God Representation Research Articles

Psychometric Properties of the Dutch Surrender to God Scale: Relationships with Religious Behavior, God Representation, Well-being, and Health.

Given that surrender to God has been associated with health and well-being in believers, research in this area would benefit from the availability of scales outside the United States, where thesewere first developed. To this end, we conducted two studies (N = 130 and N = 574) in Christian samples in the Netherlands to test the psychometric properties of a Dutch translation of the Surrender to God Scale (D-StGS). In addition, the abbreviated Religious Surrender Scale-2 was tested to examine whether the two-item scale would show validity and reliability, as this would benefit research in which there are time (and other) constraints on assessment. Both scales showed adequate to excellent internal consistency, convergent validity with religious coping and religious orientation, and predictive validity; specifically with (I) lower anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms and (II) higher scores on religious behavior and meaning in life. Likewise, both scales were related to (III) more positive, supportive, and ruling, and less passive, anxious, and angry God representations. However, explorative factor analysis of the D-StGS in the first study resulted in two factors (Imitation of God's will and Peace through God's will), which were confirmed with confirmatory factory analysis in the second study. It can be concluded that the D-StGS and abbreviated scale are useful for future research in Christian samples.

Metaphysics of Yoga in the Gheranda Samhita Scripture

The background of this research is that, apart from interpreting the verses related to God and yoga practice contextually, it also aims to analyse the metaphysics of yoga in the Gheranda Samhita book so that the knowledge gained by academics and yoga practitioners is more comprehensive. Metaphysics is full of discussions relating to God, the soul, eschatology, and illusory things. Moreover, if you study it using the postulates in a script as a limitation to sharpen the perspective that will be born, one script that can be used as a reference for understanding the dimensions of metaphysics is the Gheranda Samhita. Through descriptive qualitative methods, using hermeneutic theory, this research found the following findings: First, apart from Shiva as an aspect of God's representation as described in the Gheranda Samhita script, there are still other aspects of God that can represent His greatness. Second, it is through soul awareness that humans can achieve perfect awareness in living life. Third, there are no shackles like Maya, the term which is identified with the words illusion or bondage. Fourth, karma: actions in life. Fifth, Ahamkara, is another term for ego, and Sixth, Brahman and its Prakrti activities.

반 고흐의 신 표상(Representation of God) 변형에 관한 정신분석적 연구

This paper investigated the transformations of Vincent van Gogh’s god representation from a psychoanalytic perspective. The internal/external factors accounting for the transformation in god representation were examined and four themes were deduced. First, the god representation can be transformed due to the individual’s need for psychic equilibrium and defensive purposes. Second, if the object relationship which was the crucial foundation for the formation of the god representation is transformed, the individual’s god representation may accordingly be transformed. Third, an individual may transform one’s god representation in order to integrate his/her unconscious desires and conscious reality. Fourth, an individual may transform his/her god representation into a subjective and private one as an uncommunicated factor. The results substantiated that an individual’s god representation is connected with internal/external reality and can be dealt with clinically in order to develop a healthy religious life.

Grotstein의 이중-경로 이론(dual-track theory)을 바탕으로 재조명해본 자아 구조의 발달에 대한 분석적 고찰: 유아기 대상 경험과 하나님 표상 발달과 관련하여

This study analyzes Grotstein's Dual-track Theory, which applied the perspective of development theory and Neurophysiology based on the object-relations theory that emphasizes the importance of early childhood ego-development, to understand why the key factor in self-cohesion in the infant self-development process is “good enough care,” and based on this understanding, I suggest applications in Christian counseling by linking the effect of early childhood psychological experiences on the formation process of God's representation. I critically reconstructed Grotstein's dual-track theory to analyze why “good enough care” has a key impact on infants' self-development in early childhood. Finally, the limitations of the study and suggestions for subsequent studies were discussed.

Behind the curtain, between blood and stone: the representation of god in Peter Shaffer’s Yonadab

This article analyzes Yonadab, a play by the British playwright Peter Shaffer, first staged in London in 1985. Set in biblical times, the play depicts the machinations of Yonadab, King David's nephew, who wants to destroy the royal family and the religious foundations of that society. The analysis focuses on God's representation in the play through the conflicts and tensions shown by the main character Yonadab. Four main characteristics stand out in the divine figure: violence, exclusiveness, immanence, and absence.

Dimensions of Religion Associated with Suicide Attempt and Ideation: A 15-Month Prospective Study in a Dutch Psychiatric Population

Dimensions of religion contribute in different ways to the in general protective effect of religiosity and spirituality (R/S) against suicidality. Few studies have included a substantial number of dimensions, and even fewer a follow-up, to clarify the stability and contribution of R/S over the course of psychopathology. In this follow-up study among 155 religiously affiliated in- and outpatients with major depression, religious service attendance, frequency of prayer, type of God representation, moral objections to suicide, and social support were re-assessed in 59 subjects. Diverse statistical analyses show a partial change in R/S parameters. Supportive R/S is persistently associated with lower suicidality. R/S at T0 or change in R/S is not associated with additional changes in suicidality over time. The results suggest that the most important change in suicidality can be understood as an effect of a decline in depressive symptomatology, not of changes in R/S. Despite the limited follow-up and sample size, these results emphasize the importance of longitudinal and dynamic evaluation of especially affective and supportive aspects of R/S in suicidal persons.

The impact of religiosity on the disability, psychological well-being, and somatic health of multiple sclerosis patients

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to predict disability, psychological wellbeing, and somatic health in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with the mediating variable of religiosity. A sample of 128 patients was recruited, and were administered the Expanded Disability Status Scale, the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index, the Patient Health Questionnaire-15, and a Self-Rating Scale of Religiosity. Religiosity did not predict disability, psychological well-being, or somatic health. Religiosity was positively associated with MS duration and disability, but only in male patients. The predictors for predicting psychological wellbeing were age, disability, and somatic health. Patients with moderate/severe MS (EDSS >3) obtained higher mean scores on religiosity compared to patients with mild MS (EDSS ≤3) and, therefore, the severity of MS was a significant moderator between religiosity and psychological well-being. The findings suggest the importance of focusing on the type of religiosity, God representation, and attachment to God for clarifying the link between psychological well-being and religiosity among patients.

Without Your Therapist: Contemplative Prayer During Treatment as a Religious Exposure Intervention to Reduce Religious Struggle and Anxious God Representation

This case study focuses on the treatment of a 44-year-old Dutch man presenting with an anxious God representation and religious struggles according to DSM-5 criteria. Having received prior treatment for a panic disorder and alcohol use disorder, the patient was given a 60-day treatment in which the Jesus Prayer intervention was used to address his religious and spiritual problems. To our knowledge, this is the first case study involving the Jesus Prayer in the treatment of a patient. The intervention had positive effects on the patient’s religious and spiritual problems concerning an anxious God representation, religious struggles, stress levels and surrender to God. The intervention may also play a supporting role in decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety and in promoting global mental health, as reliable change index analyses revealed symptom reduction between baseline levels and at post-assessment levels for all measured symptoms, with a semi-gradual decrease over the course of treatment. These improvements were continued in a 3-month follow-up assessment, suggesting promise for the Jesus Prayer as an effective treatment method for religious and spiritual problems. Recommendations regarding the importance of assessing the religious life of patients and implementing spiritual interventions are discussed, as well as the relevance of the therapist’s own assumptions when treating a religious or spiritual problem.

God Representation Types Are Associated With Levels of Personality Organization and Christian Religious Orthodox Culture.

This exploratory study shows that God representation types are associated with levels of personality organization. Among two Dutch samples of psychiatric patients (n = 136) and nonpatients (n = 161), we found associations between the psychotic, borderline, and neurotic personality organizations, and passive-unemotional, negative-authoritarian, and positive-authoritative God representation types, respectively. Both patients and nonpatients reported positive God representations, but only nonpatients and higher-level functioning patients reported an integrated God-object relation. For persons with personality pathology, the relationship with God can be a struggle and might have a defensive and/or compensating function. In addition to personality organization, Christian religious orthodox culture is a statistical predictor of God representations, but not of anger toward God. We offer suggestions for how psychotherapeutic work with God representations might differ for patients with different levels of personality organization.

Posttraumatic Growth in Trauma Survivors: Associations With Attachment to God and God Representation

Individuals often turn to religion or spirituality to cope with or make sense of trauma. In this study of 222 university students who reported a history of trauma, we examined whether God representation and attachment to God were associated with posttraumatic outcomes. Trauma outcomes include both the negative impacts of trauma and the perceived posttraumatic growth (PTG) that can occur in trauma survivors. Results revealed that both an authoritarian representation of God and an avoidant attachment to God were predictive of experiences of PTG.

부모와의 관계경험과 하나님 표상 형성의 상관관계에 관한 목회신학적 연구

본 연구는 부모와의 관계경험과 하나님 표상 형성의 상관관계에 관한 목회신학적 고찰이다. 본고에서 필자는 존 볼비의 애착이론을 중심으로, 어린 시절 돌봄을 제공해 준 중요한 인물, 특히 부모와의 관계경험이 향후 개인의 하나님 표상의 형성과 구체 적으로 어떠한 상관성을 지니는지를 살펴보고, 그러한 상관성에 내포된 목회신학적 함의에 관하여 고찰해보았다. 인간의 관계경험, 특히 어린 시절 부모와의 관계경험은 내담자 혹은 교인이 견지하고 있는 하나님 표상과 밀접한 상관관계가 있다. 아이는 가장 중요한 대상인 부모 표상을 이용하여 하나님 표상을 만들어내기 때문이다. 부모 와의 긍정적인 관계경험을 통해 안정애착을 형성한 사람은 하나님 표상도 긍정적이고 안정적일 수 있으나, 부모와의 관계경험이 부정적이어서 안정애착에 실패한 사람은 하나님 표상도 부정적이고 불안정한 모습일 수 있다. 부모와의 안정애착에 실패한 자 녀는 다른 원천들을 통해 안정애착을 추구하려 한다. 따라서 일종의 ‘영적인 가족’으로 비유되는 교회공동체는 부정적인 하나님 표상을 가진 채 불안정한 애착유형으로 살아가고 있는 교인들을 위해, 그들 내면의 내적작동 모델과 하나님 표상을 건강하고 긍정적인 모습으로 변화되어가도록 도와줄 수 있다. 이와 관련하여 필자는 크게 세 가지 사항에 관한 목회신학적 고찰을 시도하였다. 우 선 필자는 교회공동체가 중간대상으로서의 기능을 수행함으로써, 다양한 상처와 아픔 을 가진 교인들에게 안전하고 수용적인 치유의 공간을 제공해주어야 함을 강조하였 다. 다음으로, ‘영적인 부모’로서의 상징성을 지닌 목회자가 교인들에 대해 민감성과 수용성, 협력성과 높은 정서적 접근성으로 반응해줌으로서, 건강한 ‘모성적 돌봄’의 제 공자로서의 역할을 감당해야 함을 피력하였다. 마지막으로, 필자는 교회공동체가 구성 원들의 내면을 온전케 하는 치유의 공동체로서 보다 잘 기능하기 위해, 신학적 관점 이 기존의 죄책감의 신학에서 수치심의 신학으로 전환될 필요가 있음을 주장하였다.

자기 심리학 관점에서 하나님 표상 변화에 대한 사례연구

본 연구는 자기심리학 관점에서 적절한 환경 안에서 좋은 대상과의 관계는 하나님에 대한 좋은 표상을 가지며, 그렇지 못한 환경 즉 자기 대상과의 경험이 결핍된 경우는 부정적이며 심판하시는 하나님의 표상을 갖게 된다는 점을 전제한다. 곧 자기대상의 경험에 따른 응집되고 건강한 자기는 하나님에 대해 기능적이고 건강한 표상을 가지며 성숙한 관계를 형성할 수 있다. 자기 대상의 경험은 곧 자기의 응집력을 나타내고 그 경험은 공감, 적절한 좌절을 통해서이다. 따라서 하나님 표상의 변화를 위해서는 역기능적 하나님 표상을 만들어내는 주체인 ‘자기(self)’가 대상과의 재 경험을 통해 ‘자기’의 회복을 이루어 가는데 관점을 맞추어 고찰하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 먼저 이론적으로 자기 심리학에서 자기와 자기 대상에 대한 이해 및 자기의 회복을 고찰하였고, 자기회복을 통한 하나님 표상의 변화에 대해 살펴보았다. 하나님 표상의 변화 과정은 첫째, 초기 자기대상 경험으로 결핍으로 인한 척박한 심리적 환경에서 만들어진 응집되지 못한 자기와 그에 따른 역기능적 하나님 표상 형성, 둘째 이런 표상이 해체되는 과정과 치료 경험인 공감적 이해, 공감적 해석, 최적의 좌절에 대한 과정들, 그리고 마지막은 성장단계인 응집적 자기 형성을 통한 기능적 하나님 표상의 형성과정으로 구성하였고 그 과정에 따라 사례를 소개하여 재구성하였다.

God Representation and Its Psychological Reflections in Rollo May

Bu araştırmanın amacı, arşiv tarama yöntemini kullanarak Rollo May’in Tanrı tasavvuruna dair görüşlerini incelemektir. Rollo May’e göre, insanın temel motivasyonu, tasavvur ettiği Tanrı’ya benzemektir. Bu nedenle Tanrı tasavvurunun doğruluğu sürekli sorgulanmalıdır. Ona göre Tanrı tasavvuru ile insanın gelişimi arasında karşılıklı bir ilişki vardır. Tanrı tasavvuru insanın vizyonları ve iç görülerini geliştirirken; saf vizyon ve iç görüler de Tanrı tasavvurunu geliştirmektedir. Rollo May, Tanrı’nın yalnızca sevgi kaynağı, iyilere yardım eden, insanı sürekli koruyan, insana hizmet eden ve itaat edilmesi gereken bir otorite olarak tasavvur edilmesinin insanın gelişimini engellediğini savunmaktadır. Ona göre özgürlük, sorumluluk ve benlik bilincini güçlendiren Tanrı tasavvuru, insanın gelişimine katkı sağlamaktadır. Rollo May, Tanrı tasavvuru konusunda Eski Ahit, mitoloji ve varoluşçu felsefeden yararlanmıştır. Onun Eski Ahit ve mitolojiden etkilenmesi, antropomorfik bir Tanrı tasavvuru geliştirmesine neden olmuştur. May, insanın kendisi gibi olmasını istemeyen, insanla mücadele eden ve insanı kontrolde zorlanan antropomorfik bir Tanrı tasavvuruna sahiptir. Bu şekildeki bir Tanrı tasavvurunun insanın gelişimine katkısı tartışmalıdır. Çünkü soyut Tanrı tasavvuru antropomorfik Tanrı tasavvuruna göre insanın gelişimine daha çok katkı sağlamaktadır.

Validation of an implicit instrument to assess God representations. Part 2: Associations between implicit and explicit measures of God representations and object-relational functioning

ABSTRACTResults about associations between God representations and well-being/mental health can be questioned because they are predominantly based on studies with self-report instruments. There are no well-validated implicit measures of God representations. Therefore we developed the Apperception Test for God Representations (ATGR). In a clinical (n = 75) and a nonclinical (n = 71) sample, we found patterns of associations of scales of the ATGR and of an explicit God representation measure with implicit and explicit measures of object-relational functioning that undergirded the validity of most ATGR scales. Differences in patterns of associations between patients and nonpatients could theoretically be explained by the concept mentalization.

Construction and validation of an implicit instrument to assess God representations. Part 1: Associations between implicit and explicit God representation and distress measures

ABSTRACTFor adherents of theistic religions, God representations are an important factor in explaining associations between religion/spirituality and well-being/mental health. Because of limitations of self-report measures of God representations, we developed an implicit God representation instrument, the Apperception Test God Representations (ATGR) and examined its reliability and validity. Its scales could be scored reliably and were within a clinical sample associated more strongly than explicit God representation scales with the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. Compared to the ATGR scores of a nonclinical sample, the clinical sample had less complex, positive, and mature God representations, indicating discriminant validity.

Dimensions of Religion Associated with Suicide Attempt and Suicide Ideation in Depressed, Religiously Affiliated Patients.

There is substantial evidence to support the claim that religion can protect against suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicide. There is also evidence that religion does not always protect against suicidality. More insight is needed into the relationship between suicidal parameters and dimensions of religion. A total of 155 in- and outpatients with major depression from a Christian Mental Health Care institution were included. The following religious factors were assessed: religious service attendance, frequency of prayer, religious salience, type of God representation, and moral objections to suicide (MOS). Multiple regression analyses were computed. MOS have a unique and prominent (negative) association with suicide ideation and the lifetime history of suicide attempts, even after controlling for demographic features and severity of depression. The type of God representation is an independent statistical predictor of the severity of suicide ideation. A positive-supportive God representation is negatively correlated with suicide ideation. A passive-distressing God representation has a positive correlation with suicide ideation. High MOS and a positive-supportive God representation in Christian patients with depression are negatively correlated with suicide ideation. Both are likely to be important markers for assessment and further development of therapeutic strategies.

탈북여성의 트라우마가 하나님 표상에 미치는 영향

탈북여성의 트라우마가 하나님 표상에 미치는 영향

Types of God Representations and Mental Health: A Person-Oriented Approach

ABSTRACTAs God representations are multi-facetted psychological processes regarding the personal meaning of God/the divine to the individual, this study examines how multiple aspects of God representations are configured within individuals belonging to a sample of psychiatric patients or a non-patient sample, and how these configurations are associated with mental health. By means of cluster analyses, three types of God representations were found: a Positive-Authoritative one, a Passive-Unemotional one, and, only among psychiatric patients, a Negative-Authoritarian one. Types of God representations were significantly related to affective state, as well as religious saliency and religious background. Patients with the negative type of God representation were more distressed and depressed, and Orthodox-Reformed patients reported significantly more negative types of God representations. This study demonstrates the value of a person-oriented approach, by showing that scale scores became especially meaningful in the context of the types, which enables more nuanced distinctions regarding subgroups.

A construção narrativa da representação de Deus

A autora apresenta um modelo de pesquisa baseado em autonarrativas e no construtivismo. Em respeito à especificidade do objeto religioso, se propõe a investigar a representação de Deus e das experiências religiosas a partir das origens culturais de seus sujeitos de pesquisa. Origens estas que são o fundamento da construção da identidade de grupos e pessoas que têm na religiosidade/espiritualidade um valor central para suas vidas. Apresenta brevemente a Teoria do Self Dialógico como suporte teórico facilitador.

The Effect of Parent-Adolescent Affective Bonding(Bu-Ja-Yu-Chin-Sung-Cheong) on self-representation and Image of God(God Representation)of Christian Adolescents

The Effect of Parent-Adolescent Affective Bonding(Bu-Ja-Yu-Chin-Sung-Cheong) on self-representation and Image of God(God Representation)of Christian Adolescents