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Participation in Spiritual Healing, Religiosity, and Mental Health *
Author(s) -
Glik Deborah Carrow
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1990.tb00136.x
Subject(s) - religiosity , charisma , psychosocial , distress , mental health , context (archaeology) , psychology , emotional distress , clinical psychology , mental distress , social psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , anxiety , political science , geography , law , archaeology
Survey data are used to examine the relationship between religiosity and psychosocial distress among persons in Christian, charismatic (n = 83), “New Age,”“metaphysical” healing groups (n = 93), and a comparison group of medical patients (n = 137). Data partially support the hypothesis that religiosity is an independent predictor of positive mental health. However, the relationships vary by type of healing group, by psychosocial distress indicator used, and by type of religious belief. These findings are discussed within the context of self selection into healing groups, the social causes of distress, and the magico‐religious nature of healing groups.