Integrating clients’ religion and spirituality within psychotherapy: A comprehensive meta‐analysis

Captari, Laura E.; Hook, Joshua N.; Hoyt, William; Davis, Don E.; McElroy‐Heltzel, Stacey E.; Worthington, Everett L.

doi:10.1002/jclp.22681

Cited by 233Religion, Spirituality, and PsychologyPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsMindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Integrating clients’ religion and spirituality within psychotherapy: A comprehensive meta‐analysis

Captari, Laura E., Hook, Joshua N., Hoyt, William, Davis, Don E., McElroy‐Heltzel, Stacey E., Worthington, Everett L.·2018·Journal of Clinical Psychology

DOI 10.1002/jclp.22681

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Abstract

Some religious or spiritual (R/S) clients seek psychotherapy that integrates R/S values, while others may be reticent to disclose R/S‐related aspects of struggles in a presumably secular setting. We meta‐analyzed 97 outcome studies (N = 7,181) examining the efficacy of tailoring treatment to patients’ R/S beliefs and values. We compared the effectiveness of R/S‐tailored psychotherapy with no‐treatment controls, alternate secular treatments, and additive secular treatments. R/S‐adapted psychotherapy resulted in greater improvement in clients’ psychological (g = 0.74, p < 0.000) and spiritual (g = 0.74, p < 0.000) functioning compared with no treatment and non R/S psychotherapies (psychological: g = 0.33, p < 0.001; spiritual: g = 0.43, p < 0.001). In more rigorous additive studies, R/S‐accommodated psychotherapies were equally effective to standard approaches in reducing psychological distress (g = 0.13, p = 0.258), but resulted in greater spiritual well‐being (g = 0.34, p < 0.000). We feature several clinical examples and conclude with evidence‐based therapeutic practices.

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Many mental health professionals do not feel competent to address spiritual or religious issues in treatment and lack the necessary training and resources.
“A systematic review on integrating spirituality and religion into psychotherapy found that many mental health professionals do not feel competent to address spiritual or religious issues in treatment and lack the necessary training and resources.18,19”
From Religiosity & mental health seeking behaviors among U.S. adults (2024) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors: Captari, L. E., Hook, J. N., Hoyt, W., Davis, D. E., McElroy‐Heltzel, S. E., & Worthington, E. L.
Affiliations: University of North Texas (US)
Corresponding author: Captari, Laura E.
ORCID: Captari, Laura E.
Hook, Joshua N.
Hoyt, William
Davis, Don E.
McElroy‐Heltzel, Stacey E.
Worthington, Everett L.
Venue: Journal of Clinical Psychology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2018-09-16
Volume: 74
Issue: 11
Pages: 1938-1951
ISSN: 0021-9762 (ISSN-L)
1097-4679
DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22681
OpenAlex: W2889699231
Cited by: 233
References: 22
Citations by year: 2026: 29 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 73 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1
FWCI: 12.58
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Keywords: religion and spirituality, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, treatment tailoring, spiritual well-being, psychological distress, treatment efficacy, religious clients
MeSH terms: Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders, Black or African American, Buddhism, Christianity, Culture, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Islam, Male, Middle Aged, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Psychotherapy, Religion and Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cultural Diversity, Substance-Related Disorders, Spirituality

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Integrating clients’ religion and spirituality within psychotherapy: A comprehensive meta‐analysis

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