Training In Religion Research Articles

Spirituality and Religion in Canadian Psychiatric Residency Training: Follow-up Survey of Canadian Psychiatry Residency Programs.

This study assesses the availability and nature of psychiatry resident training in religion and spirituality across Canada. Evidence shows that religious and spiritual topics are important to psychiatric patients and that psychiatrist competence in approaching these topics is correlated to whether they have had previous training in them. Prior studies have shown a lack of training in religion and spirituality in Canadian psychiatry programs and recommended incorporation into psychiatry residency curricula. A survey was conducted, asking questions about the amount and type of training in religion and spirituality that was accessible to psychiatry residents in the 17 psychiatry residency programs in Canada. One response was sought from each institution by reaching out to the institutions' program directors and requesting that a knowledgeable faculty member complete the survey. Out of 14 responding psychiatric residency programs, 2 reported no training opportunities in religion or spirituality, 4 reported only voluntary training opportunities that were largely resident directed, and 8 reported mandatory training. The number of Canadian psychiatry residency programs providing mandatory training in religion and spirituality has increased since the prior published survey in 2003 and there are fewer programs reporting no training at all. However, overall, Canadian psychiatry institutions still place less emphasis on religious/spiritual education than recommended by the international psychiatric community. Several Canadian institutions report well-received implementation of curricula on religion and spirituality that could inform other Canadian institutions.

Religion and spirituality within counselling/clinical psychology training programmes: a systematic review

ABSTRACTIn recent years, there have been increasing efforts to attend to religious and spiritual issues within clinical/counselling psychology. However, there is limited research demonstrating how successfully such content is integrated into existing training programmes. This investigation sought to review primary research literature related to training in religion and spirituality within accredited training programmes. Six studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria of this review and data were extracted for analysis using a thematic analytic technique. Five main themes were generated: training modalities, specialised training, systematic implementation, perception of religion and spirituality, and research support. Findings suggest that religious issues are being neglected within current programmes, although there is evidence that this is being reconciled through increasing levels of training.

Learning About Spirituality Improves Competency

A “process” approach allowing residents to reflect on their own responses to the subject matter appears to be crucial.

Understanding Group Therapists’ Use of Spiritual and Religious Interventions in Group Therapy

The current study examined therapist characteristics that are related to the use of spiritual and religious interventions in group therapy and to perceived barriers to attending to spirituality in group therapy among a sample of experienced group therapists. Results demonstrated that greater therapist spirituality was associated with more frequent use of both spiritual and religious interventions, as well as lower perceived barriers to attending to spirituality in group therapy. Religious commitment was only uniquely related to perceived barriers, such that therapists with higher religious commitment actually perceived greater barriers. Training in religion and spirituality and comfort with spiritual discussions was also related to therapists’ use of religious and spiritual interventions and perceived barriers.

P01-339 - Assessment of spirituality history taking in mental health

IntroductionSpirituality is recognized as a key facet of a person's sense of self and wellbeing. In the UK 73% of psychiatrists reported no religious affiliation compared to 38% of their patients. 92% of psychiatrists in Britain believed that religion & mental illness were connected & religious issues should be addressed in treatment.AimsAudit Spirituality Assessments conducted in new cases admitted to hospital and new cases seen in clinic over a 3 month period(July-September 2009) in adult/elderly services.MethodsDemographic data was collected from electronic patient records and casenotes/clinic assessment letters were reviewed for evidence of taking a spiritual history. Guidance for how to take a spiritual history was sought from Royal College of Psychiatry guidelines and recently published journal article (Advances in Psychiatric Treatment.May 2007;13:212-219). Evidence of a brief screening of spirituality, followed by a more detailed assessment were recorded.Results75 cases were reviewed of which 39 were male and 36 female. There was an even distribution of age within the sample over 7 decades from age 20 to age 90. Of the 75 cases, only 2 (2.7%) had a brief assessment of their spirituality whilst the larger majority (97.3%) had no assessment. No detailed assessment of spirituality history was conducted.ConclusionsThe results indicate that assessment of spirituality is very poorly conducted in this sample and there is need for development. Recommendations from the audit include facilitation of further training in religion and spirituality history taking and for such training to be encompassed within induction training of junior doctors.

FAITH AND DIPLOMACY

Religion is a powerful force, but its impact depends on what it inspires people to do. The challenge for policymakers is to harness the unifying potential of faith, while containing its capacity to divide. To their disadvantage, diplomats have long excluded religion from their expertise. Effective foreign policy requires understanding why people do what they do, and seeing religion as a significant motivating factor. While people are willing to kill for their faith, religion can also teach forgiveness and reconciliation. American leaders should receive training in religion in order to make the most of religion's positive potential.

Spirituality and religion in Canadian psychiatric residency training.

Mental health professionals are increasingly aware of the need to incorporate a patient's religious and spiritual beliefs into mental health assessments and treatment plans. Recent changes in assessment and treatment guidelines in the US have resulted in corresponding curricular changes, with at least 16 US psychiatric residency programs now offering formal training in religious and spiritual issues. We present a survey of training currently available to Canadian residents in psychiatry and propose a lecture series to enhance existing training. We surveyed all 16 psychiatry residency programs in Canada to determine the extent of currently available training in religion and spirituality as they pertain to psychiatry. We received responses from 14 programs. Of these, 4 had no formal training in this area. Another 4 had mandatory academic lectures dedicated to the interface of religion, spirituality, and psychiatry. Nine programs offered some degree of elective, case-based supervision. Currently, most Canadian programs offer minimal instruction on issues pertaining to the interface of religion, spirituality, and psychiatry. A lecture series focusing on religious and spiritual issues is needed to address this apparent gap in curricula across the country. Therefore, we propose a 10-session lecture series and outline its content. Including this lecture series in core curricula will introduce residents in psychiatry to religious and spiritual issues as they pertain to clinical practice.

Religious Education of the Preschool Child

The chief training in religion is what parents do and are rather than what they say in direct instruction.‐‐George Hodges.

Home Training in Religion—The Present Situation and The Way Out

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsD. L. Ritchie∗∗Principal Congregational College of Canada, Montreal President Religious Education Association, Quebec Province ∗Principal Congregational College of Canada, Montreal President Religious Education Association, Quebec Province

Evangelizing Education

Religious education is getting to be a technical term, and to apply to a particular branch of a particular discipline. The problem of systematic training in religion, however, is only one of a group of problems in the same field. Among these is the challenge as to whether general education is to have any religious significance whatever. It is much to be feared that the answer given in many institutions of learning is negative. The question is vital if religion is to survive as a definite element in morals.