database.</span><span> Logistic and multiple regression models were performed to predict outcomes.</span><span> Prayer frequencies were associated with reduced complications but not hospitalization.</span><span> Sense of reverence in secular contexts predicted fewer complications and shorter hospitalization.</span><span> Controlling for complications reduced the initial influence of reverence on hospitalization, suggesting the potential mediation of complications.</span><span> No interaction between demographics and faith factors was evident.</span><span> The role of faith in medicine is complex and context-dependent.</span><span> Future studies are needed on mediating factors</span></p> journalArticle Journal of Religion and Health 49 1 J Relig Health DOI 10.1007/s10943-008-9232-8 ISSN 1573-6571 Gullatte Mary Magee Brawley Otis Kinney Anita Powe Barbara Mooney Kathi Adult African Americans Aged Aged, 80 and over Attitude to Health Breast Neoplasms Early Diagnosis Female Humans Middle Aged Neoplasms Religion and Psychology spirituality Time Factors Religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism beliefs on delay in breast cancer diagnosis in African American women African American women are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to present with a later stage of breast cancer at initial diagnosis. Delay in breast cancer detection is a critical factor in diagnosis at a later stage. Available data indicate a delay of 3 months or more is a significant factor in breast cancer mortalty. Numerous factors have been reported as contributing to delay in time to seek medical care including religiosity, spirituality, and fatalistic beliefs. This study examined the influence of religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism on delay in diagnosis and breast cancer stage in African American women with self-detected breast symptoms. A descriptive correlation, retrospective methodology using an open-ended questionnaire and three validated measurement scales were used: the Religious Problem Solving Scale (RPSS), the Religious Coping Activity Scale (RCAS) subscale measuring spiritually based coping, and the modified Powe Fatalism Inventory (mPFI). A convenience sample of 129 women ages between 30 and 84 years who self-reported detecting a breast symptom before diagnosis of breast cancer within the preceding 12 months were included in the study. Outcome variables were time to seek medical care and breast cancer stage. Other variables of interest included marital status, income, education, insurance status, and to whom the women spoke about their breast symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression analysis, Pearson r correlations, Mann-Whitney U analysis, and Chi Square analysis. Participants were found to be highly religious and spiritual but not fatalistic. While most women delayed more than 3 months in seeking medical care, no associations were found between the three predictor variables and time to seek medical care. The median delay in time from self detection of a breast symptom to seeking medical care was 5.5 months. Women who were less educated, unmarried, and talked to God only about their breast change were significantly more likely to delay seeking medical care. An association was found between disclosing a breast symptom to God only and delay in seeking medical care. In contrast, women who had told a person about their breast symptom were more likely to seek medical care sooner. African American women who delayed seeking medical care for longer than 3 months were more likely to present with a later stage of breast cancer than women who sought care within 3 months of symptom discovery. 62-72 Mar 2010 2011-02-23 00:55:57 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19184437 <p>African American women are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to present with a later stage of breast cancer at initial diagnosis. Delay in breast cancer detection is a critical factor in diagnosis at a later stage. Available data indicate a delay of 3<br />months or more is a significant factor in breast cancer mortalty. Numerous factors have been reported as contributing to delay in time to seek medical care including religiosity, spirituality, and fatalistic beliefs. This study examined the influence of religiosity, spirituality, and cancer fatalism on delay in diagnosis and breast cancer stage in African American women with self-detected breast symptoms. A descriptive correlation, retrospective methodology using an open-ended questionnaire and three validated measurement scales were used: the Religious Problem Solving Scale (RPSS), the Religious Coping Activity Scale (RCAS) subscale measuring spiritually based coping, and the modified Powe Fatalism Inventory (mPFI). A convenience sample of 129 women ages between 30 and 84 years who self-reported detecting a breast symptom before diagnosis of breast cancer within the preceding 12 months were included in the study. Outcome variables were time to seek medical care and breast cancer stage. Other variables of interest included.</p> journalArticle Fischer Peter Ai Amy L. Aydin Nilüfer Frey Dieter Haslam S. Alexander collectivism Coping Individualism religion Social Identity The Relationship Between Religious Identity and Preferred Coping Strategies: An Examination of the Relative Importance of Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Coping in Muslim and Christian Faiths Religious affiliation has consistently been shown to help individuals cope with adversity and stressful events. The present paper argues that this proposition is valid for both Christians and Muslims, but that these religious identities foster different types of coping. In accordance with historical, cultural, and psychological accounts, it is proposed that the Christian core self is relatively individualistic, whereas the Muslim core self is oriented more toward the collective. As a consequence, it is hypothesized that when confronted with a stressful life event, Muslims are more likely to adopt interpersonal (collective) coping strategies (such as seeking social support or turning to family members), while Christians are more likely to engage intrapersonal (individualistic) coping mechanisms, such as cognitive restructuring or reframing the event. Evidence from the literature on coping strategies is reviewed and systematized. Evidence lend support to the analysis by indicating that Muslims indeed tend to use an interpersonally oriented (collective) coping style when dealing with adversity, whereas Christians are more likely to employ intrapersonally oriented (individualistic) strategies when facing comparable scenarios. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. 365-381 December 2010 The Relationship Between Religious Identity and Preferred Coping Strategies http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/science/article/B6WYJ-51RY8F0-8/2/65e80806491ae6213c0b725bddf454b6 2011-01-19 01:12:37 ScienceDirect Review of General Psychology 14 4 DOI 10.1037/a0021624 ISSN 1089-2680 journalArticle Landor Antoinette Simons Leslie Gordon Simons Ronald L Brody Gene H Gibbons Frederick X The role of religiosity in the relationship between parents, peers, and adolescent risky sexual behavior Research has documented a negative relationship between religion and risky sexual behavior. Few studies, however, have examined the processes whereby religion exerts this effect. The present study develops and tests a model of various mechanisms whereby parental religiosity reduces the likelihood of adolescents' participation in risky sexual behavior (early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners, and inconsistent condom use). Structural equation modeling, using longitudinal data from a sample of 612 African American adolescents (55% female), provided support for the model. The results indicated that parental religiosity influenced adolescent risky sexual behavior through its impact on authoritative parenting, adolescent religiosity, and adolescent affiliation with less sexually permissive peers. Some mediating mechanisms differed by the gender of the respondent, suggesting a "double-standard" for daughters but not for sons. Findings also indicated the importance of messages about sexual behavior that are transmitted to adolescents by their peers. Theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed. 296-309 Mar 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21052800 2011-04-04 23:48:36 NCBI PubMed PMID: 21052800 Journal of Youth and Adolescence 40 3 J Youth Adolesc DOI 10.1007/s10964-010-9598-2 ISSN 1573-6601 journalArticle Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 1 3 Psychol Rel Spiritua DOI 10.1037/a0016728 ISSN 1941-1022 Rosmarin David H. Pirutinsky Steven Pargament Kenneth I. Krumrei Elizabeth J. Anxiety Christians depression God God Concepts Jews Major Depression mental health Protestant Christians Protestants religion Religious Beliefs Religious Practices Are religious beliefs relevant to mental health among Jews? Although considerable evidence has linked religious beliefs to mental health among Protestant Christians, previous theory and research has emphasized that practices play a more important role than beliefs for Jews. Beliefs about God’s benevolence may be salient for Orthodox Jews, however, as such beliefs are central to traditional Jewish doctrine. Two studies were conducted to compare the extent to which religious beliefs predicted depression and anxiety for Orthodox Jews, non-Orthodox Jews, and Protestants. Results indicated that beliefs were salient for Orthodox Jews and Protestants, and less relevant for non-Orthodox Jews. Among Orthodox Jews, religious beliefs remained a significant predictor of anxiety and depression after controlling for religious practices. Implications for clinical treatment of Jewish individuals are explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract) 180-190 August 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pdh&AN=rel-1-3-180&site=ehost-live&scope=site 2009-09-12 22:43:52 EBSCOhost journalArticle Koenig Harold G Adaptation, Psychological Alcoholism Anxiety Disorders Culture Depressive Disorder Humans Mental Disorders mental health Prognosis Psychotic Disorders Religion and Psychology spirituality Substance-Related Disorders Suicide Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health: a review Religious and spiritual factors are increasingly being examined in psychiatric research. Religious beliefs and practices have long been linked to hysteria, neurosis, and psychotic delusions. However, recent studies have identified another side of religion that may serve as a psychological and social resource for coping with stress. After defining the terms religion and spirituality, this paper reviews research on the relation between religion and (or) spirituality, and mental health, focusing on depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse. The results of an earlier systematic review are discussed, and more recent studies in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries are described. While religious beliefs and practices can represent powerful sources of comfort, hope, and meaning, they are often intricately entangled with neurotic and psychotic disorders, sometimes making it difficult to determine whether they are a resource or a liability. 283-291 May 2009 Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health 2011-02-22 23:58:34 NCBI PubMed PMID: 19497160 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie 54 5 Can J Psychiatry ISSN 0706-7437 journalArticle Arch Joanna J. Craske Michelle G. Anxiety anxiety sensitivity emotion regulation hyperventilation Mindfulness Relaxation Laboratory stressors in clinically anxious and non-anxious individuals: The moderating role of mindfulness Objective Mindfulness forms the basis for multiple clinical interventions and has been induced in laboratory settings. However, few studies have examined the effects of dispositional or trait mindfulness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of trait mindfulness to laboratory stressor responding across fear-based anxiety disorder and non-anxious samples. We hypothesized that trait mindfulness would be associated with diminished stressor responding above and beyond the contribution of anxiety and depression-related variables, and to a greater extent in high anxiety than low anxiety individuals.Methods 90 participants, including 46 with anxiety disorders and 44 non-anxious controls, were assessed on hyperventilation and relaxation stressors. The relationship of trait mindfulness to stressor-related anxiety, negative affect, and duration was investigated in a hierarchical multiple regression model.Results Trait mindfulness predicted stressor responding in over 80% of measured outcomes, and predicted to a greater extent among high anxiety individuals in 50% of outcomes.Conclusions Trait mindfulness was associated with diminished responses to laboratory stressors in clinically anxious and non-anxious samples. Implications for emotion regulation and clinical interventions are discussed. 495-505 June 2010 Laboratory stressors in clinically anxious and non-anxious individuals 2010-07-27 18:04:17 ScienceDirect Behaviour Research and Therapy 48 6 DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2010.02.005 ISSN 0005-7967 journalArticle Ku Ya-Lie Kuo Shih-Ming Yao Ching-Yi Establishing the validity of a spiritual distress scale for cancer patients hospitalized in southern Taiwan The present study was conducted to establish the validity of the spritual distress scale (SDS), a scale developed as part of a qualitative study in which 20 cancer patients were interviewed about spritual needs in 2003-2004. The SDS has four domains: relationship with self, relationship with others, relationship with God, and attitude towards death A measurement study was conducted whereby 85 patients completed the SDS during their hospitalization in the oncology unit of a medical centre in southern Taiwan. The SDS, including four domains of sub-scales, was broader than other spiritual scales in the literature that only contained one or two domains and focused on the health area. The SDS has established the adequate content and construct validity. Further training of nurses for assessing spiritual distress of cancer patients using the SDS would be recommended for future study. The established content and construct validity of the SDS could be applied in oncology for nurses to assess spiritual distress of cancer patients. 134-138 Mar 2010 2010-04-25 22:05:58 NCBI PubMed PMID: 20357706 International Journal of Palliative Nursing 16 3 Int J Palliat Nurs ISSN 1357-6321 journalArticle Lee Boon-Ooi Kirmayer Laurence J. Groleau Danielle China healing Shamanism SHAMANS THERAPEUTICS Therapeutic Processes and Perceived Helpfulness of Dang-Ki (Chinese Shamanism) from the Symbolic Healing Perspective. This study focuses on the therapeutic process and perceived helpfulness of dang-ki, a form of Chinese shamanistic healing, in Singapore. It aims to understand the healing symbols employed in dang-ki, whether or not patients find them helpful and whether their perceived helpfulness can be explained by the symbolic healing model (Dow, Am Anthropol 88(1):56–69, ; Levi-Strauss, Structural anthropology. Basic Books, New York, ). Although many researchers have applied this model to explain the efficacy of shamanistic healings, they did not directly provide empirical support. Furthermore, the therapeutic process of a shared clinical reality as proposed by the model may be achievable in small-scale traditional societies that are culturally more homogeneous than in contemporary societies that are culturally more diversified due to globalization and immigration. Patients may hold multidimensional health belief systems, as biomedicine and alternative healing systems coexist. Thus, it would be interesting to see the relevance and applicability of the symbolic healing model to shamanistic healing in contemporary societies. In this study, ethnographic interviews were conducted with 21 patients over three stages: immediately before and after the healing and approximately 1 month later. The dang-ki healing symbols were identified by observing the healing sessions with video recording. Results show that dang-kis normally applied more than one method to treat a given problem. These methods included words, talismans and physical manipulations. Overall, 11 patients perceived their consultations as helpful, 4 perceived their consultations as helpful but were unable to follow all recommendations, 5 were not sure of the outcome because they had yet to see any concrete results and only 1 patient considered his consultation unhelpful. Although the symbolic healing model provides a useful framework to understand perceived helpfulness, processes such as enactment of a common meaning system and symbolic transformation are complex and dynamic, and may be carried over several healing sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 56-105 March 2010 2010-03-24 20:36:21 EBSCOhost Culture, Medicine & Psychiatry 34 1 DOI 10.1007/s11013-009-9161-3 ISSN 0165005X journalArticle Psychological Medicine 39 6 Psychol Med DOI 10.1017/S0033291708004418 ISSN 1469-8978 Maselko J Gilman S E Buka S Adult Boston Cohort Studies Depressive Disorder, Major Female Humans Interview, Psychological Logistic Models Male Religion and Psychology Rhode Island Risk Factors Religious service attendance and spiritual well-being are differentially associated with risk of major depression BACKGROUND The complex relationships between religiosity, spirituality and the risk of DSM-IV depression are not well understood. METHOD We investigated the independent influence of religious service attendance and two dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious and existential) on the lifetime risk of major depression. Data came from the New England Family Study (NEFS) cohort (n=918, mean age=39 years). Depression according to DSM-IV criteria was ascertained using structured diagnostic interviews. Odds ratios (ORs) for the associations between high, medium and low tertiles of spiritual well-being and for religious service attendance and the lifetime risk of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS Religious service attendance was associated with 30% lower odds of depression. In addition, individuals in the top tertile of existential well-being had a 70% lower odds of depression compared to individuals in the bottom tertile. Contrary to our original hypotheses, however, higher levels of religious well-being were associated with 1.5 times higher odds of depression. CONCLUSIONS Religious and existential well-being may be differentially associated with likelihood of depression. Given the complex interactions between religiosity and spirituality dimensions in relation to risk of major depression, the reliance on a single domain measure of religiosity or spirituality (e.g. religious service attendance) in research or clinical settings is discouraged. 1009-1017 Jun 2009 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18834554 2011-03-28 22:29:00 NCBI PubMed PMID: 18834554 <!-- @font-face { font-family: "Garamond"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BibEntryAnnotation, li.BibEntryAnnotation, div.BibEntryAnnotation { margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } --> <p class="BibEntryAnnotation">We investigated the independent influence of religious service attendance and two dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious and existential) on the lifetime risk of major depression. Results: Religious service attendance was associated