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. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religious ideology, a neglected variable.

Comments on an article by J. T. Jost (see record 2006-12925-001), which presented interesting data relating some personality dimensions to voting patterns in the last three U.S. presidential elections. R. K. Unger is surprised that in his extensive review of the role of ideology, Jost ignored the role of religious ideology in political attitudes and voting behavior. There is ample evidence that level of religious observance (sometimes labeled religiosity, hierarchical religious beliefs, or religious fundamentalism) played a role in 2004 and earlier presidential elections. The relationship between religious ideology and political attitudes is correlational, and one needs to look further for an explanation of their impact. A number of studies indicate relationships between religious fundamentalism and what Jost has termed "system-justifying ideologies." Unger suggests that religiosity has been largely ignored by psychologists interested in social and political behaviors. It is quite possible that religiosity is related to the various personality dimensions discussed by Jost. But we cannot learn more about these potential connections if we continue to ignore the importance of religious ideology as a psychological variable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emotional adjustment in terminal patients: A quantitative approach.

Used a quantitative approach to identify factors relating to emotional adjustment in 84 13-82 yr old dying patients. 11 hospital chaplains collected data by interviewing the patients. Results indicate that emotional adjustment to the awareness of a limited life expectancy was not related principally to religious orientation, although this was an important factor. Emotional adjustment was influenced more by the patient's physical condition (level of discomfort), by previous experiences with dying persons, and by interpersonal relationships. The most important aspect of the religious variable was the quality of religious orientation rather than mere religious affiliation or verbal acceptance of religious beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Political orientations of academically affiliated psychologists.

A sample was drawn by selecting every 34th name of the psychologists in the 1961 APA Directory (or closest entry thereto) identified as being principally employed as an academic psychologist in a college or university. Tables are provided summarizing party preference, presidential vote in prior elections, party affiliation of parents, reasons for party choice, political attitude score, political participation, father's principal occupation and denominational preference, respondents regional residence, annual income, age, religious preference, and related matters. About 7 out of 10 reported they were registered as Democrats or preferred the Democratic party. Psychologists, sociologists, and political scientists come from populations with relatively similar demographic characteristics. An increasing proportion of academic psychologists have supported the Democratic presidential candidate during the past 36 yr. Comparisons are made among psychologists, sociologists, and political scientists. Psychologists report higher incomes than the other 2 groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do we practice what we preach? An exploratory survey of multicultural psychotherapy competencies.

Practitioners are repeatedly encouraged to become multiculturally competent clinicians. But how frequently do professional psychologists intervene in multiculturally responsive ways, and how important do they think it is to do so? From the existing literature, the authors identified 52 recommended multicultural psychotherapy competencies and surveyed 149 professional psychologists regarding these practices and beliefs. Universal, infrequent, and not applicable practices were identified. Overall and for 86% of the individual items, participants did not practice what they preached. In addition, respondents reported that personal and professional experiences were most influential, and guidelines and codes least influential, in their development of multicultural competence. Five practice implications are offered, and suggestions for educators are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bidirectional relations of religious orientation and depressive symptoms in adolescents: A short-term longitudinal study.

Religious orientation can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic: intrinsically oriented individuals “live their religion,” whereas extrinsically oriented individuals practice religion mainly to gain external benefits. In adults, depression has been found to correlate negatively with intrinsic religious orientation and positively with extrinsic orientation. Studies of the relation between religiosity and depression typically have not been longitudinal, conducted with adolescents, controlled for the influence of other factors associated with depression (i.e., negative cognitions), or examined the reverse relation of depression predicting religious orientation. Our 4-month longitudinal study of 273 ninth-grade students addressed these issues. Results showed that higher intrinsic religious orientation measured at baseline significantly predicted lower self-reported depressive symptoms 4 months later, controlling for initial level of depressive symptoms and cognitive style; in contrast, extrinsic orientation and the interaction between religious orientation and life events did not significantly predict later depressive symptoms. Self-reported depressive symptoms, however, did not predict either intrinsic or extrinsic religious orientation 4 months later. Factors contributing to different findings for adolescents versus adults in the relation between extrinsic religious orientation and depression are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes.

Social dominance orientation (SDO), one's degree of preference for inequality among social groups, is introduced. On the basis of social dominance theory, it is shown that (1) men are more social dominance-oriented than women, (2) high-SDO people seek hierarchy-enhancing professional roles and low-SDO people seek hierarchy-attenuating roles, (3) SDO was related to beliefs in a large number of social and political ideologies that support group-based hierarchy (e.g., meritocracy and racism) and to support for policies that have implications for intergroup relations (e.g., war, civil rights, and social programs), including new policies. SDO was distinguished from interpersonal dominance, conservatism, and authoritarianism. SDO was negatively correlated with empathy, tolerance, communality, and altruism. The ramifications of SDO in social context are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Use of Outcome Measures by Psychologists in Clinical Practice.

This survey investigated psychologists' use of outcome measures in clinical practice. Of the respondents, 37% indicated that they used some form of outcome assessment in practice. A wide variety of measures were used that were rated by the client or clinician. Clinicians who assess outcome in practice are more likely to be younger, have a cognitive-behavioral orientation, conduct more hours of therapy per week, provide services for children and adolescents, and work in institutional settings. Clinicians who do not use outcome measures endorse practical (e.g., cost, time) and philosophical (e.g., relevance) barriers to their use. Both users and nonusers of outcome measures were interested in similar types of information, including client progress since entering treatment, current strengths and weaknesses, and determining if there is a need to alter treatment. Implications for practicing clinicians are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ideology and social work practice in substance abuse settings

The profession of social work has a unique role in preventing and treating alcohol and other drug problems. In human services settings shared beliefs or ideologies of care are expected to have substantial influence over the way in which problems are perceived and the types of service technologies used. Thus, it is important that social work professionals be cognizant of what beliefs they hold and how their beliefs about substance abuse treatment and prevention may affect practice. This article discusses current ideologies of care in the substance abuse arena, including the disease/abstinence, psychosocial, ecological, and harm-reduction approaches. In addition, this article examines managers' beliefs about substance abuse programs to determine if there are differences between those who have a social work background (that is, hold at least one social work degree) and those who do not. Suggestions for social work practice and future research also are provided.     

Managing multiple-minority identities: African American men who have sex with men at predominately white universities.

This study examined how African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) manage their multiple-minority identities, including being both racial and sexual minorities at predominately White educational institutions (PWI). Using a phenomenological paradigm, AAMSM college students participated in semistructured interviews. Results suggest that AAMSM at PWIs view race, gender, and religious beliefs as of primary importance, and sexual orientation and social class as less salient aspects of their identities. Further, AAMSM attending PWIs reported experiencing both discrimination and stereotyping based on their race and sexual orientation, and their appraised risk of rejection and acceptance influenced their perception of identity options. AAMSM’s construction of their identity influenced their interpersonal associations with the African American, gay, African American and gay, and campus communities at large. Implications for future research and higher education administrators and mental health professionals are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Catharsis: an investigation of its meaning and nature

Nurses commonly use catharsis and cathartic techniques as part of their clinical practice to enable clients and themselves to release emotion, to feel better and to facilitate coping. However, the literature does not provide clinical nursing evidence for its use. The main purpose of the investigation is to examine the beliefs about and understanding of catharsis which two groups of nurses hold: one group of nurse teachers and one group of nursing students. One hundred and forty-two respondents completed self-administered questionnaires asking about their understanding of and beliefs about catharsis as being beneficial, social, negative or psychotherapeutic in nature. The possible relationship of their answers to age, sex, philosophical orientation and qualifications was deemed to be important. The results suggest nurses understand that catharsis is related to emotion and has a psychotherapeutic purpose. However, there appear to be gaps in their understanding. Nurses also seem to believe that the release and expression of emotions is more acceptable for women than for men. There is also evidence that the more experienced nurses think differently from less experienced nurses, placing more emphasis on behaviour rather than emotion as they grow older. The problems associated with catharsis are discussed along with the implications for research and practice.     

Foreword.

Two years ago, the editors reasoned that the diverse and fundamental character of religious experience would promote an equally varied special issue devoted to the topic of psychotherapy and religion. We have not been disappointed. The papers composing this issue vary greatly in terms of literary style, research methodology, theoretical persuasion, and religious topics. There remains a need to clarify the extent to which religious issues or material that emerge during therapy need to be dealt with via "new" techniques (involving major modifications of classical techniques and ideologies) or via the classical methodologies, informed, perhaps, by expanded insights and perspectives. This issue is meant to be both current and historically representative. These two goals have not always been in agreement. The day of monolithic theories, presumed to address all matters of religious and psychotherapeutic importance, has passed, but not without leaving trails along which the present studies follow. Contemporary religious pluralism is more closely matched with the varied beliefs and problems of those seeking psychotherapy. This change has entailed a growing refinement in the psychological study of therapy and religious practice; it also implies a more astute and psychologically informed understanding of both the healthy and pathological aspects of religious experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prospective teachers' sense of efficacy and beliefs about control.

We examined the structure and meaning of efficacy for a sample of 182 prospective teachers and related efficacy to beliefs about control and motivation. The two independent dimensions of teaching efficacy (TE) and personal efficacy (PE) usually identified in studies of experienced teachers were also found for these prospective teachers. Both TE and PE were significantly correlated with bureaucratic orientation, but in opposite directions. Neither TE nor PE was related to motivational style; only TE was related to pupil control ideology. Canonical correlations, however, revealed more complex relationships. Personal efficacy was positively related to a control orientation that rejects teacher control of students but accepts the schools' control of teachers. The interaction of TE and PE made unique contributions to the prediction of pupil control ideology and bureaucratic orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relevance of a psychoanalytic perspective in exploring religious and spiritual identity in psychotherapy.

The attempt to make meaning of the soul is inherent to psychoanalytic inquiry, despite its historical diminution of religion and spirituality. Feminist ideology and multicultural psychology have played a critical role in challenging traditional psychoanalytic conceptions of the practice of religion and spirituality as pathological and/or regressive. Contemporary psychoanalysis that emphasizes two-person psychology, and the intersubjective aspects of the analytic space has also allowed for more open inquiry into the spiritual lives of clients and therapists. Both psychoanalysis and spirituality share the goal of a search for particular aspects of one's identity. This search for one's real or true self becomes particularly poignant for both the therapist and the client, as it is highly reliant on the therapist's and the client's specific religious and spiritual contexts. This paper examines the development of identity as influenced by religious and spiritual beliefs. The author discusses a clinical case to illustrate the complex interaction between religious traditions and individual experiences of religion and spirituality, and related implications of a contemporary psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training for substance abuse treatment among psychologists in a rural state.

Is treating substance abuse generally a part of psychological practice? Do psychologists feel prepared to deliver substance abuse treatment? Licensed psychologists in Idaho were surveyed about their training and provision of substance abuse services. Of 144 respondents (66% return rate), nearly all (89%) had contact with substance abusers, yet most rated their graduate training as inadequate preparation for practice. Rural psychologists reported seeing the highest percentage of substance abusers. Many psychologists limited their treatment to self-help group referral. Continuing education offers the most immediate solution and might be related to certification efforts. Predoctoral training of generalist psychologists, especially in rural areas, is advocated with an emphasis on integrated behavioral health care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of patient and clinician ideology on clinical judgment: A study of ideological countertransference.

Examined the influence of patient and clinician values on clinical judgment, using 363 clinical psychologists. Ss each rated 2 case histories. One case had been altered to reflect 1 of 4 conditions (right-wing [RW] religious, RW political, left-wing [LW] religious, or LW political), and the other case reflected no ideological commitment. Cases with "extreme" ideologies were rated more negatively on 4 clinical judgment decisions. Unexpectedly, ideological cases were almost 3 times more likely to be diagnosed obsessive-compulsive and were less likely to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder than nonideological cases. Clinicians need to be sensitive to issues of "ideological countertransference." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religiousness and mental health reconsidered: A study of an intrinsically religious sample.

Despite the existence of strong viewpoints, the relation between religiousness and mental health is not yet clearly understood. The Religious Orientation Scale has provided researchers with a valuable tool for differentiating between intrinsic (I) and extrinsic (E) religious orientations, thereby clarifying some of the confusion in this area. In the present study we assessed correlations between these two scales and anxiety, personality traits, self-control, irrational beliefs, and depression. Results generally indicated that I is negatively correlated with anxiety and positively correlated with self-control and "better" personality functioning, whereas the opposite is true of E. Correlations were generally not found with irrational beliefs or depression. By dividing subjects into a fourfold typology, we discovered that 98.6% of the present sample of religious students were "intrinsics." When their personality scores were compared with those of other normal populations, trends slightly favoring this intrinsic sample were observed. Thus, these results indicated that I is related to "normality" and that religiousness is not necessarily indicative of emotional disturbance. Some implications for counseling are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Blacks' and whites' perceptions of interracial and intraracial date rape

The prevalence of rape myths contributes to victims' reluctance to report rapes. Black (n = 30) and White (n = 96) U.S. college students responded to the Rape Myth Scale (Burt, 1980) and read a scenario of an acquaintance rape; the race of the perpetrator and victim (Black or White) were varied. The respondents assessed the victim's and perpetrator's responsibility and evaluated the incident. As hypothesized, the respondents with strong beliefs in rape myths were more tolerant of the rapist and less tolerant of the victim than were those with weaker beliefs. There was limited support for the myth of the Black rapist and White victim; however, the myth of the Black rapist appeared particularly strong among the Black respondents. The women responded more negatively to the rapist and more positively to the victim than the men did. Such biases in attitudes toward rape could keep women from reporting rapes and accused rapists from receiving fair trials.     

Psychologists' Use of Touch in Individual Psychotherapy.

A national sample of 470 practicing psychologists responded to a survey regarding touch in adult individual psychotherapy. Results reflected a high degree of caution regarding physical contact with clients. Close to 90% of respondents never or rarely offered touch to clients during a session. The handshake, a socially stereotyped form of touch most likely to occur during greeting or parting, was the only form of touch that occurred with some frequency. Therapist and client gender, theoretical orientation, and touch experience of the therapist were related to the use of touch. Contrary to guidelines, touch was typically not discussed with clients when it occurred. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)