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Article
Prayer and Marital Intervention: Toward an Open, Empirically-Grounded Dialogue
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (2008)
  • Steven R. H. Beach, University of Georgia
  • Frank D. Fincham, Florida State University
  • Tera R. Hurt, University of Georgia
  • Lily M. McNair, Spelman College
  • Scott M. Stanley, University of Denver
Abstract
In the lead article for this special section, we offered a framework to allow integration of prayer into marital interventions when culturally appropriate. Mindful of potential pitfalls, we concluded that effective skill based family intervention and prevention could benefit from integration of spiritual practices. In the commentaries, several additional issues were articulated and have prompted us to address the interrelated issues of doubt regarding efficacy, distrust of transformative processes, and the complexity of incorporating spiritual practices into marital interventions. Likewise, we discuss the ethics of integrating spiritual practices and acknowledge that the discussion is just beginning. We conclude that continued healthy debate regarding the potential benefits of spiritual interventions in the marital arena is desirable, but that there is no substitute for data.


Publication Date
2008
DOI
10.1521/jscp.2008.27.7.693
Publisher Statement
Prayer and Marital Intervention: Toward an Open, Empirically-Grounded Dialogue, Steven R. H. Beach, Frank D. Fincham, Tera R. Hurt, Lily M. McNair, Scott M. Stanley. 2008. Copyright Guilford Press. Reprinted
with permission of The Guilford Press.
Citation Information
Steven R. H. Beach, Frank D. Fincham, Tera R. Hurt, Lily M. McNair, et al.. "Prayer and Marital Intervention: Toward an Open, Empirically-Grounded Dialogue" Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology Vol. 27 Iss. 7 (2008) p. 693 - 710
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tera_hurt/14/