Faith-based Programs Research Articles

Evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder is widely unavailable and often discouraged by providers of residential substance use services in North Carolina

IntroductionOpioid agonist treatment (OAT) is the only treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) proven to reduce overdose mortality, yet access to this evidence-based treatment remains poor. The purpose of this cross-sectional audit study was to assess OAT availability at residential substance use services in North Carolina. MethodsWe conducted a state-wide inventory of residential substance use service providers in North Carolina and subsequently called all providers identified, posing as uninsured persons who use heroin, seeking treatment services. Program characteristics, as reported in phone calls, were systematically recorded. We used Fisher's exact tests to assess what program characteristics were associated with OAT availability and with staff making discouraging comments about OAT. We used unsupervised agglomerative clustering to identify facilities with similar characteristics. ResultsOf the 94 treatment providers identified, we successfully contacted and collected data from 66. Of those, only 7 (10.6 %) provide OAT on site; an additional 9 (13.6 %) allow OAT through an outside or community-based prescriber. Only 8 (12.1 %) providers were licensed to provide residential substance use treatment. Staff from 33 (50.0 %) providers made negative, discouraging, or stigmatizing remarks about OAT—for example, that OAT substitutes one addiction for another or does not constitute “true recovery.” OAT availability was positively associated with a provider holding a state license for any substance use-related service (41.9 % vs 8.6 %, p = 0.002) and offering 12-step programming (36.1 % vs. 10/0 %, p = 0.020). OAT availability was negatively associated with faith-based programming (6.1 % vs 42.4 %, p = 0.001), dress codes (5.3 % vs 50.0 %, p < 0.001), and mandates that residents work in a provider-owned and -operated commercial enterprise (5.0 % vs 32.6 %, p = 0.026). Cluster analysis revealed that the most common (n = 21) type of service provider in North Carolina is an unlicensed, faith-based organization that prohibits OAT, imposes a dress code, and mandates that residents work, often in provider-owned and -operated commercial enterprises. ConclusionEvidence-based treatments for OUD are largely unavailable at providers of residential substance use services in North Carolina. The prohibition of OAT occurs most often among providers who are unlicensed and impose labor and/or 12-step mandates on residents. Changes to state licensure requirements and exemptions may help improve OAT availability.

Nexus between Faith and Therapeutic Interventions in the Rehabilitation of Offenders: A Case Study of the Muslim Minority Community in South Africa

Throughout history, religion has been known to play an important role in regulating behaviour contributing to social order. It provides a moral foundation based on religious values and norms that prescribe and proscribe behaviour. Despite such a role, religion has been subjected to secular forms of social control through enacted rules for appropriate behaviour in society. Deviations from such rules are subject to prosecution and, in many instances, incarceration in correctional centres. In an attempt to rehabilitate the offender, both faith-based and secular therapeutic programmes are important aspects of rehabilitation. While this article briefly addresses secular intervention programmes, it focuses on how faith-based approaches can support and collaborate with other helping professions in promoting prosocial behaviour of offenders. The study draws on the experiences of other minority Muslims communities in the northern hemisphere, who have engaged with faith-based programmes in correctional centres. The case of the South Africa Muslim chaplaincy is presented to examine its nature, scope, and programmes offered to offenders in South African correctional centres. The study concludes that there is a space for faith-based approaches to be interfaced with and integrated in therapeutic programmes.

Correcting Health Disparities at End-of-Life in Persons of Color

Forty years after the creation of the Medicare hospice benefit, low use of hospice and palliative care services in persons of color increases suffering and aggressive care at the end of life related to social determinants of death. A lack of culturally appropriate programs, diversity in hospice personnel, and education for health care personnel, and marginalized populations remain problematic. This article provides tools for nurse practitioners and other health care personnel in spiritual, cultural, and goals-of-care assessments, quality improvement, and an explanation of the benefits of faith-based programs and partnerships

Offender-led religious movements: Why we should have faith in prisoner-led reform

Offender-led religious movements: Why we should have faith in prisoner-led reform Byron R. Johnson and Sung Joon Jang, both from Baylor University and Pepperdine University, suggest that the solution to criminal justice reform could lie in the prisoner-led faith programmes, which provide positive, cost-efficient rehabilitation. An emerging body of evidence documents the ways in which religious involvement is linked to different types of physical and mental health outcomes.(1) A growing subset of this research demonstrates how religious involvement helps to decrease crime,(2) promote prosocial behaviour among offenders,(3, 9) and help to foster sobriety among addicts.(4) Moreover, research shows the effectiveness of faith-based programmes in reducing recidivism among former prisoners.(1, 2, 9) In sum, there is increasing evidence religiosity can help change an offender’s identity, and be linked to other important prosocial outcomes.(5, 17)

Experience of Adults with Substance Use, Mental Health, and Homelessness Issues: A Combined 12-Step Faith-Based Program and Complementary Therapeutic Recreation Interventions

There is a significant association between substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health (MH) issues for adults experiencing homelessness. Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is utilized as a treatment intervention for many populations including individuals experiencing SUD and MH issues through the use of recreation and leisure to address various physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, as well as improve quality of life and well-being. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the experience of 12 adults with SUD, MH, and homelessness issues engaging in a variety of evidence-based practice (EBP) TR led activities involving complementary integrative health (CIH), adventure teambuilding, and creative arts combined with a 12-step faith-based recovery meeting. Twelve sessions took place for 2 hours, twice a week over 6 weeks at a residential treatment Christian mission. The thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes: 1) building a caring community, 2) finding a new enjoyable way out of addiction, and 3) calm healing through creative complementary spiritual activities. These findings indicate that combining various forms of EBP TR activities with peer support 12-step faith-based meeting added value to the recovery process. This case study adds to the current literature on how the combining EBP TR with a 12-step faith-based approach might aide in the healing process for adults with MH, SUD, and homelessness problems.

What Do Correctional Leaders Think About Faith-Based Programs? Results From a National Survey

While religious programs and services have long been a staple of the American prison experience, existing research has yet to examine how correctional administrators perceive their importance and effectiveness. Of the 50 states invited to participate in the survey, most of the 27 respondents reported that faith-based programming provides a critically important resource that yields successful outcomes and positively influences prison culture. Nearly half indicated that interest in programming exceeds the resources available, while two-thirds reported that programming access should be expanded. The vast majority cited a lack of physical space and security staff as barriers to increased programming access.

The prison seminary movement and the impact of faith-based programmes

The prison seminary movement and the impact of faith-based programmes Challenges facing US prisons are increasing. With issues of overcrowding, widespread mental illness, high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, violence, and more, prisons are failing to correctly rehabilitate inmates. Unfortunately, policymakers largely ignore decades of criminological research documenting how faith-based programmes reduce social isolation and shame among prisoners and offer emotional and network pathways that support fresh starts, which is what Byron R. Johnson and Sung Joon Jang from Baylor University share their expertise in now, regarding the key challenges affecting America’s prison system, the prison seminary movement and the positive impact that faith-based programmes can have. Looking at Angola’s unique prison seminary, and the impact of faith-based programmes, Byron R. Johnson and Sung Joon Jang analyse the work of faith-based organisations and faith-motivated volunteers in prisons, and find through empirical evidence that by embracing religious faith, inmates can and do transform their lives in meaningful ways.

The transformative effect of prison-based theological education as perceived by current and former students: a pilot evaluation

This pilot evaluation explored the strengths and weaknesses of a prison-based theological education program and identified elements of the program valued by participants, based on the theory that providing inmates with education while incarcerated facilitates change and transforms lives. Participants included currently and formerly incarcerated studies who completed quantitative and qualitative surveys (N = 50) and who were interviewed in focus groups (N = 15). Researchers used a thematic analysis approach to interpret the data to reveal three major themes: (1) prosocial associates; (2) prosocial cognitions; and (3) prosocial activities. Exploring both the quantitative and qualitative experiences of participants is especially important for understanding the lived experiences of individuals participating in faith-based programs Initial findings indicate that The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) faith based educational program was positively associated with participants’ prosocial thinking and behavior.

Spiritually Oriented Trauma Healing in Nigeria: A Program Evaluation to Assess Trauma-Symptom Reduction and Spiritual Growth

There is a significant gap in the need for and provision of treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially in low- to middle-income countries such as Nigeria. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a faith-based program in the reduction of PTSD symptoms and the improvement of relationship with God. Participants were all Nigerians living in the middle and northern parts of Nigeria, selected by a local church and a local Christian non-profit organization. Three 5-day workshops were completed in two locations with a total of 41 participants. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( DSM-5) and the Spiritual Assessment Inventory were used as measures implemented pre and post intervention for program evaluation. Paired-sample t-tests showed significant reductions of PTSD symptoms, with a moderate effect on the whole group and a large effect on those who reached the cut-off for PTSD prior to the workshop. Improvement in relationship with God was also evident. Overall, the program appeared beneficial to participants, suggesting that culturally sensitive, faith-based workshops may be a strategic way to address high rates of PTSD in high-conflict areas.

A realist review of residential treatment for adults with substance use disorder.

Completion of residential treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) relates to improvements in substance use and mental health. Findings from systematic reviews have been equivocal about which interventions work best for clients. There has been limited attention to the theories that explain the effectiveness of residential treatment. We conducted a realist review of the literature to identify program theories that would explain successful and unsuccessful outcomes from residential treatment for SUD. The unit of analysis was context-mechanism-outcome (CMO). Inclusion criteria were studies of residential treatment of more than 30 days for adults with SUD. Pharmacological studies were excluded. We identified 24 studies from 5748 screened. The studies were from settings comprising Indigenous programs, faith-based programs, psycho-social interventions and therapeutic communities and were conducted in North America, Scandinavia, Continental Europe and Australasia. We chose six CMO configurations as the best explanations for outcomes from residential treatment. Theories that best explained the mechanisms of change were the need to belong, meaning in life, and self-determination theory. Previous research has noted similar outcomes from different residential treatment interventions, but has not been able to explain these similarities. In contrast, our findings suggest that the outcomes can be explained by causal mechanisms that apply across all programs, regardless of the philosophy of treatment. We identified six CMO configurations whose mechanisms of change could be explained by three overarching theories-the need to belong, meaning in life and self-determination theory. The findings apply across ethnicities and genders.

Predictors of Religiosity among US Prisoners

Criminological research on religiosity among prisoners has focused on the effects of or outcomes associated with religiosity. Studies have discovered that faith-based programs can reduce recidivism and that religiosity facilitates adaptation to imprisonment and is associated with reductions in serious misconducts. Criminologists have yet to examine the predictors of religiosity among prisoners. In this study, I examine individual- and facility-level predictors of inmate religiosity to uncover the relationship between individual demographic and criminal justice characteristics and religiosity among prisoners. I use national data sets, the Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities and the Census of State Correctional Facilities, and multilevel modeling techniques to examine these relationships. Findings at the individual level indicate that the same factors that are important influences on religiosity in the general population are also significant predictor of religiosity among prisoners, and that the criminal justice/criminal history characteristics of prisoners are also important influences on religiosity. At the facility level, prisons in the Southern region of the US had the highest rates of religiosity among prisoners.

Religion and Rehabilitation as Moral Reform: Conceptualization and Preliminary Evidence.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12103-022-09707-3.

Religiosity as a Predictor of Prisoners’ Adjustment: The Mediatory Role of Resilience among Inmates in South-West Nigeria

The study of prison behaviour, particularly adjustment after incarceration has evolved with the cause of time and has ultimately become a veritable source for understanding how prisoners employ personal adjustment characteristics in their respective socio-cultural, and demographic variables These behaviours define the social position of inmates and provide a better understanding of the behavioural process that reduces the overall economic cost of adjusting problems within prison communities. The problem of adjustment is under-reported in commonplace within the Nigerian Correctional Service. The study determined the role of religiosity as a predictor of adjustment among inmates in southwest Nigeria: The mediatory role of resilience. Using a correlational survey design and systematic sampling technique, four hundred and seventy-eight convicts responded to the religiosity scale, resilience Scale, and Prison Adjustment Scale. Analysis of the data with Linear and multiple regression and Sobel statistics. Findings revealed that religiosity significantly predicted prisoners’ adjustment [β.14, t 2.85’, &lt; .01], and Resilience significantly predicted prisoners’ adjustment β.18, t 2.25’, p&lt; .05. Furthermore, the strength with which resilience mediated the existing relationship between prison adjustment and religiosity was significant. Thus, (Ƶ = 2.60, p. 01). It was recommended that prison management must include faith-based programs since it’s implicated as an important enhancer of adjustment among inmates as evidenced in this study. The program is essential in promoting or enhancing psychologically well-adjusted prison inmates.

Religion and Rehabilitation in Colombian and South African Prisons: A Human Flourishing Approach

This paper examines whether and how religion contributes to prisoner rehabilitation—conceptualized as a prosocial change in self-identity, existential belief, and character based on identity theories of criminal desistance, the “Good Lives Model” of offender rehabilitation, and the concept of human flourishing. For this study, we conducted a quasi-experimental study assessing a faith-based program, “The Prisoner's Journey” (TPJ). We hypothesized that participation in TPJ increased religiosity, which in turn contributed to rehabilitation, measured by identity transformation, a new sense of meaning and purpose in life, and virtue development. It was also hypothesized that prisoner rehabilitation enhanced emotional well-being and reduced the risk of interpersonal aggression. To test our hypotheses, we applied structural equation modeling to analyze data from 506 prisoners in Colombia and South Africa, who participated in pretest and posttest surveys. As hypothesized, we found that completion of TPJ increased religiosity, which in turn fostered motivation for identity change, the perception of meaning and purpose in life, and the virtues of forgiveness, accountability, and self-control. In addition, the increased perception of meaning and purpose in life and two virtues (forgiveness and self-control) decreased negative emotions and the risk of interpersonal aggression. The implications and limitations of our study are discussed.

Religion and Responsibility-Taking Among Offenders in Colombia and South Africa: A Qualitative Assessment of a Faith-Based Program in Prison.

This paper examines whether religion contributes to offenders taking responsibility for crimes. Specifically, we assessed whether participation in The Prisoner's Journey (TPJ), a bible study program, increased or decreased responsibility-taking. We also examined whether religious offenders that did not participate in TPJ were likely to take responsibility for their offenses. For this study, we conducted a quasi-experiment in two Colombian and five South African prisons from 2018 to 2019, collecting data from personal interviews with a total of 73 inmates-42 TPJ participants and 31 non-participants-before and after the program. Offenders frequently offered subtle accounts of responsibility that incorporated their own agency with other factors. Highly religious offenders were equally likely to take responsibility, and in some cases participation in TPJ heightened responsibility. In sum, this paper presents evidence that religious beliefs and practice are commensurate with responsibility-taking and desistance from crime.

Agentic and Receptive Hope: Understanding Hope in the Context of Religiousness and Spirituality through the Narratives of Salvadoran Youth

Hope contributes to positive development in adolescents, and religious and spiritual contexts may be particularly important for developing and supporting hope. However, extant literature on hope, religion, and spirituality neglects their synergistic relation, leaving questions about how they work together to support development. In this study, we explore how religiousness and spirituality (R/S) inform hope by identifying unique synergies that might be particularly useful in difficult contexts. Multilevel qualitative content analyses of interviews conducted with 18 thriving Salvadoran adolescents (50% female, Mage = 16.39 years, SD = 1.83) involved in a faith-based program provided evidence that the ideological and relational resources associated with R/S informed these adolescents’ agentic and receptive hopes. Agentic hopes, identified through expressed hopeful future expectations, revealed that adolescents held beyond-the-self hopes focused on benefiting three distinct targets: God, community, and family. Youth also described “sanctified hopes”, which were hopes focused on fulfilling God’s purposes directly and indirectly. Analyses of receptive hopes, which consider how hope is shaped and empowered by context, revealed that for these youth, hope was experienced in seven key contexts: self, caring adult relationships, family, God, youth development sponsor, social activities, and peers. Implications for fostering hope in R/S contexts within low-to-middle-income countries are discussed.

Participant Perspectives on the Effects of an African American Faith-Based Health Promotion Educational Intervention: a Qualitative Study.

BackgroundIn the USA, African Americans (AAs) experience a greater burden of mortality and morbidity from chronic health conditions including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Faith-based programs are a culturally sensitive approach that potentially can address the burden of chronic health conditions in the AA community.ObjectiveThe primary objective was to assess (i) the perceptions of participants of Live Well by Faith (LWBF)—a government supported faith-based program to promote healthy living across several AA churches—on the effectiveness of the program in promoting overall wellness among AAs. A secondary objective was to explore the role of the church as an intervention unit for health promotion among AAs.MethodsGuided by the socio-ecological model, data were collected through 21 in-depth interviews (71% women) with six AA church leaders, 10 LWBF lifestyle coaches, and five LWBF program participants. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by three of the researchers.FindingsSeveral themes emerged suggesting there was an effect of the program at multiple levels: the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels. Most participants reported increased awareness about chronic health conditions, better social supports to facilitate behavior change, and creation of health networks within the community.ConclusionOur study suggests that one approach to address multilevel factors in a culturally sensitive manner could include developing government-community partnership to co-create interventions.

Religion and Misconduct Among Prison Inmates in South Korea.

Although faith-based programs are present in most prisons for offender rehabilitation, the effect of religion on prison inmates remains an understudied topic. In addition, existing research shows mixed results about the religious effect. The present study intends to not only advance the understanding of inmate's prison misconduct but also examine whether religion is likely to contribute to reducing the risk of misconduct using a non-Western sample of inmates. To assess the relationship between inmates' religion and prison misconduct, we applied negative binomial regression to analyze survey data from 986 Korean adult male inmates. Results showed that inmates who had a religious affiliation with Catholicism or Buddhism were less likely to report prison misconduct than those who had no religion. In addition, the inverse relationship was observed whether inmates had participated in religion before incarceration or came to participate in religion while incarcerated, depending on religious denomination.

Got Faith? - An in-depth analysis and review of five faith-based prisoner reentry programs in Florida

In the United States, prisoner reentry programs are a necessity to re-integrate back into society and are of two types: Faith and Non-Faith. With increased emphasis placed on reforming the criminal justice system policies due to Black Lives Matter and other non-profits actively working to change the system from the outside, reentry programs are having a resurgence of interest for effective public policy. There are significant barriers for major policies at the state, local, and federal to be alleviated, nevertheless, our research wanted to consider the effectiveness of five faith-based, male-only reentry programs in central Florida. Small focus groups were utilized to better understand the concerns and issues returning inmates faced in the program as well as when returning to society. Reentry participants were found to have high confidence in the success of their participation in their faith-based program’s efforts on their personal and family growth.

Therapeutic Recreation Activities Combined with a 12-Step Faith-Based Program for Adults Experiencing Addiction, Mental Health, and Homelessness: A Case Study

ABSTRACT The aim of this case study was to explore the changes in emotional well-being for 12 adult (13 males, 1 female) residents with addiction, mental health, and homelessness issues who participated in a program that combined recreation therapy complementary physical and creative arts activities followed by a 12-step Christian meeting, twice a week for 2 hours over a 6-week period. Results revealed a 27% reduction in anxiety and a decrease in perceived stress of 24%. Negative mood symptoms also reduced by 13%. Resiliency, positive mood, and enjoyment showed 9%, 4%, and 13% improvements respectively. Depression remaining unchanged. This program showed promise in improving common symptoms for adults experiencing addiction, mental health, and homelessness issues.