Search

Qualitative studies suggest that women's attitudes and religiosity have an important role in their experience of their male partners' pornography use, but these factors have not been adequately studied. The present study examined the contributions of perceived frequency of male partners' solitary pornography use (PFREQ), women's attitudes toward their partners' pornography use, conservative religiosity, and religious commitment to women's pornography-related distress, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction in women who reported they were married to or cohabitating with men who had used pornography in the prior 3 months (median frequency = 1–2 times/week). Participants were online research panel participants (n = 625), age mean = 44[SD = 13], diverse SES, 86% White. Partial correlations and multiple regressions, controlling for demographic variables and COVID-19-related stress, indicated that higher PFREQ and negative attitudes toward pornography were significantly associated with women's higher pornography-related distress, lower relationship satisfaction, and lower sexual satisfaction. Moderation analyses found that negative attitude amplified the negative association between PFREQ and relationship satisfaction, and conservative religiosity amplified the positive association between PFREQ and pornography-related distress. Neither attitude nor religious factors moderated the negative association between PFREQ and sexual satisfaction. Findings suggest that attitude, religious factors, and PFREQ are each important to consider in research and clinical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested hypotheses about client preferences and functioning based on a relational spirituality model of psychotherapy in a sample (N = 101) of adult clients at a community mental health center in the northeastern United States. Most clients wanted to engage spiritual, religious, and existential issues in treatment and this preference was positively related to both spiritual/religious commitment and questing. Clients' ratings of therapist diversity sensitivity were associated with ratings of treatment progress over and above the working alliance. Client spiritual well-being and spiritual struggles predicted their psychosocial functioning over and above mental health symptoms. Clinical and research implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that religious leaders' humility is crucial to their own psychological wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the communities they lead, yet little is known about how humility is understood and cultivated by the leaders themselves. This qualitative study of 273 religious leaders from the Abrahamic faiths examines the diversity in their theological understandings of humility and describes the practices that they report are most helpful to their own cultivation of the virtue. The authors integrate practical theological and psychological perspectives as they discuss the types of humility and practices and explore their implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious leaders face numerous mental health challenges, and prior research suggests that some experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to work-related experiences. This study employed a diverse sample of 274 religious leaders to (a) qualitatively describe the types of work-related experiences they identify as particularly stressful or overwhelming, (b) assess the prevalence of PTSD symptoms associated with these experiences, and (c) test hypothesized associations between PTSD symptoms and narcissism. The study found that the stressful experiences reported typically involved relational conflict, having limited resources, or caring for people suffering. Over half of the sample endorsed symptoms that were above the cutoff for a clinical concern for PTSD, and PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with symptoms of both vulnerable narcissism and grandiose narcissism. Practical implications for the ongoing formation and support of religious leaders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that humility is important for religious leaders' mental health and for the health of the communities they lead. There is evidence, however, that humility is particularly difficult for some leaders, and numerous dynamics within the role of religious leadership may run counter to humility. This qualitative study asked 273 diverse religious leaders to identify factors within their roles that challenged and facilitated humility for them. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed ways that religious leaders can cultivate humility within and despite complex pressures against it. Practical implications for the care and support of religious leaders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion and spirituality have frequently been associated with mental health and well-being. However, inconsistent results suggest that there may be mediating factors. God representations highlight individual differences in relating to the sacred, which may have implications for mental health. Attachment theory has also been related to God representations and mental health. This study examined the relationships between benevolent and authoritarian God representations, attachment to God, and mental health in a sample of graduate students. Benevolent God representations were negatively associated with mental health problems, and this effect was mediated by attachment to God. Future research directions and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]