Addressing the existential dimension in treatment settings: Mental health professionals’ and healthcare chaplains’ attitudes, practices, understanding and perceptions of value

Research has shown that addressing and integrating the existential dimension in treatment settings reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression and substance abuse. Healthcare chaplains are key personnel in this practice. A nationwide, cross-sectional survey influenced by a mixed-methods approach was us...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Frøkedal, Hilde (Author) ; Sørensen, Torgeir 1969- (Author) ; DeMarinis, Valerie 1954- (Author) ; Ruud, Torleif (Author) ; Stifoss-Hanssen, Hans (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: SAGE Publishing [2019]
In: Archive for the psychology of religion
Year: 2019, Volume: 41, Issue: 3, Pages: 253-276
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Psychological counseling / Fear of life / Hospital minister / Therapeutic success
RelBib Classification:AE Psychology of religion
AG Religious life; material religion
ZD Psychology
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
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Description
Summary:Research has shown that addressing and integrating the existential dimension in treatment settings reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression and substance abuse. Healthcare chaplains are key personnel in this practice. A nationwide, cross-sectional survey influenced by a mixed-methods approach was used to examine the attitudes, practices, understanding and perceptions of mental health professionals, including healthcare chaplains, regarding the value of addressing the existential dimension in treatment programmes. The existential group practice was led by the healthcare chaplains as an integrated part of specialist mental health services. A positive and open attitude towards addressing the existential dimension was identified among the informants. Despite this, a small gap between attitude and practice was reported. Existential, religious and spiritual concerns are reported as part of the existential dimension and as relevant topics to be discussed in specialist mental health services. The findings indicate that the existential group practice could have a positive influence on the co-leaders’ competence to address existential, religious and spiritual concerns; however, this should be further investigated.
ISSN:1573-6121
Contains:Enthalten in: Archive for the psychology of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0084672419883345