APA handbook of psychology, religion, and spirituality (Vol 1): Context, theory, and research
ISBN: 9781433810770
Platform/Publisher: PsycBOOKS / American Psychological Association
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Chapter; Download: Chapter
Subjects: Religion;

This two-volume handbook presents the most comprehensive coverage of the current state of the psychology of religion and spirituality. It introduces a new integrative paradigm for this rapidly growing and diverse field. This paradigm sheds light on the many purposes religion serves, the rich variety of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and the capacity of religion and spirituality to do both good and harm.

The integrative paradigm encourages psychologists to attend to the ways religion and spirituality are expressed not only in individual lives, but also in the lives of couples, families, institutions, communities, and cultures. The handbook documents how the psychology of religion and spirituality is building on its theoretical and empirical foundation to encompass practice.

The chapters in this handbook provide in-depth and varied perspectives of leading scholars and practitioners on the most vital questions in the field:
What does it mean to say someone is religious or spiritual? Why are people religious and spiritual? How are people affected by the diverse ways they experience and express their faith? How are religion and spirituality shaped and manifested across different ages, ethnicities, religious traditions, and cultures How can psychologists distinguish constructive from destructive forms of religion and spirituality? How can psychologists integrate religion and spirituality within various models of assessment and treatment? At a broader level, how can psychologists integrate knowledge about religion and spirituality more fully into efforts to address the most significant personal, social, and cultural problems of our day? In what ways might psychologists of religion and spirituality contribute to the full variety of human institutions -- mental health, medical, educational, correctional, military, workplace, and communal? And what distinctive contributions can the psychology of religion and spirituality make to mainstream psychological theory, research, and practice?

Kenneth I. Pargament, PhD , is professor of clinical psychology at Bowling Green State University, and distinguished scholar at the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine. He has also served as adjunct professor in the School of Theology at Boston University and as distinguished visiting professor at Lackland Air Force Base Medical Center. Dr. Pargament has been a leading figure in the dramatic resurgence of attention to religion and spirituality by social scientists and practitioners over the past 35 years. Many of his more than 200 published studies have focused on people dealing with trauma. Dr. Pargament has delineated the variety of ways, helpful and harmful, religion expresses itself in times of stress, and his measure of religious coping, the Religious Coping Inventory (RCOPE), is the standard in the field. His 1997 book, The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice was described by the Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic as "the best book on the psychology of religion in a generation or more." In 1987 Dr. Pargament won the William James Award for excellence in research from APA Division 36 (Society for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality). He is coeditor of Mental Health, Religion, and Culture and sits on the editorial boards or editorial consultant to more than 30 journals. In 2009, he received the Oskar Pfitzer Award from the American Psychiatric Association in recognition of his research and practical efforts to understand and enhance the links between religion, spirituality, and mental health. In 2012, he received the National Samaritan Institute Award for his contributions to human health and growth. A practicing clinical psychologist himself, Dr. Pargament has long been interested in expanding the field beyond research to practice. He and his colleagues have designed and tested a number of spiritually integrated interventions. This work culminated in his 2007 book, Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred , which is unique in the literature. In addition, Dr. Pargament has been active in mentoring graduate students and colleagues in the field. In recognition of his commitment and contributions to teaching, he received the Virginia Staudt Sexton Mentoring Award from APA Division 36 in 2000 and the Outstanding Contributor to Graduate Education at Bowling Green State University in 2002. He recently received the Lifetime Contribution Award from the Ohio Psychological Association. Dr. Pargament's research has garnered national and international media attention, including coverage by the London Times, Newsweek, the New York Times, Scientific American, and the Washington Post.

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