Examining the Relationship between Religious Spirituality and Psychological Science

Abstract

CAROLEN HOPE is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Brigham Young University. She received her master's degree in culture and spirituality at Holy Names College. Her dissertation, a qualitative study, focuses on the perceived gap between research and practice.R. SCOTT NEBEKER has just completed the academic and internship requirements as a doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University. His dissertation, currently in the analysis stage, is a qualitative phenomenology of moral responsiveness in the therapeutic encounter. He resides in Chicago with his wife and three sons.

Integrating Spirituality Into Counselor Preparation: A Developmental, Wellness Approach

“…However, the centrality of spiritual experience in understanding human functioning and development has not found explicit application in the field of counseling as a whole. This is perhaps due to the tendency to equate spirituality with religiosity or even the reluctance to give credence to something that is less than empirical (Slife et al, 1999). Despite these obstacles, it is apparent that all helping professions are moving toward a more holistic understanding of life and wellness that incorporates the spiritual into all aspects of the human experience (Mack, 1994;Myers & Truluck, 1998).…”

“…In order to incorporate spirituality into counselor preparation programs, the term spirituality must be defined conceptually, then operationalized as a somewhat concrete and observable phenomenon that is valid for the entire human species (Slife, Hope, & Nebeker, 1999). Without an operational definition of spirituality, professional counselors are left to navigate the oceans of philosophy, science, and theology, whose currents have historically muddied the waters where they meet.…”

Identity and Spirituality: Conventional and Transpersonal Perspectives

“…That is, does it exist independent of an experient or is it a quality of human experience that can be explained in similar terms to other areas of human functioning and experience (e.g., it is a product of biology, learning, socialization, and psychical dynamics)? This issue is really a question of metaphysics (i.e., it concerns whether or not the so-called "transcendent" is supernatural and, as such, knowable) 2 and, as has been argued by Slife, Hope, and Nebeker (1999) as well as myself (MacDonald & Friedman, 2001), this issue has not been adequately addressed in current scientific approaches to spirituality. In fact it has been essentially ignored, with some prominent researchers (e.g., Pargament, 1997) advocating for the functional study of religious and spiritual phenomena in lieu of substantive approaches aimed at testing the verdicality of claims of the reality of the transcendent and the existence of a higher power or intelligence.…”

The Role of Spirituality in Sport Psychology Consulting: An Analysis and Integrative Review of Literature

“…Researchers of flow in sport (Czikszentmihalyi, 1992;Jackson & Marsh, 1996) and spirituality in psychology (Slife, Hope, & Nebeker, 1999) have voiced concerns about utilizing quantitative instruments to measure experiential states. Jackson and Marsh (1996) advocate the need for a multi-method approach when investigating flow in sport.…”