Spirituality and Negative Emotions in Individuals With Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract

Many individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) experience disease-related anxiety, depressive symptoms, and anger. Spirituality may be helpful to cope with these negative emotions. Research findings on the role of spirituality in dealing with negative emotions are inconsistent. In this study, we examined the associations between 7 dimensions of spirituality (ie, meaningfulness, trust, acceptance, caring for others, connectedness with nature, transcendent experiences, and spiritual activities) and negative emotions among individuals with CHD in Indonesia, controlling for perceived social support as well as demographic and clinical characteristics. In total, 293 individuals with CHD were recruited from the 3 largest hospitals in Bandung, Indonesia. They completed the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Trait Anxiety Scale of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Multidimensional Anger Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that a higher overall level of spirituality was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, less anxiety, and less anger. Specifically, a higher level of trust was significantly associated with both less depressive symptoms and less anxiety. Higher levels of caring for others and spiritual activities were associated with less anxiety, and a higher level of connectedness with nature was associated with less anger. These findings underscore the importance of specific dimensions of spirituality as a potentially independent buffer against negative emotions in individuals with CHD.

Centrality of spirituality/religion in the culture of palliative care service in Indonesia: An ethnographic study

“…While there is extensive Western literature on spirituality/religion in palliative care, the literature from Indonesia is limited. Only four studies could be identified related to spirituality/religion in the general care setting, three studies explored perceptions and attitudes of health‐care professionals toward spirituality (Herlianita, Yen, Chen, Fetzer, & Lin, ; Lucchetti et al ., ; Ramakrishnan et al ., ), and one study measured spirituality in patients with coronary heart disease (Ginting, Naring, Kwakkenbos, & Becker, ). These studies do not provide a picture of spirituality/religious factors in play in the palliative care context.…”

Engagement in a Community-Based Integral Practice Program Enhances Well-being

“…paradigm described as integral, spiritual teachers, psychologists, health care providers, and theorists have noted that attending to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of being in an integrated fashion, particularly in the context of community, may be optimal for achieving psychological well-being (Aurobindo, 1993;Engel, 1977;Farias, Underwood, & Claridge, 2013;Ferrer, 2003;Ginting, Naring, Kwakkenbos, & Becker, 2014;Koenig et al, 2014;Leonard & Murphy, 2005;Schlitz et al, 2005;Short, 2006;Wilber, Patten, Leonard, & Morelli, 2008).…”

The association of spiritual well-being and depression among patients receiving hemodialysis

“…In addition, Martínez and Custódio revealed strong negative association between spiritual well‐being and poor mental health or presence of psychological stress among Brazilian patients receiving hemodialysis. These findings reveal that patients who have high levels of meaning of life, peace, and faith could be seem to have an ability to regulate their emotions, thus not becoming depressed so easily …”

“…Planning spiritual care should include spiritual well‐being in conjunction with standard healthcare treatments, and modify the treatment plan as needed based on patients spiritual needs . Implementing spiritual interventions can include various actions such as encourage relationship between the patient and his or her family, reading spiritual materials (Quran or Athkar), utilizing humor, utilizing meditation or praying, or discussing with patients how to maintain inner peace, contribute to society, cope with life's stressors, and feel the connection with nature . Moreover, spiritual interventions should be provided based on empathy and nonjudgmental love, affirm the worth dignity, nobility and humanistic desire of each person, and its response to both religious and nonreligious needs.…”

“…Implementing spiritual interventions can include various actions such as encouragerelationship between the patient and his or her family, reading spiritual materials (Quran or Athkar), utilizing humor, utilizing meditation or praying, or discussing with patients how to maintain inner peace, contribute to society, cope with life's stressors, and feel the connection with nature 32. Moreover, spiritual interventions should be provided based on empathy and nonjudgmental love, affirm the worth dignity, nobility and humanistic desire of each person, and its response to both religious and nonreligious needs.The psychiatric-mental health nurses have high level of expertise in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients and families, and have advanced education in a specific field that allow them to provide nursing care for patients and families with greater depth and breadth of knowledge.…”