Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

by Edward B. Davis (Editor), Everett L. Worthington Jr. (Editor), Sarah A. Schnitker (Editor)

Overview

This handbook aims to bridge the gap between the fields of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. It is the authoritative guide to the intersections among religion, spirituality, and positive psychology and includes the following sections: (1) historical and theoretical considerations, (2) methodological considerations, (3) cultural considerations, (4) developmental considerations, (5) empirical research on happiness and well-being in relation to religion and spirituality, (6) empirical research on character strengths and virtues in relation to religion and spirituality, (7) clinical and applied considerations, and (8) field unification and advancement. Leading positive psychologists and psychologists of religion/spirituality have coauthored the chapters, drawing on expertise from their respective fields. The handbook is useful for social and clinical scientists, practitioners in helping professions, practitioners in religious and spiritual fields, andstudents of psychology and religion/spirituality.

This is an open access book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031102769
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	11/18/2022
Edition description:	1st ed. 2023
Pages:	513
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Edward B. Davis, Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College (IL), has published over 100 articles and chapters, mostly on the intersections of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. He also is a licensed clinical psychologist who practices from a positive psychology framework that often is spiritually integrative. Davis has procured more than $4 million in funding as a principal investigator on research grants and was the recipient of the 2020 Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division 36 (Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality).

Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, has published over 500 articles and chapters and over 45 books on positive psychology, religion/spirituality, and the hope-focused couple approach. He does an essentially equal amount of basic scientific and applied research. He has co-edited several Springer-published handbooks.

Sarah A. Schnitker, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, studies virtue and character development in adolescents and emerging adults, with a focus on the role of spirituality/religion and technology in virtue formation. Schnitker has procured more than $6 million in funding as a principal investigator on multiple research grants and has published over 50 articles and chapters.

Table of Contents

Part I: Historical and Theoretical Considerations.- Integrating Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality: Transcending Coexistence to Potentiate Coevolution.- Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality in Historical Perspective.- On the Integration of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality: Logical, Normative, and Methodological Questions.- Virtues in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Theories of Health and Well-Being Germane to a Positive Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Meaning as a Framework for Integrating Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religiousness and Spirituality.- Part II: Methodological Considerations.- Measurement at the Intersection of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Methodological Diversity in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Part III: Cultural Considerations.-Cultural Considerations in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Positive Psychology and Christianity.- Positive Psychology and Judaism.- Living the Good Life: An Islamic Perspective on Positive Psychology.- Positive Psychology and Hinduism.- Positive Psychology and Buddhism.- "Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Europe, Non-U.S. North America, and South America".- Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.- Part IV: Developmental Considerations.- Religion, Spirituality, and Youth Thriving: Investigating the Roles of the Developing Mind and Meaning-Making.- Religious/Spiritual Development and Positive Psychology: Toward an Integrative Theory.- Part V: Happiness and Well-Being.- The Scientific Study of Life Satisfaction and Religion/Spirituality.- The Scientific Study of Positive Emotions and Religion/Spirituality.- The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Physical Health.- The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Mental Health.- Part VI: Character Strengths and Virtues.- The Scientific Study of Religion/Spirituality, Forgiveness, and Hope.- Religion/Spirituality and the Twin Virtues of Humility and Gratitude.- Theological Virtues, Health, and Well-Being: Theory, Research, and Public Health.- Part VII: Clinical and Applied Considerations.- Integrating Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and a Virtue Focus Within Culturally Responsive Mental Healthcare.- Meaningfulness and Religious/Spiritual Meaning Systems at Work: A Multilevel Framework.- Positive Psychology and Religiousness/Spirituality in the Context of Couples and Families.- Positive Psychology in the Context of Religious Communities.- Building Spiritual Fortitude and Resilience Following Disaster: Synthesizing the Contributions of Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality.- Part VIII: Field Unification and Advancement.- Future Directions for the Positive Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Book Endorsement Statements for the Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

“Most classical treatises of religion in psychology and related disciplines have taken a deficiency approach to the topic—religion as a defense against threat, danger, insecurity, and death. Since the launch of positive psychology, research has—again and again—demonstrated the one-sided nature of such treatises. Religion and spirituality also provide sources for growth—security, meaning, belonging, self-transcendence, and more. The Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality provides a masterful, comprehensive review of theory, research, and clinical applications at the exciting intersection between the psychology of religion/spirituality and positive psychology. It also demonstrates that each of those fields is incomplete without the other. This book should be in the shelf of every serious student of religion, spirituality, and psychology.”

- Pehr Granqvist, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Skholm University

Author of Attachment in Religion and Spirituality: A Wider View (Guilford Press)

https://www.su.se/english/profiles/pgran-1.186804

https://www.guilford.com/books/Attachment-in-Religion-and-Spirituality/Pehr-Granqvist/9781462542680

“An epic moment for human flourishing resides within the synergy of positive psychology and spirituality. Within this volume is found the next frontier of positive psychology, exponentially expanded through spiritual awareness; and so too the translation of spiritual experience into lived positive cognition, behavioral habit, and practice. The editors of this volume help clear a rich new terrain for the next generation of humanitarian practitioners, researchers and scholars.”

- Lisa Miller, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Education, Founder of the Spirituality, Mild, Body Institute (SMBI), Teachers College, Columbia University

- Editor of The Oxford University Press Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality (2^nd ed.; Oxford University Press)

- Author of The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life (Random House) and The Spiritual Child: The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving (MacMillan)

- https://www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/lfm14/

- https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-psychology-and-spirituality-9780190905538?cc=us&lang=en&

- https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608347/the-awakened-brain-by-lisa-miller-phd/

- https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250033833/thespiritualchild

“At last! This broad-based, creative, integrative handbook really helps to fill a niche by focusing directly on the interface between positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. I especially appreciated the inclusion of a variety of faith traditions and the chance for ‘deep dives’ into so many aspects of positive psychology.”

- Julie J. Exline, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University

- Co-Author of Working With Spiritual Struggles in Psychotherapy: From Research to Practice

- https://psychsciences.case.edu/faculty/julie-exline/ https://www.guilford.com/books/Working-with-Spiritual-Struggles-in-Psychotherapy/Pargament-Exline/9781462524310

Editorial Reviews

We encourage you to approach this book as an intellectual meal to savor slowly and mindfully. … We encourage you to approach this handbook with that vista of possibility in mind. Search for reasons that might be beneficial for positive psychology to integrate R/S more into its theorizing, empirical research, and practical applications. … Ultimately, we hope this chapter’s suggestions will inform what you “eat” and digest from this book … .” (, Scriptable, rtreview.org, Vol. 116, November, 2023)

From the Publisher