In sickness and in health : including the spiritual domain as an aspect of psychological assessment

In recent times there have been calls for health professionals to take a more holistic approach to client care, one that considers the spiritual domain of human experience. In response, the spirituality-psychological health link is increasingly being explored in research (e.g., Proctor et al., in review a/b). Clinically and therapeutically, the spiritual needs and experiences of clients are being increasingly considered when planning protocols of care, especially in the areas of serious and life-threatening illness, death and bereavement (e.g., Anderson et al., 2005; Plante & Sherman, 2001

The God Attachment Interview Schedule : implicit and explicit assessment of attachment to God

Set within an attachment theory developmental perspective, the thesis explored attachment to God as a psychological construct, both theoretical and as experienced within individual Christians’ relationships with God. The dual focus of the interview process, conducted between 31 predominantly Australian born individuals, was to identify 1/ whether individual Christians experienced God functioning as an activity as an attachment figure, and 2/ whether aspects of their relationship with God were able to be identified as attachment experiences. Three types of analyses were conducted. Findings suggested that the ‘attachment to God’ construct was more complex than previously understood, suggestive of an underlying developmental progression. Findings are discussed in relation to debates concerning ‘implicit’ versus ‘explicit’ features of attachment to God, and developmental features including ‘correspondence’ and ‘compensatory’ hypotheses. ACCESS RESTRICTION: ABSTRACT ONL

Conversations about God : spirituality and qualitative research approaches not so strange bedfellows

Exploring the trans-discipline construct “attachment to God” (a variable with links to theology and psychology) to tap its experiential richness and depth presented some methodological challenges. This paper reviews predominately qualitative approaches were utilized to investigate the construct. Thirty-one predominately Christians ranging in age from 18 to 77 years participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews (God Attachment Interview Schedule (GAIS), responding to questions about their retrospective and current relationship with God

"On the outside looking in" : reflections on working with vulnerable populations and with challenging topics

Undertaking qualitative research within vulnerable populations presents challenges and opportunities for exploring how to sensitively gather information ethically, effectively, and responsibly. It affords remarkable opportunities to explore/examine sensitive, difficult and emotive human experiences in situ, akin to opening a window to let the sun shine into a darken room. This “illuminating” process can significantly aid health care professionals working with vulnerable persons. Dealing with sensitive topics has its own challenges. Combining a vulnerable population and a sensitive topic requires the researcher demonstrate patience, compassion, a capacity to connect with another inside their story and an underlying willingness to sit with their and sometimes one’s own discomfort

"On the outside looking in" : reflections on working with vulnerable populations and with challenging topics

Undertaking qualitative research within vulnerable populations presents challenges and opportunities for exploring how to sensitively gather information ethically, effectively, and responsibly. It affords remarkable opportunities to explore/examine sensitive, difficult and emotive human experiences in situ, akin to opening a window to let the sun shine into a darken room. This “illuminating” process can significantly aid health care professionals working with vulnerable persons. Dealing with sensitive topics has its own challenges. Combining a vulnerable population and a sensitive topic requires the researcher demonstrate patience, compassion, a capacity to connect with another inside their story and an underlying willingness to sit with their and sometimes one’s own discomfort

Conversations about God : spirituality and qualitative research approaches not so strange bedfellows

Exploring the trans-discipline construct “attachment to God” (a variable with links to theology and psychology) to tap its experiential richness and depth presented some methodological challenges. This paper reviews predominately qualitative approaches were utilized to investigate the construct. Thirty-one predominately Christians ranging in age from 18 to 77 years participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews (God Attachment Interview Schedule (GAIS), responding to questions about their retrospective and current relationship with God

Spiritual attachment in Islam and Christianity : similarities and differences

Theory and measurement of attachment to God have largely been developed from a western Christian perspective. However, the relevance of the attachment construct for Muslims should be examined if it is to contribute to a greater understanding of Islamic spirituality and psychological health. In this paper, we explore similarities and differences between Islamic and Christian understandings of human-divine relationships. We consider evidence of a common core of attachment themes of relevance to both religions, and whether different dimensions are emphasised in religious writings of the two traditions. This theoretical work is foundational for cross-cultural/cross-religious research. We argue that a core difference between the two faiths is that Muslims approach God in a less direct, more mediated fashion than Christians. Such differences have important implications for the wording of self-report assessment items and approaches to interventions designed to increase the security of Christians' and Muslims' attachment to God and mental health

Giving 'voice' to families' experiences of living with a pediatric life-limiting condition : an Australian story

Within pediatric health there are probably no more vulnerable children than those diagnosed with lifelimiting condition and their families who care for and support them throughout their illness journey. Qualitative interview-based research provides an ideal means by which to tap into and learn from such families’ illness journey related experience. This paper is a review of a large qualitative project that is offering a unique insight into the lives of 29 Australian families with ill children/adolescents (91 persons:mothers, fathers, ill children, well siblings, and extended family members). Their “voices” provide a glimpse into family life, illuminating how life limiting illness affects it and ripples out through the family system. Drawing from the diverse project findings, the current paper focuses on families’ experiences of and the strategies they employ for managing family life. The authors will consider a range of issues that seep through and affect families’ quality of life, for example balancing often competing needs of familymembers. Factors that facilitate or, alternately, undermine their coping are also considered. Families’individual and collective narratives provide a crucial glimpse into the nature and quality of family life as families care for and support seriously ill children and adolescents. The study attests to the power ofqualitative research to bring to “life” sensitive and emotive human experience, providing health care professionals an opportunity to examine and reflect upon how the quality and delivery of care can add to and or detract from the quality of families’ lives

Research with vulnerable families caring for children with life-limiting conditions

Methodological challenges associated with sensitive research, such as research with vulnerable families, have been well described, but there are few examples of how such challenges have been addressed in specific projects. To help address this gap, we describe how we designed and conducted a qualitative study of 91 members of 29 families caring for children or young people with life-limiting conditions. Although some issues associated with researching sensitive topics were anticipated, others were encountered that were not expected. We discuss insights gained from this study in relation to factors that influence effectiveness of recruitment, the quality of data collection, and the safety of participants and researchers