Evidence-Based Spiritual Practice: Using Research to Inform the Selection of Spiritual Interventions

Abstract

This article defines and illustrates the concept of evidence-based spiritual practice. Research suggests many practitioners use spiritual interventions in practice, but have received little training on spirituality during their social work education. To assist practitioners enhance the effectiveness of their services, this articles discusses the process of operationalizing the evidence-based framework to inform the use of spirituality in clinical settings. Given the distinguishing role that empirical research plays in the evidence-based movement, the article focuses on the role that research can play in selecting spiritual interventions. The article concludes with a discussion of how practitioners might access relevant research on spirituality and posits that Google Scholar may be useful in this regard, particularly for practitioners unaffiliated with an academic institution.

Keywords:

• evidence-based practice
• intervention
• religion
• research
• spirituality