Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1964. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of religious involvement on mental health assessment. Three different categories of patient religious involvement (agnostic, traditional, and charismatic) were presented (via patient histories) to representatives of three different professional groups (mental health professionals, nonmental health professionals, and pastoral counselors). The following were hypothesized: 1) category of religious involvement would affect the diagnostic judgments of all three professional groups, 2) professional affiliation of subjects would affect their diagnosis of patient, and 3) mental health professionals would give more severe diagnostic evaluations than pastoral counselors to the patients representing the traditional and charismatic categories of religious involvement. The subjects who participated in this study were 94 professionals employed full time in their particular professional field. All subjects had attained as a minimum a masters or masters equivalent degree. The subjects in the mental health professional group and the pastoral counselor group had training in the area of counseling and were conducting counseling sessions as a part of their occupational responsibilities. The data collection took place on an individual or small group basis at the subjects' job sites. The dependent variables were three mental health measures (Mental Health Factor scale, Psychological Adjustment scale, and Diagnosis scale) and one Similarity scale. These were presented on the Diagnostic Evaluation Form. The Mental Health Factor responses consisted of evaluations on six different areas (ego strength, insight into problems, emotional maturity, social adjustment, anxiety, and capacity for self observation). An overall evaluation of psychological adjustment was made on the Psychological Adjustment scale while a diagnostic designation was required on the Diagnosis scale. The subjects indicated theirscale. This study was a 3 (category of religious involvement of patient) x 3 (professional group membership of subject) factorial design. Significance was sought at the .05 level. Analysis was conducted using 3x3 multivariate and univariate analysis of variance on the mental health and Similarity scales' scores. It was not possible to interpret the results regarding the main effects due to a significant interaction (F=2.225, P < .012). In the analysis of variance of selected simple effects it was found that the type of religious involvement did affect the diagnostic judgments of mental health professionals (F=4.570, P<.0003) while not affecting the judgment of nonmental health professionals (F=1.1.16, P <.200) or pastoral counselors (F=.497, P <.810). Mental health professionals perceived agnostic religious involvement as more healthy than traditional religious involvement while charismatic religious involvement was perceived to be the least healthy of all on the Diagnosis scale. The professional affiliation of subjects did not affect mental health evaluation mean scores in any of the simple effects analysis comparisons of professional groups. Mental health professionals and pastoral counselors did not significantly differ in their perceived similarity to either the traditional or charismatic category of religious involvement stimulus patient.Diagnostic bias on the part of mental health professionals against traditional and charismatic religious involvement was present in the results of this study. Certain limitations decrease somewhat the generalizability of these results. Recommendations for future research included duplication of the present study in a more metropolitan and less conservative section of the country, conducting a similar study but adding a patient stimulus which did not have a reference to religious inolvement, and duplicating the research procedure but not identifying the person stimulus as a patient.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-156). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=1240699121&SrchMode=1&sid=10&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1195662857&clientId=5220

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 58-59.

This study was designed to investigated the role of religious ideology in one's willingness or reluctance to seek professional psychotherapeutic assistance. The subjects consister of 220 members randomly selected from six different denominations: Baptist, Church of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and Unitarian. The major findings of the study were as follows: 1. HC Ss displayed significantly less personal recognition of need for psychotherapeutic help, less interpersonal openness and greater overall reluctance to seek professional psychological help than LC Ss. 2. There was no significant difference between HC and LC Ss in terms of sensitivity to stigmatization and confidence in the mental health profession and mental health professionals. 3. MC Ss scored lower in each of the five areas investigated than did either HC or LC Ss. It was concluded that individuals who are highly conservative in their religious beliefs may be more reluctant to admit that they have a psychological problem with someone else than individuals who subscribe to more moderate or liberal religious beliefs.

My research explores the work of six psychotherapists who meditate. Vipassana meditation focuses on developing sensitivity to body sensations, which are understood to accompany all emotion experiences; experienced meditators can feel in their own bodies physical sensations that reflect the experience of a person in close proximity. An aim of the research was to discover whether their meditation practice had enabled the participants to use this ability in their work with patients. The study focuses on psychotherapists' lived experience during clinical hours, and enquires about how they direct their attention to their body sensations, and to the relationship with patients. The study explores links between the practice of Buddhist meditation and the evenly-suspended attention recommended by Freud, and further developed by Bion in his psychoanalysis without memory or desire. Because I was interested in many aspects of therapists' lived experience, I chose the methodology of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 2003) as a framework for analysing the data. I drew on philosophical underpinnings offered by Heidegger and van Manen. The study showed that the participating psychotherapists were helped by their meditative training to develop a sensitive receptivity to their own physical sensations and emotion experience, predisposing them to be aware of limbic resonance with their patients' emotional and physical experiences. Some participants focused their meditative awareness on the ebb and flow of closeness and distance between themselves and their patients, in an orientation to psychotherapy that can be described as relational mindfulness.

My research explores the work of six psychotherapists who meditate. Vipassana meditation focuses on developing sensitivity to body sensations, which are understood to accompany all emotion experiences; experienced meditators can feel in their own bodies physical sensations that reflect the experience of a person in close proximity. An aim of the research was to discover whether their meditation practice had enabled the participants to use this ability in their work with patients. The study focuses on psychotherapists' lived experience during clinical hours, and enquires about how they direct their attention to their body sensations, and to the relationship with patients. The study explores links between the practice of Buddhist meditation and the evenly-suspended attention recommended by Freud, and further developed by Bion in his psychoanalysis without memory or desire. Because I was interested in many aspects of therapists' lived experience, I chose the methodology of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 2003) as a framework for analysing the data. I drew on philosophical underpinnings offered by Heidegger and van Manen. The study showed that the participating psychotherapists were helped by their meditative training to develop a sensitive receptivity to their own physical sensations and emotion experience, predisposing them to be aware of limbic resonance with their patients' emotional and physical experiences. Some participants focused their meditative awareness on the ebb and flow of closeness and distance between themselves and their patients, in an orientation to psychotherapy that can be described as relational mindfulness.

Religion and spirituality are acknowledged coping resources, yet for many years, the use of religion and spirituality was not practiced in therapy. Psychologists were once branded the least religious of all academicians; however there is evidence of an integration of psychology with religion and spirituality. Recently, studies have been conducted to prove the success of using religion and spirituality to cope with psychological disorders, prevent unhealthy behaviours and promote resilience. Despite this, very little research to date has explored South African psychologists’ perceptions on this matter. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychologists in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality area about the use of religion and spirituality in therapy. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain a sample and focus groups were used to the collect data. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s model of qualitative content analysis. Many themes emerged from the data analysis process. The participants indicated that they perceive the definitions of religion and spirituality as difficult to define and reach consensus on. Nevertheless, the participants recognized that religion and spirituality are important aspects of their clients’ lives and that they cannot be ignored in therapy. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that religion and spirituality are coping mechanisms for both clients and psychologists. Most of the participants indicated that they were willing to discuss religion and spirituality with their clients if they brought it up. The participants highlighted specific factors that made it possible for them to engage with their clients on religious and spiritual levels, and factors that made it difficult for them to do so. The value of the research was discussed. Limitations of the study were also highlighted and based on these, recommendations for future research were outlined.

Orientador: Eliane Moura da Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciencias Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T00:42:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Almeida_AngelicaAparecidaSilvade_D.pdf: 1929139 bytes, checksum: 622f6314a90d4fe6ddaeb9d55b74252a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: história do Espiritismo e da Psiquiatria apresenta vários pontos de contato, mas este tem sido um tema pouco explorado pelos historiadores. No Brasil, particularmente, houve um acirrado, mas pouco investigado, confronto entre psiquiatras e espíritas na primeira metade do século XX em torno da "loucura espírita". o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o processo de construção da representação da mediunidade 'enquanto loucura, aqui definida como "loucura espírita", ou seja, como as experiências mediúnicas espíritas passaram a ser interpretadas pelos psiquiatras como causa e/ou manifestação de doenças mentais. Este estudo se concentrou no local e período onde este conflito foi mais intenso, ou seja, no sudeste brasileiro, entre 1900 e 1950 No Brasil da primeira metade do século XX, tanto a Psiquiatria como o Espiritismo estavam em busca de legitimação, de seu espaço cultural, científico e institucional dentro da sociedade brasileira. Estes dois atores sociais estavam ligados às classes urbanas intelectualizadas e defendiam diferentes visões e abordagens terapêuticas relacionadas à questão da mente e da loucura. Ambos disputavam um mesmo espaço no campo científico, cultural, social e institucional, buscando a afirmação da própria legitimidade. Este conflito se manifestou através de constantes embates entre psiquiatras e espíritas. Os médicos publicaram teses, artigos e livros no âmbito acadêmico sobre a "loucura espírita" e a necessidade de combatê-Ia através do controle governamental sobre os centros espíritas, proibição da divulgação do Espiritismo, combate ao charlatanismo supostamente praticado por médiuns, tratamento e internação dos médiuns, considerados graves doentes mentais. Os espíritas também publicaram livros, escreveram artigos em periódicos espíritas, produziram uma tese em medicina (que foi reprovada) e fundaram hospitais psiquiátricos espíritas. Os espíritas, além de negarem ser a mediunidade uma forma ou causa / Abstract: The history of spiritismand psychiatry share several common elements and intersections. However, historians have inadequately explored this subject. Particularlyin Brazil,there has been an intense, but littlestudied onflictbetween psychiatristsand spiritistsin regards to "SpiritistMadness"duringthe firsthalfof the twentiethcentury. This present study investigates the construction of the representation of mediumship as madness: the "Spiritist Madness". In other words, how spiritist mediumistic experiences became classified by psychiatrists as a cause andlor manifestation of mental disorders. This study focuses on the place and the time where this conflict was more severe, in the southeast of Brazil, between 1900 to In Brazil, during the first half of the twentieth century, both, psychiatry and spiritism were seeking legitimation, through cultural, scientific, and institutional means within Brazilian society. These two social actors were related to urban, . intellectualized classes, proposing different views and therapeutic approaches to the mind and madness. Both disputed the same space within scientific, cultural, social, and institutional fields, attempting to each establish their own legitimation. This conflictwas expressed through constant quarreJs between psychiatrists and spiritists. Physicians published academic theses, papers, and books about "spiritist madness" and the need to oppose it through governmental control of spiritist groups, forbidding spiritist publications, fighting against charlatanry allegedly practiced by mediums, and hospitalization of mediums, regarded as insane. On the other hand, spiritists also published books, wrote papers in spiritist periodicals, produced a thesis in medicine (that was reproved), and built spiritist psychiatric hospitais. Besides defending against mediumship as a sort of madness, spiritists defended spiritismand criticized psychiatry for its poor clinical effectiveness and for not taking into aecount possible spiritual causes of madness. This struggle was reported by the lay media, and a large number of articles aOOutthis subject were printed in large circulation newspapers. The resolutionof this conflictis related to the achievement of social integration and legitimationby both spiritismand psychiatry, although in differentfields. Psychiatryfound its placa basicallywithinmedicaland academic environments; on the other hand spiritism received its legitimationmainlywithinthe religious field. However, representations of mental disorders' in Braziliansociety have suffered influences from both groups. A large proportionof Brazilians seek spiritual treatments as a complementto psychiatrictherapies. Psychiatricand spiritist representations of mental disorders are ofien understood more as complementaryratherthan opposed. This symOOlicdispute between representations aOOutthe mind, madness and mediumshrp has had rts role rn the constitutron of psychiatry and spiritism as we understand presently in Brazi!.This conflict provided psychiatry with more social visibilityand institutional power to treat mental disorders, and also influenced the Brazilian spiritist movement through rts emphasis on the religrous aspects of charity and spiritual consolation / Doutorado / Historia Cultural / Doutor em História

No description available.