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Contents
- Abstract
- The Meanings of Religion and Spirituality
- The Religion-Spirituality Gap in Health Research
- Advances in Health-Related Concepts and Measures of Religion and Spirituality
- Perceived Closeness to God
- Religion and Spirituality as Orienting, Motivating Forces
- Religious Support
- Religious and Spiritual Struggle
- Areas for Growth in Religion and Spirituality Conceptualization and Measurement
- More Contextually Sensitive Measures
- Alternatives to Self-Report Measures
- Measures of Religious and Spiritual Outcome
- Measures of Religious and Spiritual Change and Transformation
- Conclusions
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Abstract
Empirical studies have identified significant links between religion and spirituality and health. The reasons for these associations, however, are unclear. Typically, religion and spirituality have been measured by global indices (e.g., frequency of church attendance, self-rated religiousness and spirituality) that do not specify how or why religion and spirituality affect health. The authors highlight recent advances in the delineation of religion and spirituality concepts and measures theoretically and functionally connected to health. They also point to areas for growth in religion and spirituality conceptualization and measurement. Through measures of religion and spirituality more conceptually related to physical and mental health (e.g., closeness to God, religious orientation and motivation, religious support, religious struggle), psychologists are discovering more about the distinctive contributions of religiousness and spirituality to health and well-being.
There is now a substantial literature that connects religion and spirituality to physical health (George, Ellison, & Larson, 2002; Koenig, McCullough, & Larson, 2001; Larson, Swyers, & McCullough, 1998; Seybold & Hill, 2001; Thoresen, 1999; Thoresen, Harris, & Oman, 2001; see also Powell, Shahabi, & Thoresen, 2003, this issue; Seeman, Dubin, & Seeman, 2003, this issue) and mental health (Larson et al., 1998; Plante & Sherman, 2001). What is it about religion and spirituality that accounts for their link to health? Researchers have suggested various possible psychological, social, and physiological mediators that may account for the religion and spirituality-health connection. However, it is possible that the explanation for these effects may also lie in the nature of religion and spirituality themselves. More finely delineated measures of these constructs might relate more directly to physical and mental health. In this article, we highlight some of the advances that have been made in...