Religion and Spirituality in Group Counseling: Beliefs and Practices of University Counseling Center Counselors

Abstract

Fifty-four counselors at 9 university counseling centers participated in a study regarding religion and spirituality (R/S) in group counseling. The majority indicated that R/S is an appropriate topic for group counseling and that some religious and spiritual interventions are appropriate to use. However, counselors rarely use these interventions. Counselors endorsed higher ratings for spiritual interventions compared to their religious counterparts. After reading 1 of 2 vignettes depicting either a religious or spiritual concern raised by a group client, counselors rated their likelihood of responding in different ways. We observed no differences in the responses based on the different vignettes.

Keywords:

• group counseling
• group therapy
• religion
• spirituality

Notes

Note: N = 54. 1 = never appropriate, 2 = rarely appropriate, 3 = occasionally appropriate, 4 = usually appropriate, 5 = almost always appropriate, 6 = always appropriate. Items ranked from most to least appropriate, based on the mean. Item numbers on left side refer to the order they were presented to participants. % 4 + refers to the percentage of participants rating each item as 4, 5, or 6 (indicating the item is perceived as more than occasionally appropriate).

Note: N = 53. 1 = never, 2 = rarely, 3 = occasionally, 4 = usually, 5 = almost always, 6 = always. Items ranked from most to least used, based on means. Item numbers on left refer to the order they were presented to participants. % 4 + refers to the percentage of participants rating each item as 4, 5 or 6 (indicating the intervention is used more than occasionally).

Note: N = 53. 1 = definitely would not, 3 = probably would not, 5 = probably would, 7 = definitely would. Items ranked from most to least likely, based on means. Item numbers on left refer to the order they were presented to participants. % 5 + refers to the percentage of participants rating each item as 5, 6, or 7 (indicating the percentage of participants who at least “probably would” engage in these responses).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brian C. Post

Brian C. Post, M.S., Marilyn A. Cornish, M.S., and Jeritt R. Tucker, M.S., are doctoral candidates in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Iowa State University. Nathaniel G. Wade, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University.