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While religion constituted one of the main topics of interest for early social scientists, faith traditions have silently slipped from this central role. When religion now appears in psychological research, it is usually relegated to the position of either the object of psychological investigation (which psychology purports to "explain") or a static piece in the empirical puzzle (as one variable among many when explaining clinical or social outcomes). In either case, religion is generally no longer seen as an equal partner to the social sciences in our attempts to better understand of the human condition. However, there are and have been voices within psychology that see this as unnecessarily myopic. James Jackson Putnam (1846–1918), an early supporter of the emerging field of psychoanalysis, advocated that psychology take seriously philosophy, metaphysics, and religion. Putnam's objections to the narrowing of our view of human life in the spirit of scientism fell largely on deaf ears, and his call for psychology to include that which lies beyond the walls of empirical naturalism and reductionism remains relevant today. In as far as theoretical innovation in psychology is more of a creative recognition than true scientific discovery, philosophy and religion constitute tremendously rich, and unfortunately underappreciated, fonts of inspiration. Putnam saw in religion the "dim recognition" of "the creative spirit of the universe." We briefly reflect on the example of obsessive–compulsive disorder and the much older religious concept of scruples, including approaches to mindfulness. This example is suggestive of the richness of psychological insights to be found in religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abd al-Malik ibn abīb (d. Cordova, 238/853?), Kitāb al-Wara, is a series of about 350 quotations, topically organized Most section headings name things to avoid, wara referring to scrupulosity, meaning to keep away from the forbidden by avoiding even the doubtful. Quotations go back to persons of all generations, from earlier prophets to Ibn abīb himself. Particularly notable is a section on trade, in which the Prophet calls traders and cultivators the worst of his community It presumably reflects local, Andalusian concern with assimilation to the subject population Ibn abīb, al-Wara, cites the Prophet much more often than other collections on wara Altogether, scarcely one item in six in Ibn abīb's collection lacks a parallel in other extant collections of pious sayings Relatively numerous quotations of Asad b. Mūsā (d. 212/827) not found in his Kitāb al-Zuhd tend to confirm that the extant text is only a fragment of the original However, the chief significance of Ibn abīb, al-Wara, may be to confirm that other works at our disposal reliably represent the larger literature of piety in the ninth century CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In religious obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the current cognitive model does not seem to be convincing enough for patients to understand the source of their obsessions and to distinguish between their obsessions and their religious beliefs (iman) and values, which affects secure relationships in therapy. Therefore, there is a need for both religious sensitivity and model proposals to solve the problem of lack of persuasiveness of cognitive psychoeducation. From this perspective, the present case study uses the 4T model (tahayyul (imagination), tasawwur (conceptualization/detailed imagination), taakkul (reasoning/reflecting), tasdiq (confirmation)), which is a hierarchical cognitive model and adapted with the inspirations from the texts of Muslim scholars (specifically from Nursi's text of Treatise on Scrupulosity) on cognitive processes. A case report of three individuals with religious OCD is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this treatment method. Symptoms were measured in therapy using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Padua Inventory scales. Feedback was obtained for post-intervention assessment. The participants received 30 individual face-to-face therapy sessions, one per week, with an average duration of 50 minutes per session, and follow-up sessions were also conducted after the completion of treatment. The results from the three cases of individuals with religiously resistant OCD symptoms, which resulted in improvement on all scale scores, demonstrate that the model is substantially effective, particularly in addressing thought-action fusion (TAF). Furthermore, the thought hierarchy offered by the model is practical and compelling in the process of cognitive restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexander’s famous ban of the exposure of the corpses in Bactra has been long studied. Mostly the discussion has focused on the veracity of the account and his compliance with the Zoroastrian rites. The analysis of the reasons that led Alexander to the ban has hitherto been very superficial, only outlining the apparently exceptional character of that action. This paper tries to put this prohibition into a broader context. For this purpose, a look at the previous actions of Alexander in relation to the foreigners’ corpses must first be taken. Also, the extremely negative conception of the unburied in the Hellenic culture, religion, and politics needs to be properly assessed. Only after this analysis, the signification of the prohibition can be rightly apprehended and integrated into the wider context of Alexander’s conquest, and not regarding it as a mere king’s whim. This Bactrian episode stands for a good example of how the Macedonian campaign put face to face conflicting religious practices.

Alexander's famous ban of the exposure of the corpses in Bactra has been long studied. Mostly the discussion has focused on the veracity of the account and his compliance with the Zoroastrian rites. The analysis of the reasons that led Alexander to the ban has hitherto been very superficial, only outlining the apparently exceptional character of that action. This paper tries to put this prohibition into a broader context. For this purpose, a look at the previous actions of Alexander in relation to the foreigners' corpses must first be taken. Also, the extremely negative conception of the unburied in the Hellenic culture, religion, and politics needs to be properly assessed. Only after this analysis, the signification of the prohibition can be rightly apprehended and integrated into the wider context of Alexander's conquest, and not regarding it as a mere king's whim. This Bactrian episode stands for a good example of how the Macedonian campaign put face to face conflicting religious practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the roles of religiosity, shame, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and scrupulosity in perceived pornography addiction. We theorized that religiosity causes pornography users to feel shame regarding their use, and in turn, self-identify as addicted to pornography, especially for individuals high on one of several proposed moderators. Participants were 645–646 pornography users who believe in a theistic God. Confirmatory analyses indicated that religious primes did not have indirect or moderated indirect effects on perceived addiction. However, exploratory analyses revealed that religious primes were associated with higher shame, and in turn, perceived addiction among individuals high on both organizational religiosity and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder compulsivity subscales. Additionally, self-reported religiosity had indirect effects on perceived addiction via shame, especially among individuals high on scrupulosity or moral disapproval of pornography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms that have a religious theme is common. Recent research has found that religious participants with religious OCD symptoms frequently turn to religious advisors, such as imams or clergy, for help to understand and alleviate their symptoms. As such, the advice provided by imams or clergy may have an important impact on the response of the person seeking help. This study examined the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of 64 Muslim imams with mosque-goers who had religious OCD symptoms, particularly scrupulosity. This study also examined imams' familiarity with first-line psychological treatments for OCD such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Sunni imams from Australia and Shia imams from Iran completed an online survey based on the research of Deacon, Vincent, and Zhang (2012), which was conducted with Christian clergy in the United States. Results showed that the majority of imams were unfamiliar with scrupulosity as a possible symptom of a mental health problem, such as OCD, and with ERP as a recognised treatment for OCD. While 37% of participants reported having been approached by mosque-goers for help with scrupulosity, only 9% referred mosque-goers to mental health professionals, and only one imam reported having referred a mosque-goer for ERP. Sunni imams located in Australia were more likely to provide advice inconsistent with the ERP approach and were also significantly less likely than Shia imams located in Iran to recommend referral to a mental health professional who was not affiliated with their own religious denomination. Finally, Sunni imams had significantly higher scores than Shia imams on Thought Action Fusion (TAF) subscales. Results of multiple regression analysis revealed that TAF explained a considerable amount of the variance related to ERP-inconsistent advice. Research implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a modern form of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with growing support for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We present a case wherein a client presented with scrupulosity-related OCD. We briefly review scrupulosity, explain the theory behind ACT, and present a case, the treatment process, and desired outcomes. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is described from an ACT perspective and discussed as an option for people with OCD who may be reluctant to engage in more traditional forms of ERP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obsessive-compulsive symptom profiles vary widely among individuals and may be affected by cultural backgrounds. In the case of scrupulosity, moral and religious principles are the target of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Cognitive biases and beliefs have special relevance in the origin and maintenance of obsessive scrupulosity. In addition, rigid and exaggerated beliefs about morality are held by these patients. Moral and religious principles are mainly transmitted by family. These influences may be more prominent in cultures, such as the Spanish culture, where family and religion are important values for individuals. The authors describe the treatment of a Spanish patient with obsessive scrupulosity. Family therapy strategies were integrated into exposure-based CBT in order to facilitate the modification of beliefs, behaviors, and pathological family relationships. The patient exhibited clinically significant improvements in OCD symptoms. Findings from this case show the need for individualized interventions that take into consideration cultural, social, and family factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Previous studies empirically support the existence of a distinctive association between deontological (but not altruistic) guilt and both disgust and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. Given that the neural substrate underlying deontological guilt comprises brain regions strictly implicated in the emotion of disgust (i.e. the insula), the present study aimed to test the hypothesis that indirect stimulation of the insula via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would enhance disgust and morality in the deontological domain. A randomized, sham-controlled, within-subject design was used. Thirty-seven healthy individuals (25 women) underwent 15-min anodal and sham tDCS over T3 in two different days, while their heart rate (HR) was recorded to derive measures of parasympathetic nervous system activity (HR variability; HRV). After the first 10-min of sham or active tDCS stimulation, participants were asked to 1) complete a series of 6-item words that could be completed with either a disgust-related word (cleaning/dirtiness) or neutral alternatives; 2) rate how much a series of vignettes, each depicting a behavior that violated a specific moral foundation, were morally wrong. Levels of trait anxiety, depression, disgust sensitivity, scrupulosity, and altruism as well as pre- and post- stimulation momentary emotional states were assessed. Compared to the sham condition, after active stimulation of T3 a) HRV significantly increased and participants b) completed more words in terms of cleaning/dirtiness and c) reported greater subjective levels of disgust, all suggesting the elicitation of the emotion of disgust. Although the results are only marginally significant, they point to the absence of difference between the two experimental conditions for moral vignettes in the altruistic domain (i.e., animal care, emotional and physical human care), but not in the deontological domain (i.e., authority, fairness, liberty, and sacrality), where vignettes were judged as more morally wrong in the active compared to the sham condition. Moreover, scores on the OCI-R correlated with how much vignettes were evaluated as morally wrong in the deontological domain only. Results preliminarily support the association between disgust and morality in the deontological domain, with important implications for OC disorder (OCD). Future studies should explore the possibility of decreasing both disgust and morality in patients with OCD by the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. Highlights • tDCS over T3 enhances disgust and morality in the deontological domain. • T3 stimulation affects self-report, physiological, and implicit measures of disgust. • Deontological but not altruistic morality is associated with the emotion of disgust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to adapt the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS), which was developed by Abramowitz and his colleagues (2002), for Turkish intervention and to evaluate its psychometric properties on a cohort of students a cohort of nonclinical university students. Method: The sample of the present study consisted of 444 undergraduate university students between ages of 18 and 25. All participants were asked to complete a battery of self-report measures including the PIOS, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Clark-Beck Obsessive Compulsive Inventory, and Penn State Worry Inventory. Following a period of approximately 4 weeks, a sub-sample of the participants was asked to complete the questionnaires for a second time. Results: Consistent with the findings of the original study (Abromowitz et al. 2002), explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the two-dimensional structure of the Turkish version of the PIOS. However, distribution of the items on the two factors showed some cultural differences that might be specific to the Turkish culture. The results revealed acceptable test-retest and internal consistency coefficients as well as good construct, convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity information for the Turkish version of the PIOS. These findings can be used in the Turkish culture to evaluate individual differences in terms of scrupulosity symptoms. Conclusion: The results indicated good reliability and validity information for the Turkish version of the PIOS, which supports the cross-cultural nature of the scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses some cases of catholic priests, admitted to one of the major Italian psychiatric hospitals, San Lazzaro in Reggio Emilia, since 1870 to 1940 approximately. All them were clergymen, some with parish responsibilities, and they came from different regions of north Italy. Studying their case files, we can see they were often poor, lonely and not infrequently alcoholic. The psychiatrists working in San Lazzaro, searching the origin of their mental diseases, focused on their exaggerated studies, their religious doubts and, sometimes, on the bad relationship with their parishioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the 1570s in Spain, theorists show deep concern about the impact of melancholy on religious life. Medical and spiritual authors attempt to describe a “religious” melancholy that, although it inherits some features of the old acedia, is completely new, being characterized by new signs: religious zeal, exacerbated guilt (illustrated by the recurring theme of scruples), exacerbated piety, visions and apparitions. These events are considered with utmost suspicion: attributed to the influence of the black bile, to a disordered imagination or to the influence of the devil, they are strongly condemned by medical and religious authorities. Our contribution will describe and analyse this new form of “religious” melancholy. We will examine the links that this new form of melancholy has with reality, its significance and implications.

It can sound absurd to report that you have forgotten a moral truth. Described cases in which people who have lost moral beliefs exhibit the behavioural and phenomenological symptoms of forgetting can seem similarly absurd. I examine these phenomena, and evaluate a range of hypotheses that might be offered to explain them. These include the following proposals: that it is hard to forget moral truths because they are believed on the basis of intuition; that moral forgetting seems puzzling for the same reason that forgetting what you approve or disapprove of seems puzzling; and that moral truths matter too much to us to be easily forgotten. I conclude that the best explanation for the phenomena is a non-cognitivist one: moral forgetting seems puzzling because moral judgements are attitudes of a sort that cannot be lost through forgetting (e.g. desires). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Prior research has indicated a number of neuropsychological deficits in patients with OCD consistent with the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical model of the disorder. Response inhibition (RI), defined as the inability to inhibit a prepotent response, has been identified as a possible candidate endophenotype for OCD. However, the results from previous studies of RI in OCD patients have been mixed, suggesting the possibility that some OCD dimensions may be associated with deficits in RI while others may not. The present study aimed to examine RI using a Go/No-Go (GNG) task in two OCD symptom dimensions, one of which, scrupulosity, has never been subject to neuropsychological investigation.Methods: A total of 63 individuals, consisting of scrupulous OCD (n = 26), contamination OCD (n = 18) and non-psychiatric controls (n = 19) completed study measures. Controlling for depression symptoms, no significant performance differences were found between the groups on the GNG test, indicating no deficits in RI among contamination or scrupulous OCD.Results: Results are consistent with several prior studies of RI in OCD that found no differences as compared to non-psychiatric controls, especially on GNG tests, and with more recent suggestions that RI may not constitute a clinical significant impaired domain in OCD.Limitations: Limitations included a primarily highly educated and Caucasian sample.Conclusions: Additional conclusions include careful consideration of the RI measures selected for future studies, as well as the need for further investigation into the neuropsychological and neurobiological nature of scrupulous OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives Difficulties tolerating uncertainty are considered central to scrupulosity, a moral/religious presentation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We examined whether uncertainty salience (i.e., exposure to a state of uncertainty) caused fears of sin and fears of God, as well as whether priming God concepts affected the impact of uncertainty salience on those fears. Method An internet sample of community adults ( N = 120) who endorsed holding a belief in God or a higher power were randomly assigned to an experimental manipulation of (1) salience (uncertainty or insecurity) and (2) prime (God concepts or neutral). Results As predicted, participants who received the uncertainty salience and God concept priming reported the greatest fears of sin. There were no mean-level differences in the other conditions. The effect was not attributable to religiosity and the manipulations did not cause negative affect. Limitations We used a nonclinical sample recruited from the internet. Conclusions These results support cognitive-behavioral models suggesting that religious uncertainty is important to scrupulosity. Implications of these results for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tiempos Modernos is the property of Tiempos Modernos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The five factor trait of conscientiousnessis a supertrait, denoting on one hand a pattern of excessive labor, rigidity, orderliness and compulsivity,and on the other hand a pattern of strict rectitude, scrupulosity, dutifulness and morality. In both respects the obsessive-compulsive personality is conscientious; indeed, it has been labeled a disorder of extreme conscientiousness (Widiger et al., 2009). Antisocial personality disorder, in the present paper, is described as occupying the opposite end of the conscientiousness continuum. The antisocial is impulsive rather than compulsive, illicit rather than licit, and furtive rather than forthright.After clinically comparing the obsessive and antisocial personalities, the present paper invokes evolutionary theory to explain their resultant behavioral, ideological, political and demographic differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficulties tolerating uncertainty are considered central to anxiety disorders. Despite researchers providing indirect evidence for the potential importance of personal uncertainty to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), extant research has focused on how intolerance of informational uncertainty relates to this disorder. We addressed this gap in the literature by examining the impact of personal uncertainty on a moral/religious subtype of OCD (i.e., scrupulosity) in the present research. In Study 1, community respondents ( N = 120) completed a personal uncertainty or control manipulation and self-report measures assessing the moral appraisals of intrusive thoughts and scrupulosity. In Study 2, community respondents ( N = 90) completed a personal uncertainty or control manipulation and self-report measures assessing beliefs that God is upset with sins and scrupulosity. In both studies, personal uncertainty causally strengthened associations between scrupulosity and the targeted criterion. Observed effects were not attributable to religiosity, negative affect, or intolerance of uncertainty. Overall, the present results support the relevancy of personal uncertainty to scrupulosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dirasat: Shar'ia & Law Sciences is the property of University of Jordan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on scruples and rules of play, and a détournement of scrabble of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. It states that scruples is a game played between two cartelisands wherein they use the role of the plus-one and choose a random letter from the sack and put it on the board. It mentions that the digitized rendition of author Charles Heinemann regarding Lacan's prison problem introduced two inadequacies in the mechanics of contemporary war games, the moment of hesitation and the topological knotting of the three orders. It adds that the variable tiles are determined by a lack of inscription, and the plus-one might intervene the game at the point of saturation.

Abstract: The present study investigated the applicability of Terror Management Theory (TMT) to scrupulosity using a sample of nonclinical college students (N=92). More specifically, we examined whether scrupulosity potentiated the relationship between exposure to conscious reminders of death (i.e., mortality salience) and four variables of interest (mistake-checking behavior, “not just right experience,” shame, and guilt). Results were that individuals engaged in significantly greater mistake-checking behavior, as well as experienced significantly heightened “not just right experience,” shame, and guilt in response to the mistake-checking task, following mortality salience at higher versus lower levels of scrupulosity. These patterns of relations were not found in a control condition. Finally, a “not just right experience,” but not shame or guilt, mediated the potentiating effect of scrupulosity in relation to the increased mistake-checking behavior following mortality salience. Implications of these results for improving our conceptualization and treatment of scrupulosity are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Scrupulosity is a form of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by a tendency to have persistent doubts about God, sin, and the adequacy of one''s religious behaviors and devotion. To date, no published studies have compared scrupulosity in high- and low-religious Muslim and Christian samples. In the present study religious school students as well as high- and low-religious university students in Turkey and Canada were compared on the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS), Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44), and symptom measures of obssesionality and negative affect. Between-group comparisons revealed that the highly religious Turkish sample scored significantly higher than the highly religious Canadian students on the PIOS Fear of God but not the Fear of Sin subscale. Separate multiple regression analyses revealed that the Clark-Beck Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (CBOCI) Obsessions subscale, OBQ-44 Importance and Control of Thoughts subscale, and guilt were significant unique predictors of PIOS scrupulosity. These findings suggest that subtle differences exist in how scrupulosity is manifested in Islamic and Christian believers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Scrupulosity is one of the mental disorders with a history richer than any other disorder. However, much of the published literature lacks a thorough clinical coverage of the issue. Based on previous studies, most patients with scrupulosity particularly follow dysfunctional thinking patterns related to moral and religious issues. The main goal of this study was to examine the role of God's image and thought control strategies in prediction of scrupulosity intensity in people with obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). Methods: Available sampling was used to select sixty patients with OCD (confirmed according to DSM-IV criteria and through clinical interviews) from the persons that referred to counseling centers, clinics and psychiatric clinics in Shiraz. In this correlational study, patients were tested via God Image Scale (GIS), Thought Control Strategies (TCS), Peen Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS) and Beck Depression Scale-II. Thus, the intensity of scrupulosity, as the criterion variable, was predicted by image of God and strategies of intrusive thought control. In addition, depression, education and marital status of patients were statistically controlled. The correlations between variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression analysis in SPSS16. Findings: The mean age of subjects was 25.35 ± 6.91. While Bachelor's degree was the most prevalent educational level (53.33%), 23.3% of subjects had high school diploma, 15% had a master's degree and 8.4% had not even finished high school. The majority of subjects were single (65%). The results showed that the combination of acceptance (B: 0.58, P ≤ 0.001) and God's presence (B: -0/38, P ≤ 0.011) along with punishment strategy (B: 0.33, P ≤ 0.005) could predict 44% of the intensity of scrupulosity in people with OCD. Conclusion: This study provided psychologists and psychotherapists with an opportunity to that consider the type of image and attitudes patients have toward God. As we know, thinking of God as accepting increases the intensity of scrupulosity while considering him as present decreases the problem. In addition, with punishment strategy being identified as the only scrupulosity-related strategy, it needs to be replaced by healthier methods to inhibit and control the intrusive thoughts in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay focuses on ten very recent books which take as their subject matter WWII, all of which have been penned by French third-generation writers born in the 1960s and 1970s. Through this large-scale analysis, I seek to uncover what these texts have in common, and to show how they are both similar to and different from novels which originated with previous generations. Starting from some categories established by Dominique Viart, which belong to the classification of contemporary works of fiction in France, I aim to further interrogate the motivations of those writers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Scrupulosity is a relatively common but understudied subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by religious or moral fears. It is difficult to treat and frequently disabling. We examined scrupulosity as it relates to (a) treatment-seeking behavior and perceived treatment gains, (b) the perceived effect of symptoms on religious experience, and (c) conceptions of God. Method: Seventy-two individuals with scrupulous OCD (mean age = 36; 70% women) and 75 individuals with nonscrupulous OCD (mean age = 38; 81% women) completed an internet-based survey. Results: The groups did not differ on demographic variables or overall OCD severity. Compared with the nonscrupulous group, the scrupulous group was (a) more religious, (b) more likely to seek pastoral counseling, (c) less likely to seek medication treatment, and (d) more likely to report that symptoms interfered with their religious experience. Indeed, most scrupulous individuals endorsed that their symptoms interfered with their religious experience. Scrupulous individuals with a more negative concept of God experienced more severe symptoms, whereas a positive description of God was unrelated to severity of scrupulosity in this group. Nearly one in five scrupulous participants reported no religious affiliation. Conclusions: Scrupulous individuals have unique treatment-seeking preferences. Moreover, most scrupulous individuals perceive their symptoms as interfering with their religious experience. Focusing on the religious costs and benefits of scrupulous rituals might have clinical utility. Finally, scrupulous individuals with a more negative concept of God experienced more severe symptoms. Future research is necessary to evaluate whether addressing such concepts can improve treatment outcome. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1-9, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighty-six participants, 50 years and older, were given the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS) and the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI). Highly religious participants (Methodist or Baptist) responded to the instruments. Baptists appeared to fear sin and God to a greater degree than did Methodists. However, on the AGI, Methodists were lower on anxiety and higher on avoidance as compared to Baptists. Gender differences only appeared for fear of sin (PIOS) and avoidance (AGI). Males showed greater fear of sin and higher levels of avoidance than did females. None of the interactions reached statistically significant levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The argument has been made that religious and spiritual (R/S) forms of treatment, or R/S adaptations of existing treatments, are an appropriate, culturally sensitive, and potentially efficacious method of intervention when working clinically with religious patients experiencing psychological, behavioral, or physiological dysfunction. The previous articles in this special series describe four such interventions designed for use with patients with particular presenting problems including serious mental illness, cancer, eating disorders, and scrupulosity. This article offers a brief historical presentation on the growth of interest in R/S in clinical psychology and behavioral medicine, with particular attention to the general issue of the role of values in therapy, and includes criticisms of integrating R/S in treatment. The difficulty of appreciating unique R/S perspectives and their relevance for particular clients is emphasized and the question of whether a “true” understanding of R/S beliefs necessarily leads to better health is examined. Each of the four therapies presented in this special series is individually analyzed, and it is clear that they offer sensitive and culturally relevant approaches to treating the various disorders, though areas of potential improvement or possible confusion are highlighted. Finally, the following are deemed essential if R/S-informed therapies are to impact the field and be appropriately introduced with clients: (a) training of future and current practitioners; (b) longitudinal research on R/S; (c) outcome studies of R/S interventions; and (d) adequate funding for the achievement of these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Scrupulosity, the obsessional fear of thinking or behaving immorally or against one''s religious beliefs, is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder that has been relatively understudied to date. Treating religious patients with scrupulosity raises a number of unique clinical challenges for many clinicians. For example, how does one distinguish normal beliefs from pathological scrupulosity? How does one adapt exposures to a religious patient whose fears are related to sinning? How far should one go in exposures in such cases? How and when does one include clergy in treatment? We address these issues and report a case example of the successful treatment of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman using the treatment principles that we recommend for religious individuals with scrupulosity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Perceptions of psychological symptoms may be influenced by religiousness, particularly when symptom presentation is shaped by a socio-religious context. We therefore examined whether among Jews, Orthodox affiliation was related to recognition of scrupulosity as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Seventy Orthodox and 23 non-Orthodox Jews were randomized to view one of two matched vignettes describing religious or non-religious OCD. Whereas Orthodox Jews were equally likely to recognize both vignettes as OCD, non-Orthodox Jews were less likely to recognize the religious than the non-religious presentation as OCD. Furthermore, Orthodox Jews were equally likely to recommend professional treatment for both scrupulosity and non-religious OCD, whereas non-Orthodox Jews were less likely to recommend professional treatment for scrupulosity compared to non-religious OCD. These findings may suggest that familiarity with Orthodox practices increases sensitivity to distinctions between scrupulosity and normative religion, thereby increasing recognition of the need for professional treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of lead character Marco Zuloaga's role in Hable con ella has been underestimated in existing studies of Almodóvar's film, more enthralled by the sexually ambiguous figure of Benigno and his insemination-through-rape of Alicia. This article stresses Marco's importance as moral touchstone and aesthetic yardstick of the film and comments on his surprisingly conventional persona in its gender design. Marco's name also encodes hitherto ignored symbolic meanings which add up to a full and coherent characterisation that marks him out as the thematic mainstay of Hable con ella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The empirical literature on the relationship between moral thought–action fusion (TAF) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by mixed findings. Previous studies have reported religious group differences in moral TAF and the relationship between moral TAF and religiosity. In light of those studies and considering the apparent role of moral TAF in scrupulosity, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the possible role of religion as a moderator of the relationship between moral TAF and OCD symptoms. The results revealed that (a) Christians endorsed higher levels of moral TAF than did Jews independent of OCD symptoms; (b) religiosity was correlated with moral TAF in Christians but not in Jews, suggesting that Christian religious adherence is related to beliefs about the moral import of thoughts; and (c) moral TAF was related to OCD symptoms only in Jews. That is, for Christians, moral TAF was related to religiosity but not OCD symptoms, and for Jews, moral TAF was related to OCD symptoms but not religiosity. These results imply that moral TAF is only a marker of pathology when such beliefs are not culturally normative (e.g., as a function of religious teaching or doctrine). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Scrupulosity is a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder concerned with religious themes. It is unclear how religious leaders understand scrupulosity, the support they offer, or how they view collaboration with mental health practitioners. This study was designed to address these issues. Eleven Catholic priests took part in a semi-structured interview based on a vignette describing a person with scrupulosity. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Priests understood scrupulosity as a psychological problem that they felt unqualified to deal with but for which they could offer spiritual guidance. Scrupulous individuals were perceived as difficult to develop a supportive relationship with and were sometimes a challenge to priests' emotional well-being. Collaborative working between priests and mental health services was suggested as a way to address these issues, although priests recognised some difficulties in implementing this. Further research, with other religious groups and with people with scrupulosity, would be beneficial in order to expand the current conceptual framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the presentation of Scruple and State Sovereignty of the novel "L'Homme à l' envers," by Fred Vargas. It states that the character of Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg and the scruple-principle has been used in analyzing the celebrated notion of the French people, which is represented by the French state. It mentions that Adamsberg had resolved the individual-establishment tension by creating tough personality from several literary traditions and class positions.

This essay posits a necessary relationship between Dickinson's religious concerns and her textual practice that Dickinson scholarship has not previously considered. This relationship is the foundation of a poetics that synthesizes philosophical materialism and religious transcendence. Skeptical about the merits of an eternity in "Paradise," Dickinson retains an attachment to the world and a readiness to accept bodily death as the end of all life, as revealed in "Paradise is of the Option—" (Fr1125). A textual problem with this poem in turn raises the question of what, in its essence, constitutes a "poem" by Emily Dickinson: is it primarily a material entity (the textpage) with which ideas are then associated, or is it primarily an abstract entity (the "Poem"), consisting in a set of ideas for which the written words and the paper are the medium? Any written verbal literary expression creates a dialectic between a textual artifact and its aesthetic properties. In Dickinson's poetics, this dialectic is focused to an unusual and exemplary degree, as her conceptions of world and God, the material and the metaphysical, death and immortality, are inseparable from her conceptions of poem and text, of aesthetic entity and material artifact. She thus creates a meta-dialectic that encompasses artifact/world/death and God/aesthetic entity/immortality. To track these ideas in detail, this essay pays close attention to three poems that have religious subject matter (and frequent Christian allusions) but differing textual origins: "A word made Flesh is seldom" (Fr1715), "Of Paradise' existence" (Fr1421), and "No Crowd that has occurred" (Fr653), concluding that for Dickinson the textpage (as material existent) gives embodiment to and fulfills the poem, and the poem (as spirit) breathes vitality into the textpage (as body). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture may particularly influence community attitudes towards mental illness, when the illness itself is shaped by a cultural context. To explore the influence of culture-specific, religious symptoms on Orthodox Jewish community attitudes, the authors compared the attitudes of 169 Orthodox Jews, who randomly viewed one of two vignettes describing either religious or nonreligious obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Results indicate that though participants were equally likely to perceive both vignettes as mental illness, they were less likely to endorse psychological/medical explanatory models and help-seeking, and conversely more likely to endorse social–religious explanations, religious help-seeking, and stigma in relation to religious OCD. Nevertheless, psychological/medical models and help-seeking were more strongly endorsed for both religious and nonreligious OCD. Beyond implications for Orthodox Jewish community actions, these findings suggest that attitudes towards mental illness may depend on how symptoms relate to community culture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on social and historical topics which include the role of Britain and the first world war in promoting the Modern Cremation Movement, dilemma of religious scruples in twentieth-century America and Britain, and politics of popular neighborhood clubs in Santiago, Chile from 1948 to 1960.

The article presents a discussion of the religious and psychological treatment of scruples throughout the 20th century in Great Britain and the United States. Details are given highlighting the prevalence of over-attentive religiosity driven by anxiety in both societies, particularly within Roman Catholic piety. Discussion is offered outlining how addressing the issue moved from the domain of the ecclesiastical to the psychological. The development of theological psychopathology and Roman Catholic psychiatry in response to this trend are also mentioned.

"Bridget" was my first cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) case and assigned to me in my second year of doctoral training as part of a clinical practicum. She was a 21-year-old undergraduate student who presented with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in which the obsessions were religious in nature and the compulsions were rituals of the Catholic religious tradition, such as crossing and praying. Distinguishing between thoughts and behaviors that would be targeted as symptoms and those that would be retained as bona fide religious beliefs -- and thus not viewed as a function of Bridget's OCD -- presented unique ethical and technical challenges. In Phase 1 of treatment I used cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) methods to target Bridget's OCD symptoms. After these obsessions and compulsions had been virtually eliminated using the CBT-oriented treatment, Bridget was eager to pursue other difficulties (such as the impact of her interpersonal style on her relationships with men). At this time I had the opportunity to continue therapy with Bridget in conjunction with a psychoanalytic course I was taking that offered a psychodynamic supervisor. I determined that this Phase 2 arrangement would be in Bridget's therapeutic interests in light of: (a) the issues with which she was dealing; (b) the fact that Bridget and I had established an excellent working relationship during Phase 1 and Bridget easily agreed to continue therapy with me in the new, less structured, psychodynamically oriented format; and (c) the fact that the new, psychodynamic supervisor was open to my integrating psychodynamic concepts into the CBT approach I had employed in Phase 1. Overall, therapy was conducted weekly during 2 1/2 academic years (the client generally took the summers off) for a total of 79 sessions. The therapy results across the two phases present evidence that in the context of the above-mentioned facilitating conditions, the two phases worked smoothly together to help Bridget with the variety of problems she presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]