Spirituality, Faith, and Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

McGee, Jocelyn; Myers, Dennis R.; Carlson, Holly; Funai, Angela Pool; Barclay, Paul

doi:10.1163/9789004252073_010

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Our study findings are consistent with previous publications [56,57]. In a longitudinal study over 12 months in Italy, Coin et al [56] found that older adults with Alzheimer's disease-related dementia (N = 64) who reported higher religiosity (i.e., frequency of prayer, religious attendance, and reading religious materials) and spirituality had slower behavioral and cognitive decline compared to those with lower religiosity and spirituality.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In a longitudinal study over 12 months in Italy, Coin et al [56] found that older adults with Alzheimer's disease-related dementia (N = 64) who reported higher religiosity (i.e., frequency of prayer, religious attendance, and reading religious materials) and spirituality had slower behavioral and cognitive decline compared to those with lower religiosity and spirituality. Among 28 older adults with mild Alzheimer's disease-related dementia, McGee et al [57] reported that negative religious coping (i.e., religious struggles and doubts) was associated with behavioral and psychological expression frequency. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show associations between religious service attendance and NPS, including sleep disturbances, in an all-cause dementia sample in the U.S.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of Religious Service Attendance and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Disturbances in All-Cause Dementia

Britt

Richards

Acton

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Commonly reported in dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), cognitive decline, and sleep disturbances indicate dementia progression. With the growing dementia burden, identifying protective factors that may slow dementia progression is increasingly essential. Religion and spirituality are associated with better mental and physical health, yet few studies have been reported in older adults with dementia. This study examines associations between religious service attendance and symptoms of dementia progression. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study in 2000, 2006, and 2008 and the sub-study, Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study in 2001–2003, 2006–2007, and 2008–2009, we examined the association of religious attendance with neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive function, and sleep disturbances among U.S. older adults aged 70 years and older with all-cause dementia (N = 72) using Spearman’s partial Rho correlation controlling for social interaction. Significant associations were identified for religious attendance and NPS (rs (97) = –0.124, 95% CI [–0.129, –0.119], p < 0.0005); cognitive function, rs (97) = –0.018, 95% CI [–0.023, –0.013], p < 0.001); and sleep disturbances, rs (97) = –0.275, 95% CI [–0.280, –0.271], p < 0.0005). Beyond adjusting for social interaction, increased religious attendance was associated with lower NPS, better cognitive function, and fewer sleep disturbances. Clinical trials and longitudinal studies with a larger sample size examining religion and spirituality factors with dementia progression are warranted.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Religious Service Attendance and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Disturbances in All-Cause Dementia

Britt

Richards

Acton

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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“…R/S struggle has been consistently associated with higher levels of psychological distress in the context of stressful events (McGee et al, 2013; Pedersen et al, 2013; Sherman et al, 2009). This study identifies burdens within the orienting system that may increase the severity of R/S struggle after stressful life events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although R/S struggle is not necessarily highly prevalent or experienced at intensive levels (Abu-Raiya, Pargament, Krause, & Ironson, 2015; Ellison, Fang, Flannelly, & Steckler, 2013), it is predictive of outcomes. R/S struggle is consistently associated with negative outcomes including higher levels of depression (Ai, Park, Huang, Rodgers, & Tice, 2007; Ellison et al, 2013) and anxiety (McConnell, Pargament, Ellison, & Flannelly, 2006; McGee, Myers, Carlson, Funai, & Barclay, 2013; Sherman, Plante, Simonton, Latif, & Anaissie, 2009), lower levels of life satisfaction and quality of life (Pargament, Koenig, Tarakeshwar, & Hahn, 2004; Pedersen, Pedersen, Pargament, & Zachariae, 2013; Tarakeshwar et al, 2006), greater distress (Brelsford, Mondell, Raldiris, & Ramirez, 2015; Wilt, Exline, Grubbs, Park, & Pargament, 2016), and difficulty adjusting to loss (Lichtenthal, Burke, & Neimeyer, 2011; Wortmann, Park, & Edmondson, 2012). These relationships also emerge in studies of pastoral professionals that have shown that spiritual dryness, an indicator of R/S struggle characterized by feeling “spiritually empty” and distant from God, is associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion (Chandler, 2009) and anxiety and depression (Frick, Büssing, Baumann, Weig, & Jacobs, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Stressful events and religious/spiritual struggle: Moderating effects of the general orienting system.

Trevino¹,

Pargäment²,

Krause³

et al. 2019

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

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Religious/spiritual struggle (R/S struggle) often occurs in the context of stressful life events and is consistently associated with higher levels of psychological distress. However, little is known about the factors that cushion or exacerbate the effects of stressful life events on R/S struggle. The orienting system is an individual’s general way of viewing and dealing with the world and includes resources and burdens for handling stressful events. This study examines the moderating effect of emotional, social, spiritual, behavioral, and cognitive domains of the orienting system on the relationship between stressful life events and R/S struggle in a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Multiple indicators of each domain were examined. The results indicated that emotional (anger, death anxiety), social (social isolation), behavioral (smoking status), and spiritual (insecure relationship with God) burdens moderated the relationship between stressful life events and R/S struggle. Cognitive (self-esteem, optimism), social (emotional support), and spiritual (religious hope) resources did not moderate this relationship. These results indicate that multiple components of the orienting system function as burdens that magnify the relationship between stressful life events and R/S struggle. Further, these findings point to potential clinical targets for reducing the intensity of R/S struggle in the context of stressful life events.

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“…The caregivers in this study reported that the use of familiar R/S resources, which included playing old church services and using R/S objects (i.e., rosary beads), appeared to calm their loved ones with ADRD. Positive associations between religion or spirituality and mood and behavior in ADRD have been reported in other studies (Coin et al, 2010;McGee et al, 2013). Connecting older adults with ADRD to familiar R/S sources of meaning and purpose could serve as an important resource for treating behavioral expressions such as agitation, restlessness, and anxiety.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Religion, Spirituality, and Coping During the Pandemic: Perspectives of Dementia Caregivers

et al. 2022

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Religious and spiritual (R/S) practices support individuals during difficult situations. The COVID-19 social distancing restrictions may have limited access to R/S practices for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease related dementia (ADRD) and their caregivers, affecting coping and well-being. This qualitative study explored the impact of social distancing on R/S practices and coping in ADRD-caregiver dyads from the perspective of caregivers. Interviews were conducted with 11 family caregivers of older adults with ADRD residing in nursing homes ( n = 4) or private homes ( n = 7). Caregivers continued individual and started virtual R/S practices which improved their ability to cope. However, organized R/S practices were unavailable for those with ADRD, but they used prayer and read religious texts which noticeably improved their mood. Healthcare professionals’ sharing of individual and community R/S resources available for ADRD-caregiver dyads could decrease anxiety and agitation, while improving their ability to cope with increased isolation.

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Spirituality, Faith, and Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Association of Religious Service Attendance and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Disturbances in All-Cause Dementia

Association of Religious Service Attendance and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Disturbances in All-Cause Dementia

Stressful events and religious/spiritual struggle: Moderating effects of the general orienting system.

Religion, Spirituality, and Coping During the Pandemic: Perspectives of Dementia Caregivers

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