Article
Prayer and Marital Intervention: a Conceptual Framework
Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology
(2008)
Abstract
Discomfort with the integration of spiritual activities into marital interventions may be a response by practitioners to the weakness of available conceptual frameworks. We offer a framework that allows for integration of prayer into marital interventions (educational or therapeutic), and argue that when culturally appropriate, prayer can serve multiple functions in interventions that are consistent with traditional goals of skill-based approaches. Several specific ways in which prayer can be either an alternative or an addition to existing intervention strategies are outlined. The potential negative effects of prayer for couples and the dangers of integrating prayer into programs are also discussed. We conclude that effective skill-based family intervention and prevention with some traditionally underserved groups may require increased attention to integration of spiritual practices that are common in those groups.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2008
DOI
10.1521/jscp.2008.27.7.641
Publisher Statement
Prayer and Marital Intervention: a Conceptual Framework, 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 D. McNair, et al.. "Prayer and Marital Intervention: a Conceptual Framework" Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology Vol. 27 Iss. 7 (2008) p. 641 - 669 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tera_hurt/15/