The Forgotten Factor

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Module 1: Charting the Religious Commitment Gap

You will be able to recognize the pervasive and central influence of religious commitment in the lives of many patients and begin to examine how it may be relevant in treatment and therapy.

• 1.1 Introduction
• 1.2 The Religious Commitment Gap: A Crack or Chasm?
  • 1.2.1 The U.S. General Public
  • 1.2.2 Mental Health Professionals
• 1.3 The Religious Commitment Doorway
• 1.4 Who's Dangling in the Gap?
• 1.5 Spanning the Gap
• 1.6 Four Quadrants of Therapists in Treating Religiously Committed Patients

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Module 2: Psychiatry's View of Religion: Based on Theory or Fact?

You will be able to discuss the scope of religious commitment research in psychiatry and family practice and examine research results in order to determine whether psychiatry's view of religion is based on research findings.

• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 How Often and How Well is Religious Commitment Researched in Various Fields?
  • 2.2.1 The Field of Psychiatry
    • 2.2.1.1 How Well is Religious Commitment Measured in Psychiatry?
    • 2.2.1.2 How Familiar is the Field of Psychiatry with the Scientific Study of Religion?
  • 2.2.2 The Field of Family Medicine: How Often and How Well is Religious Commitment Studied?
• 2.2.3 The Field of Sociology
  • 2.2.3.1 How Often is Religious Commitment Studied?

2.3 The Impact of Religious Commitment on Mental Health

2.4 The Impact of Religious Commitment in the Family Practices Studies

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Module 3: How is the Issue of Religious Commitment Handled in Training?

You will be able to reflect upon whether professional training equips mental health professionals to address the factor of religious commitment as a viable component in mental health.

• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 How Much Attention is Religion Given in Professional Training?
  • 3.2.1 How Frequently is Religious Commitment Addressed in Doctoral Dissertations?
  • 3.2.2 Is Religious Commitment an Issue in Admissions to Doctoral Training Programs?
  • 3.2.3 Further Reflections on Graduates of Psychological Training Programs
  • 3.2.4 How is Religious Commitment Presented in Psychology Text Books ?
  • 3.2.5 How is Religious Commitment Regarded in the Definitive Psychiatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -- DSM-III-R?

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Module 4: Research Findings on the Mental Health Benefits of Religious Commitment

You will be able to discuss research findings on the benefits of religious commitment in several mental health related areas

• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 What are Some of the Documented Benefits of Religious Commitment on Mental Health?
  • 4.2.1 Concerning Suicide?
  • 4.2.2 Concerning Drug Abuse?
  • 4.2.3 Concerning Alcohol Abuse?
  • 4.2.4 Concerning Juvenile Delinquency
  • 4.2.5 Concerning Divorce and Marital Satisfaction?
  • 4.2.6 Concerning Depression
  • 4.2.7 Concerning Psychological Stress and Sense of Well Being?

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Module 5: Complexities in Examining Effects of Religious Commitment

You will be able to understand the complexities of how two differing types of religious commitment may produce divergent research outcomes. You will also be able to describe ways that particular measurement tools, hypothetical traits measured or study populations may influence findings.

• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 A Comparison of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Religious Commitment
• 5.3 What is the Relationship between Religious Commitment and Anxiety?
• 5.4 How is Self-Esteem Related to Religious Commitment?
• 5.5 How is Religious Commitment Related to Tolerance or Prejudice?
• 5.6 What are Some of the Complexities and Potential Biases in Measuring a Hypothetical Personality Trait such as "Self Actualization"?
• 5.7 How is Religious Commitment Related to Authoritarianism?
• 5.8 Divergence of Findings Based on Study Sample

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Module 6: Research Findings on the Benefits of Religious Commitment for Physical Health and Disease Prevention

You will be able to cite research findings on the benefits of religious commitment on physical health and the prevention of disease.

• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 What are Some of the Documented Benefits of Religious Commitment on Physical Health?
  • 6.2.1 Concerning Longevity?
  • 6.2.2 Concerning Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease?
  • 6.2.3 Concerning the Occurence of Other Illnesses?
  • 6.2.4 Concerning Physical Health?

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Module 7: Summarizing and Exploring Further Research Directions

You will be able to summarize and compare the research findings which address the relationship between religious commitment and health and well being, as well as identify ways to explore these issues in clinical practice.

• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Summarizing the Review Findings
  • 7.2.1 Mental Health
  • 7.2.2 Family Medicine
  • 7.2.3 Physical Health
• 7.3 Clinical Application: Taking a Short Religious History
  • 7.3.1 Sample of Religious Commitment Questions
  • 7.3.2 Intrinsic/Extrinsic Single Item Measures
• 7.4 Expanding the Research Literature
• 7.5 Examining the Religious Commitment Variable of Prayer
  • 7.5.1 How Frequently do People Pray?
  • 7.5.2 How are Different Forms of Prayer Related to Well Being?
  • 7.5.3 How Might Intercessory Prayer Affect Clinical Outcomes?

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  Appendix

  References