Providing guidance on the health effects of religious/spiritual involvement: a national assessment of university counseling professionals.
This study assessed the perceptions and practices of a national sample of university counseling professionals (n = 306) regarding their provision of guidance on the health effects of religious/spiritual involvement. Relatively few (21%) discussed the physical health effects of religiosity/spirituality with their clients. The majority (52%) were unsure that such discussions would result in lower health risks; however, nearly half (48%) indicated that these would promote recovery. Almost two-thirds (64%) indicated that discussions of religious/spiritual involvement and health "should occur only with clients who indicate that religion/spirituality is important to them." A plurality (36%) of the respondents had received no formal training on this topic. Implications for clinical training, university counseling centers, and future research are discussed.
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA. adam.mrdjenovich@utoledo.edu
Adam J
AJ
Mrdjenovich
Joseph A
JA
Dake
James H
JH
Price
Timothy R
TR
Jordan
Jeanne H
JH
Brockmyer
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D029181:Spirituality; D014495:Universities