Date of Graduation
2006
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
College of Education and Human Services
Department
Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry
Committee Chair
Bob Marinelli
Committee Co-Chair
Margaret K. Glenn
Committee Member
Keith Rieder
Committee Member
David Srebalus
Committee Member
Richard Walls
Abstract
This study examined doctoral psychology training practices in religion and spirituality. The relationships between training, religious/spiritual beliefs, and self-reported competence to address spirituality in counseling were explored. Approximately 253 clinical and counseling psychology interns completed a demographic questionnaire, a survey of religious/spiritual training received, measures of religious commitment and of the personal importance of spirituality, and a measure of self-perceived competence in addressing religious/spiritual issues in counseling. The return rate was 28%. Results suggest that a majority of interns had not been offered specific training in religion/spirituality and counseling; a majority felt only moderately competent to address spirituality within counseling; level of training was positively related to self-perceived competence; level of personal religiousness/spirituality was positively related to self-perceived competence; doctoral programs housed within religiously affiliated schools offered more training on spirituality; and interns from religiously-affiliated schools had higher self-perceived competence to address spirituality in counseling.
Recommended Citation
Cassidy, Elizabeth J., "Religion and spirituality in professional psychologist training: A survey of interns." (2006). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 8585.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/8585