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Currier JM, Stevens LT, Hinkel HM, et al. Understanding religious attachment among christians seeking spiritually integrated psychotherapies: A mixed methods study. J Clin Psychol. 2021;doi: 10.1002/jclp.23258.
Currier, J. M., Stevens, L. T., Hinkel, H. M., Davis, E. B., & Park, C. L. (2021). Understanding religious attachment among christians seeking spiritually integrated psychotherapies: A mixed methods study. Journal of clinical psychology, . https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23258
Currier, Joseph M, et al. "Understanding religious attachment among christians seeking spiritually integrated psychotherapies: A mixed methods study." Journal of clinical psychology vol. (2021). doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23258
Currier JM, Stevens LT, Hinkel HM, Davis EB, Park CL. Understanding religious attachment among christians seeking spiritually integrated psychotherapies: A mixed methods study. J Clin Psychol. 2021 Oct 02; doi: 10.1002/jclp.23258. Epub 2021 Oct 02. PMID: 34600444.
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J Clin Psychol. 2021 Oct 02; doi: 10.1002/jclp.23258. Epub 2021 Oct 02.

Understanding religious attachment among christians seeking spiritually integrated psychotherapies: A mixed methods study.

Journal of clinical psychology

Joseph M Currier, Laura T Stevens, Hannah M Hinkel, Edward B Davis, Crystal L Park

Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA.
  2. Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Therapy, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, USA.
  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.

PMID: 34600444 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23258

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This mixed methods study aimed to understand ways of viewing and experiencing religious attachment among Christians in spiritually integrated psychotherapies.

METHOD: In total, 190 Christian-affiliated clients completed narrative responses about religious and parental attachment along with validated measures of spiritual and psychological functioning toward the start of treatment.

RESULTS: An inductive content analysis revealed ten ways in which clients were viewing and experiencing God. Although painful themes were expressed, clients more frequently discussed comforting themes related to religious attachment. Additional analyses demonstrated convergence with parental attachment and quantitative measures of spirituality and mental health.

CONCLUSION: Religious attachment appears to primarily provide a sense of strength and comfort for Christians seeking care. Findings also indicate clients view and experience God in similar ways as their parents or caregivers. As such, assessing and affirming clients' faith may facilitate positive changes in how they view and experience themselves and others in treatment.

© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Keywords: god representations; psychotherapy; religion; religious attachment; spirituality

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