Identity and Individuality in the Nouveau-Religious Patient

Abstract

Revitalized interest in the clinical complexities of psychotherapy with religious patients (for example, Bradford 1984; Lovinger 1984; Spero 1985a; Stern 1985) has drawn attention to the need for perspectives on religious personality development that account for healthy and adaptational aspects as well as psychopathological aspects of particular forms and levels of religious beliefs, enabling more creative, enriching psychotherapy. This search represents movement beyond the significance of infantile wish-fulfillment aspects of religiosity toward the broader domain of ego functioning and quality of object relations. Rizzuto (1976, 1979) and McDargh (1983) emphasize qualitative similarities between interpersonal object representations and God representations. Elkind (1971), using a Piagetian model, views religious beliefs and rituals as forms of constructive adaptation to normal cognitive needs for conservation, representation, symbols of relation, and comprehension. Meissner (1984) highlights the role of God concepts as transitional phenomena. In earlier papers, I have demonstrated the relationship between patients' use of religious themes and legends, quality of psychosexual and object relational achievements, and the consolidation of religious identity (Spero 1982a,b, 1986a,b). Throughout the preceding there is unequivocal recognition that religious development recapitulates many important aspects of healthy psychological development, and that in the case of pathological or dysfunctional religiosity something has gone wrong in an otherwise normal process. There is need to understand and if necessary distinguish between the development of religious belief in individuals whose ideological commitment is relatively constant from earliest childhood and its development in those who adopt or modify religious belief in later life, in conjunction with the many technical implications for psychotherapy. Clinical experience has taught that the process of religious change in later life represents a significant psychosocial crisis, requiring certain important psychological tasks in order to achieve successful resolution. In some instances, generally when there are preexisting difficulties or psychiatric disorders, the process of ideological change, either at the onset or during subsequent stages, takes on psychopathological momentum and quality. Clinicians who intervene at this juncture are confronted with patients whose primary complaints include malfunction in their religious lives or misuse of religious metaphor or behavior enmeshed with mild to serious personality disorder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Review of Religion and Mental Health

“…A "transitional theory" has also been proposed to account for the development of religious faith. Transition can refer to crises (Hall, 1986), identity issues (Spero, 1987), or coping strategies (Pargament, 1987). Cognitive attribution theory is also seen as relevant to the life-transitions model of religious development.…”

White Racial Identity Development and Religious Orientation

“…For example, studies have investigated religious practice from the perspective of Piaget's theory of cognitive development both in children (Elkind, 1964;Long, Elkind, & Spilka, 1967) and in adolescents (Allport, Gillespie, & Young, 1948;Goldman, 1964;Pealting, 1974). Other studies have examined the relationship between religion and moral development (Bull, 1969;Clouse, 1978), Erikson's theory of psychosocial development in children (Steele, 1986) and in adults (Whitehead & Whitehead, 1979), and transition theory (Hall, 1986;Spero, 1987). Although these authors have not concluded that religious development is a necessary part of psychological development, research over the years has established a connection between these two dimensions for those who profess religious belief.…”

A typological model for the assessment of religious groups

“…The social work values of acceptance and respect for cultural diversity and client self-determination support a spiritually-sensitive client-centered value framework for the assessment of religious groups. Several authors (Canda, 1990;Loewenberg, 1988;Spero, 1987;Siporin, 1990) have commented on the importance of reflecting on the impact that a practitioner's own values may have on the evaluation of clients' religious or spiritual concerns. A non-religious practitioner may tend to underestimate the importance of the spiritual or religious dimension for the client, and the sectarian or anti-religious practitioner must be cautious about being judgmental toward belief systems that seem foreign.…”