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Laird B, Zuniga S, Hook JN, Van Tongeren DR, Joeman L, Huberty J. Mental Health and Well-Being in Racial or Ethnic Minority Individuals After Using a Faith and Prayer Mobile App (Pray.com): Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy Trial. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e52560. [PMID: 38306173 PMCID: PMC10873801 DOI: 10.2196/52560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research is needed on how faith and prayer apps fit within the values of racial and ethnic minority (REM) groups, as well as whether such apps are effective in promoting mental health and well-being. OBJECTIVE This study aims to determine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of using the mobile app Pray.com on mental health and well-being among REM participants. METHODS This study was a single-group (N=77), 4-week feasibility trial in REM groups (65/77, 84% Black or African American). Participants were asked to use the Pray.com app at no cost for at least 5 times per week for 5 minutes per day. Participants completed questionnaires at the baseline and postintervention time points. Feasibility questionnaires were only completed at the postintervention time point, including qualitative interviews (n=15). The feasibility questions included acceptability (ie, satisfaction, intent to continue use, perceived appropriateness, and fit within culture), demand (ie, self-reported app use, expressed interest, and perceived demand), and practicality (ie, ease or difficulty of use, ability to use the app, and cost-effectiveness). Frequency and descriptive statistics were used to analyze feasibility outcomes. Changes in dependent variables were analyzed using paired-sample 2-tailed t tests. Partial correlations were conducted to explore the association between app use and outcomes, controlling for baseline scores. RESULTS Participants reported (54/72, 75% responded with "very likely" or "likely" to the feasibility questions) that they perceived the Pray.com app as acceptable. These findings were supported by qualitative interviews (n=15). Most participants (62/72, 86%) did not meet the app use prescription but expressed interest in using the app in the future and perceived demand for it in their communities. In addition, participants reported that the app was easy to use and perceived it to be inexpensive (US $7.99). Participants reported improved mental health (ie, stress and depressive and anxiety symptoms) and well-being (ie, satisfaction with life, spiritual well-being, religious commitment, and racial or ethnic identity development) at postintervention despite relatively low average levels and high variability of app use (average total of 45.83, SD 111.90 min over the course of the study). Greater app use was significantly associated with improvements in mental health and spiritual well-being. However, app use and study methodology limitations suggest that the study results may not accurately capture the full impact of Pray.com use. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to assess the feasibility of a faith and prayer app for mental health and well-being in a sample of REM individuals. Our findings suggest that the use of a faith and prayer app (ie, Pray.com) could be feasible and significantly impactful for the improvement of mental health symptoms and well-being in REM individuals and their communities, especially Black and African American individuals with a Christian affiliation. Further research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabrina Zuniga
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Joshua N Hook
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
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Luhrmann TM, Alderson-Day B, Bell V, Bless JJ, Corlett P, Hugdahl K, Jones N, Larøi F, Moseley P, Padmavati R, Peters E, Powers AR, Waters F. Beyond Trauma: A Multiple Pathways Approach to Auditory Hallucinations in Clinical and Nonclinical Populations. Schizophr Bull 2019; 45:S24-S31. [PMID: 30715545 PMCID: PMC6357973 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sby110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
That trauma can play a significant role in the onset and maintenance of voice-hearing is one of the most striking and important developments in the recent study of psychosis. Yet the finding that trauma increases the risk for hallucination and for psychosis is quite different from the claim that trauma is necessary for either to occur. Trauma is often but not always associated with voice-hearing in populations with psychosis; voice-hearing is sometimes associated with willful training and cultivation in nonclinical populations. This article uses ethnographic data among other data to explore the possibility of multiple pathways to voice-hearing for clinical and nonclinical individuals whose voices are not due to known etiological factors such as drugs, sensory deprivation, epilepsy, and so forth. We suggest that trauma sometimes plays a major role in hallucinations, sometimes a minor role, and sometimes no role at all. Our work also finds seemingly distinct phenomenological patterns for voice-hearing, which may reflect the different salience of trauma for those who hear voices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Marie Luhrmann
- Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Building 50, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; tel.: 650-723-3421, fax: 650-725-0605, e-mail:
| | | | - Vaughan Bell
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Josef J Bless
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Philip Corlett
- Department of Psychiatry, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Kenneth Hugdahl
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway,Department of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Nev Jones
- Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Frank Larøi
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway,Norwegian Center of Excellence for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway,Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Peter Moseley
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK,School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | | | - Emmanuelle Peters
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, London, UK,Psychological Interventions Clinic for Outpatients with Psychosis, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), London, England, UK
| | - Albert R Powers
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Flavie Waters
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Clinical Research Centre, Graylands Health Campus, North Metropolitan Health Service, Mental Health, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
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Ironson G, Kremer H, Lucette A. Relationship Between Spiritual Coping and Survival in Patients with HIV. J Gen Intern Med 2016; 31:1068-76. [PMID: 27149968 PMCID: PMC4978670 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-016-3668-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of spirituality in initially healthy people have shown a survival advantage, yet there are fewer research studies in the medically ill, despite the widespread use of spirituality/religiousness to cope with serious physical illness. In addition, many studies have used limited measures such as religious service attendance. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine if, independent of medication adherence, the use of spirituality/religiousness to cope with HIV predicts survival over 17 years. DESIGN This was a longitudinal study, started in 1997. Study materials were administered semi annually. PARTICIPANTS A diverse sample of 177 HIV patients initially in the mid-stage of disease (150-500 CD4-cells/mm(3); no prior AIDS-defining symptoms) participated in the study. MAIN MEASURES Participants were administered a battery of psychosocial questionnaires and a blood draw. They completed interviews and essays to assess current stressors. Spiritual coping (overall/strategies) was rated by qualitative content analysis of interviews regarding stress and coping with HIV, and essays. KEY RESULTS Controlling for medical variables (baseline CD4/viral load) and demographics, Cox regression analyses showed that overall positive spiritual coping significantly predicted greater survival over 17 years (mortality HR = 0.56, p = 0.039). Findings held even after controlling for health behaviors (medication adherence, substance use) and social support. Particular spiritual coping strategies that predicted longer survival included spiritual practices (HR = 0.26, p < 0.001), spiritual reframing (HR = 0.27, p = 0.006), overcoming spiritual guilt (HR = 0.24, p < 0.001), spiritual gratitude (HR = 0.40, p = 0.002), and spiritual empowerment (HR = 0.52, p = 0.024), indicating that people using these strategies were 2-4 times more likely to survive. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge this is the first study showing a prospective relationship of spiritual coping in people who are medically ill with survival over such a long period of time, and also specifically identifies several strategies of spirituality that may be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Ironson
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33124-0751, USA.
| | - Heidemarie Kremer
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33124-0751, USA
| | - Aurelie Lucette
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33124-0751, USA
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