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Prayer: A Psychological Perspective
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Prayer: A Psychological Perspective

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 13445

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Beata Zarzycka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Psychology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin 20-075, Poland
Interests: methodology of the psychology of religion; religious struggle; prayer; deconversion; religious ingratiation; religion and health; experiential psychotherapy; relational depth

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Prayer can be considered the very soul and essence of religion and one of the most important personal religious activities in which a person may engage. The study of prayer has intrigued scholars from a variety of disciplines. Endless tomes have been penned about prayer from a theological perspective, however, the study of prayer can also be considered integral to the key themes of modern psychology, such as personality, perception, cognition, motivations, coping, adjustment, or well-being (Spilka and Ladd, 2013). Although psychology may properly concern itself with investigating empirical claims regarding the efficacy, consequences, or correlates of prayer, the empirical study of prayer still remains an underdeveloped field of research.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide an academic forum for theoretical and empirical examples of current research examining prayer from a psychological perspective as well as to connect and foster collaboration within the worldwide community of researchers who are interested in scientific study of prayer. Specifically, I invite original research papers, reviews, and meta-analyses from psychological perspectives to encourage thoughtful discussion about prayer, how are the forms of prayer, why people pray, how prayer may impact people’s lives, and how to assess prayer.

Example paper topics include but are not limited to:

  • Measuring and assessing prayer
  • Forms and expressions of prayer
  • Prayer from a developmental perspective
  • Predictors and correlates of prayer
  • Communicative aspects of prayer
  • Prayer in marriage and family
  • Prayer in coping and adjustment
  • Prayer and health, well-being, and quality of life
  • Prayer as therapeutic

Prof. Dr. Beata Zarzycka
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • psychology of prayer
  • content of prayer
  • prayer forms
  • development of prayer
  • correlates of prayer
  • functions of prayer

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 302 KiB  
Article
Identity Styles and Readiness to Enter into Interreligious Dialogue: The Moderating Function of Religiosity
by Elżbieta Rydz and Jakub Romaneczko
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1046; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13111046 - 02 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1262
Abstract
The aim of the study was to research moderating function of religiosity in the relationship between identity styles and the readiness to enter into interreligious dialogue in people in early, middle, and late adulthood. The result of the identity integration processes is the [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to research moderating function of religiosity in the relationship between identity styles and the readiness to enter into interreligious dialogue in people in early, middle, and late adulthood. The result of the identity integration processes is the achievement by an adult of a specific identity style, characterized by varying levels of openness to new information and experiences, including in the area of recognized values, especially religious ones. Previous studies have addressed the problem of the relationship between identity styles and religiosity, while a clear research gap can be noticed in the search for connections between identity styles and openness to religious diversity, religious tolerance and readiness to enter into interreligious dialogue. However, relationships between identity styles and personality openness to experience have been found, which refers to, inter alia, to tolerance and exploration of the unknown. It has been shown that the informational identity style is positively associated with openness to experience, as well as with caring, the need to know, and openness to ideas. Contemporary theoretical models emphasize that the religiosity of an individual can act as a contextual framework that gives meaning and directs the individual in their interpretation, understanding, and response to life experiences. In this paper, it was assumed that the religiosity of an individual may play a moderating role in the relationship between identity styles and the readiness to enter into interreligious dialogue. The study was conducted using the Test of readiness to enter into interreligious dialogue (TGDM), Identity Style Inventory (ISI-5) and The Duke University religion index (DUREL). The study involved 450 people in early, middle, and late adulthood, maintaining the gender ratio. Statistically significant positive correlations were obtained between informational identity style and all dimensions of readiness to enter interreligious dialogue and a negative correlation of this style with personal barriers to dialogue symmetry. The moderating function of religiosity for the relationship between identity styles and readiness to enter interreligious dialogue was confirmed for three relationships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prayer: A Psychological Perspective)
12 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
Older Adults with Dementia: Association of Prayer with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Function, and Sleep Disturbances
by Katherine Carroll Britt, Kathy C. Richards, Gayle Acton, Jill Hamilton and Kavita Radhakrishnan
Religions 2022, 13(10), 973; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13100973 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1839
Abstract
Protective factors that slow dementia progression and improve quality of life are needed. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), cognitive decline, and sleep disturbances are commonly found in dementia, indicate progression, and increase caregiver distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of [...] Read more.
Protective factors that slow dementia progression and improve quality of life are needed. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), cognitive decline, and sleep disturbances are commonly found in dementia, indicate progression, and increase caregiver distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of private prayer with NPS, cognitive function, and sleep disturbances in older adults with dementia. We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study in 2000, 2006, and 2008 and Aging, Demographics, and Memory Sub study in 2001–2003, 2006–2007, and 2008–2009 among 40 older adults (age 70–100 years, mean age = 84.67, 29 females and 11 males, 73.9% non-Hispanic White, and 19.2% Non-Hispanic Black, and 3% Hispanic, cognitive function = 1.169 indicating mild cognitive impairment) using correlational analysis. The results indicated that increased frequency of private prayer was significantly associated with lower NPS, better cognitive function, and lower sleep disturbances. In total, 100% of Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic participants reported praying at least once per week. Findings could be due to use of cognitive processes used in prayer during supplication, requesting aid, and through communication with the divine, reducing loneliness. Longitudinal studies including historically underrepresented populations are needed to examine these associations over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prayer: A Psychological Perspective)
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15 pages, 691 KiB  
Article
Multidimensional Prayer Inventory: Psychometric Properties and Clinical Applications
by Beata Zarzycka, Dariusz Krok, Kamil Tomaka and Radosław Rybarski
Religions 2022, 13(1), 79; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel13010079 - 16 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2761
Abstract
Prayer is one of the most important aspects of religious/spiritual life. The psychological literature has identified various types of prayer and a few methods for measuring it. The Multidimensional Prayer Inventory (MPI) has received much attention from researchers since it allows for the [...] Read more.
Prayer is one of the most important aspects of religious/spiritual life. The psychological literature has identified various types of prayer and a few methods for measuring it. The Multidimensional Prayer Inventory (MPI) has received much attention from researchers since it allows for the capture of the most universal forms of prayer, characteristic of the Judeo-Christian tradition: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, and Reception. The aim of this article was to examine psychometric properties and clinical applications of the Polish MPI. In four studies, we established the internal structure of the MPI using Principal Component Analysis (PCA, study 1) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, study 2), examined its validity and reliability in relation to religiousness (study 3), and analysed its clinical application (study 4). The Polish MPI has been confirmed as a reliable and valid measure of five types of prayer for use in research settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prayer: A Psychological Perspective)
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8 pages, 803 KiB  
Article
The Validity of Prayer Importance Scale (PIS)
by Małgorzata Tatala and Marcin Wojtasiński
Religions 2021, 12(11), 1032; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel12111032 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2921
Abstract
Prayer is a central element of religiosity but research has focused primarily on distinguishing its types and analyzing its functional aspect. A particularly important issue is the subjective evaluation of prayer importance, which so far has not been reflected in the form of [...] Read more.
Prayer is a central element of religiosity but research has focused primarily on distinguishing its types and analyzing its functional aspect. A particularly important issue is the subjective evaluation of prayer importance, which so far has not been reflected in the form of an independent psychometric tool. This is why the goal of the presented study was to develop Prayer Importance Scale (PIS) based on Tatala’s definition of the concept. Two studies were conducted to verify reliability and validity of the tool. The proposed model was found to fit the data well. Correlations of PIS with basic parameters of religiosity: religious awareness, religious feelings, religious decisions, bond with a fellowship of believers, religious practices, religious morality, religious experience and forms of profession of faith were found to be significant. PIS can be a quick method providing information on the degree of religiosity and be used in participant selection in research studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prayer: A Psychological Perspective)
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16 pages, 495 KiB  
Article
“Yes, in Crisis We Pray”. The Role of Prayer in Coping with Pandemic Fears
by Roman Ryszard Szałachowski and Wioletta Tuszyńska-Bogucka
Religions 2021, 12(10), 824; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rel12100824 - 01 Oct 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3352
Abstract
Based on the concepts of Huber’s centrality of religiosity as psychosocial resource, a non-experimental, moderated mediation project was designed in a group of 176 women and 84 men, who voluntarily participated in an online study, analysing the relationship between the prayer and the [...] Read more.
Based on the concepts of Huber’s centrality of religiosity as psychosocial resource, a non-experimental, moderated mediation project was designed in a group of 176 women and 84 men, who voluntarily participated in an online study, analysing the relationship between the prayer and the fears (for health, economy/finances, social life and family relations) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the general tendency in dependencies between variables. Among the assessed components of religiousness crucial for alleviating the fears of the COVID-19 pandemic, two forms of prayer—Private Practice and Public Practice—turned out to be the most important. Private Practice seemed to appease the fears of threats to family and social relationships of persons assessed, while Public Practice was revealed as the predictor of intensifying of the general, summed up level of fears. The areas of health (illness threat) and financial security fears were not associated neither with prayer nor any other components of religiousness. It means a selective predictive associating of prayer with the appeasing of only specific types of fears, namely those of a social nature. The results obtained point to the importance of the addressed topic in the context of searching for psycho resources in coping with difficult situations and determining their impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prayer: A Psychological Perspective)
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