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Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pearce, MJ; Koenig, HG; Robins, CJ; Nelson, B; Shaw, SF; Cohen, HJ; King, MB
Published in: Psychotherapy (Chic)
March 2015

Intervention studies have found that psychotherapeutic interventions that explicitly integrate clients' spiritual and religious beliefs in therapy are as effective, if not more so, in reducing depression than those that do not for religious clients. However, few empirical studies have examined the effectiveness of religiously (vs. spiritually) integrated psychotherapy, and no manualized mental health intervention had been developed for the medically ill with religious beliefs. To address this gap, we developed and implemented a novel religiously integrated adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of depression in individuals with chronic medical illness. This article describes the development and implementation of the intervention. First, we provide a brief overview of CBT. Next, we describe how religious beliefs and behaviors can be integrated into a CBT framework. Finally, we describe Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RCBT), a manualized therapeutic approach designed to assist depressed individuals to develop depression-reducing thoughts and behaviors informed by their own religious beliefs, practices, and resources. This treatment approach has been developed for 5 major world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism), increasing its potential to aid the depressed medically ill from a variety of religious backgrounds.

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Published In

Psychotherapy (Chic)

DOI

EISSN

1939-1536

Publication Date

March 2015

Volume

52

Issue

1

Start / End Page

56 / 66

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Chronic Disease
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Pearce, M. J., Koenig, H. G., Robins, C. J., Nelson, B., Shaw, S. F., Cohen, H. J., & King, M. B. (2015). Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Psychotherapy (Chic), 52(1), 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036448
Pearce, Michelle J., Harold G. Koenig, Clive J. Robins, Bruce Nelson, Sally F. Shaw, Harvey J. Cohen, and Michael B. King. “Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness.Psychotherapy (Chic) 52, no. 1 (March 2015): 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036448.
Pearce MJ, Koenig HG, Robins CJ, Nelson B, Shaw SF, Cohen HJ, et al. Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2015 Mar;52(1):56–66.
Pearce, Michelle J., et al. “Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness.Psychotherapy (Chic), vol. 52, no. 1, Mar. 2015, pp. 56–66. Pubmed, doi:10.1037/a0036448.
Pearce MJ, Koenig HG, Robins CJ, Nelson B, Shaw SF, Cohen HJ, King MB. Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2015 Mar;52(1):56–66.

Published In

Psychotherapy (Chic)

DOI

EISSN

1939-1536

Publication Date

March 2015

Volume

52

Issue

1

Start / End Page

56 / 66

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Treatment Outcome
  • Religion and Psychology
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Chronic Disease