‘Confronting the almighty God’? A study of how psychodynamic counsellors respond to clients' expressions of religious faith

While there is a considerable psychodynamic literature on the topic of religious faith, little is known about how counsellors work with faith in the consulting room. Prompted by the author's own clinical experience, this paper presents findings from a small‐scale research study that explored this phenomenon further, and provides an account of how the research was conducted from a Heideggerian phenomenological standpoint. Two research participants' experiences are examined and a fusion of horizons offered in conclusion.     

Solution-focused family therapy with three aggressive and oppositional-acting children: an N = 1 empirical study

The efficacy of Solution-Focused Family Therapy (SFFT) for helping three families with aggressive and oppositional-acting children (aged 8-9) was examined. The N = 1 multiple-baseline design with three replications used validated measures, a treatment manual, and a treatment integrity measure. The interventions lasted from four to five sessions. SFFT appeared to be effective with the families at post-treatment and 3-month follow up.     

Illness disclosure and mental health among women with HIV/AIDS

The current study examines two contrasting models of the relationship between illness disclosure and mental health among an ethnically‐diverse group of women with HIV/AIDS. In the first, and commonly accepted model, illness disclosure predicts enhanced mental health status. In the second or alternate model, based on the stigmatization that accompanies HIV/AIDS infection, illness disclosure predicts poorer mental health. We also explore an alternate interpretation for this second model, namely that the mental health status of participants is predictive of their levels of disclosure. A total of 176 women from three major ethnic groups were interviewed and assessed during the baseline visit for a comprehensive longitudinal study. Results showed that these women constituted a highly‐disclosed population; over one‐third of them had disclosed their HIV status to their entire social networks. Contrary to expectation, disclosure was unrelated to mental health among the African‐American (n = 72) and European‐American (n = 47) women. Among the Latina women (n = 57), however, greater disclosure was related to higher levels of depression, psychological distress, and reported pain. Regression analyses controlling for age, education, and illness severity showed that disclosure makes a small but independent contribution to the prediction of mental health status. Thus, among the Latinas, the data were consistent with both the stigma model and the hypothesis that greater distress predicts wider disclosure. General patterns of disclosure are described and possible explanations for the inconsistent relationships found between disclosure and mental health among the three ethnic groups are considered. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Influence of Multicultural Training on Perceived Multicultural Counseling Competencies and Implicit Racial Prejudice

This study examined the impact of multicultural training on multicultural counseling competencies and implicit racial prejudice. Results of a multilevel modeling analysis showed that only the multicultural counseling course was related to a decrease in implicit racial prejudice and an increase in cultural self‐awareness. Implications for multicultural training are discussed. Este estudio examinó el impacto de la formación multicultural en las competencias en consejería multicultural y el prejuicio racial implícito. Los resultados de un análisis de modelo a varios niveles mostraron que solo el curso en consejería multicultural estaba implicado en un descenso del prejuicio racial implícito y un aumento de la autoconciencia cultural. Se discuten las implicaciones para la formación multicultural.     

Spirituality and the Health of College Students

Objectives  The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and health risks of college students. Methods  Undergraduate students enrolled in Personal Health and Wellness classes at The University of Tennessee were selected to participate in the study. Two-hundred twenty-one students were administered two instruments: The College Student Appraisal of Risks Survey (The CARS) and the Spirituality Scale (SS). Results  Significant relationships between self-reported levels of spirituality and the health of college students were indicated during the study. Conclusions  College students integrating a spiritual component while processing decisions about risks that could negatively affect their health experienced better health outcomes. The significance of the study is that this research is an important step toward understanding the role that spirituality plays in the various dimensions of health in young adults.

Community-Engaged Neighborhood Revitalization and Empowerment: Busy Streets Theory in Action

Busy streets theory predicts that engaging residents in physical revitalization of neighborhoods will facilitate community empowerment through the development of sense of community, social cohesion, collective efficacy, social capital, and behavioral action. Establishing safe environments fosters positive street activity, which reinforces neighborhood social relationships. A community-engaged approach to crime prevention through environmental design (CE-CPTED) is one promising approach to creating busy streets because it engages residents in collaborative interactions to promote safer environments. Yet, few researchers have studied how CE-CPTED may be associated with busy streets. We interviewed 18 residents and stakeholders implementing CE-CPTED in Flint, Michigan. We studied three neighborhoods with different levels of resident control over CE-CPTED. Participants described how CE-CPTED implementation affected their neighborhood. Participants from all three neighborhoods reported that CE-CPTED was associated with positive street activity, sense of community, and collective efficacy. Participants from neighborhoods with higher resident control of CE-CPTED reported more social capital and behavioral action than those from neighborhoods with less resident control. Our findings support busy streets theory: Community engagement in neighborhood improvement enhanced community empowerment. CE-CPTED that combines physical revitalization with resident engagement and control creates a potent synergy for promoting safe and healthy neighborhoods.     

Factors Affecting HIV Contraceptive Decision-Making Among Women

We examined contraceptive decision-making among African American, Latina, and European American women ages 18–50 years. Logistic regressions examined relationships between demographic and religious factors, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), reasons for sex, and contraceptive decision-making. Women who were older, single, African American, used pregnancy prevention, and had histories of STDs and unintended pregnancies made contraceptive decisions alone. Older and African American women were more likely to choose no contraception. Among contraceptive users, African Americans used effective methods of pregnancy, but not disease, prevention. Women with STD histories, and younger, more educated women were more likely to use methods that prevent against both pregnancy and disease. Theoretical implications about contraceptive choices among ethnically diverse women are discussed.     

Are Religiosity and Spirituality Associated with Obesity Among African Americans in the Southeastern United States (the Jackson Heart Study)?

There are several lines of evidence that suggest religiosity and spirituality are protective factors for both physical and mental health, but the association with obesity is less clear. This study examined the associations between dimensions of religiosity and spirituality (religious attendance, daily spirituality, and private prayer), health behaviors and weight among African Americans in central Mississippi. Jackson Heart Study participants with complete data on religious attendance, private prayer, daily spirituality, caloric intake, physical activity, depression, and social support (n = 2,378) were included. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured. We observed no significant association between religiosity, spirituality, and weight. The relationship between religiosity/spirituality and obesity was not moderated by demographic variables, psychosocial variables, or health behaviors. However, greater religiosity and spirituality were related to lower energy intake, less alcohol use, and less likelihood of lifetime smoking. Although religious participation and spirituality were not cross-sectionally related to weight among African Americans, religiosity and spirituality might promote certain health behaviors. The association between religion and spirituality and weight gain deserves further investigation in studies with a longitudinal study design.