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  • Book
  • Open Access
  • © 2023

Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

  • A comprehensive resource examining the intersections of positive psychology

  • Draws connections between two fields that research has increasingly shown to be connected

  • Useful for social and clinical scientists as well as practitioners

  • This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)

Table of contents (31 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxiv
  2. Historical and Theoretical Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Integrating Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality: Transcending Coexistence to Potentiate Coevolution

      • Edward B. Davis, Everett L. Worthington Jr., Sarah A. Schnitker, Kevin J. Glowiak, Austin W. Lemke, Chase Hamilton
      Pages 3-19Open Access
    3. On the Integration of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion/Spirituality: Logical, Normative, and Methodological Questions

      • Steven L. Porter, Jason Baehr, Tenelle Porter, Robert C. Roberts
      Pages 37-51Open Access
    4. Virtues in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

      • Juliette L. Ratchford, Mason S. Ming, Sarah A. Schnitker
      Pages 53-67Open Access
  3. Methodological Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 97-97
    2. Measurement at the Intersection of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion/Spirituality

      • Peter C. Hill, Nicholas DiFonzo, C. Eric Jones, Justin S. Bell
      Pages 99-112Open Access
    3. Methodological Diversity in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

      • Jo-Ann Tsang, Rosemary L. Al-Kire, Edward B. Davis, Hilary N. Alwood, Wade C. Rowatt
      Pages 113-127Open Access
  4. Cultural Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 129-129
    2. Positive Psychology and Christianity

      • Adam S. Hodge, Joshua N. Hook, Jichan J. Kim, David K. Mosher, Aaron T. McLaughlin, Don E. Davis et al.
      Pages 147-161Open Access
    3. Positive Psychology and Judaism

      • Mark Schiffman, Aaron Cherniak, Eliezer Schnall, Suzanne Brooks, Steven Pirutinsky, Devora Shabtai
      Pages 163-177Open Access
    4. Living the Good Life: An Islamic Perspective on Positive Psychology

      • Seyma N. Saritoprak, Hisham Abu-Raiya
      Pages 179-193Open Access
    5. Positive Psychology and Hinduism

      • Kamlesh Singh, Mahima Raina, Doug Oman
      Pages 195-209Open Access
    6. Positive Psychology and Buddhism

      • Seth Zuihō Segall, Jean L. Kristeller
      Pages 211-225Open Access
    7. Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Europe, Non-US North America, and South America

      • Clàudia Rossy, María Gámiz, Silvia Recoder, Iris Crespo, Maria Fernández-Capo, Edward B. Davis et al.
      Pages 227-242Open Access
    8. Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Africa, Asia, and Oceania

      • Richard G. Cowden, Victor Counted, Man Yee Ho
      Pages 243-259Open Access

About this book

This handbook aims to bridge the gap between the fields of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. It is the authoritative guide to the intersections among religion, spirituality, and positive psychology and includes the following sections: (1) historical and theoretical considerations, (2) methodological considerations, (3) cultural considerations, (4) developmental considerations, (5) empirical research on happiness and well-being in relation to religion and spirituality, (6) empirical research on character strengths and virtues in relation to religion and spirituality, (7) clinical and applied considerations, and (8) field unification and advancement. Leading positive psychologists and psychologists of religion/spirituality have coauthored the chapters, drawing on expertise from their respective fields. The handbook is useful for social and clinical scientists, practitioners in helping professions, practitioners in religious and spiritual fields, and students of psychology and religion/spirituality.

This is an open access book.

Keywords

  • Religion
  • Spirituality
  • Positive psychology
  • virtues
  • character strengths
  • health
  • well-being
  • happiness
  • culture
  • development
  • meaning
  • Open Access

Reviews

Book Endorsement Statements for the Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

“Most classical treatises of religion in psychology and related disciplines have taken a deficiency approach to the topic—religion as a defense against threat, danger, insecurity, and death. Since the launch of positive psychology, research has—again and again—demonstrated the one-sided  nature of such treatises. Religion and spirituality also provide sources for growth—security, meaning, belonging, self-transcendence, and more. The Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality provides a masterful, comprehensive review of theory, research, and clinical applications at the exciting intersection between the psychology of religion/spirituality and positive psychology. It also demonstrates that each of those fields is incomplete without the other. This book should be in the shelf of every serious student of religion, spirituality, and psychology.”

-          Pehr Granqvist, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University

Author of Attachment in Religion and Spirituality: A Wider View (Guilford Press)

https://www.su.se/english/profiles/pgran-1.186804

https://www.guilford.com/books/Attachment-in-Religion-and-Spirituality/Pehr-Granqvist/9781462542680

“An epic moment for human flourishing resides within the synergy of positive psychology and spirituality. Within this volume is found the next frontier of positive psychology, exponentially expanded through spiritual awareness; and so too the translation of spiritual experience into lived positive cognition, behavioral habit, and practice. The editors of this volume help clear a rich new terrain for the next generation of humanitarian practitioners, researchers and scholars.”

-          Lisa Miller, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Education, Founder of the Spirituality, Mild, Body Institute (SMBI), Teachers College, Columbia University

-          Editor of The Oxford University Press Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality (2nd ed.; Oxford University Press)

-          Author of The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life (Random House) and The Spiritual Child: The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving (MacMillan)

-          https://www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/lfm14/

-          https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-psychology-and-spirituality-9780190905538?cc=us&lang=en&

-          https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608347/the-awakened-brain-by-lisa-miller-phd/

-          https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250033833/thespiritualchild

“At last! This broad-based, creative, integrative handbook really helps to fill a niche by focusing directly on the interface between positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. I especially appreciated the inclusion of a variety of faith traditions and the chance for ‘deep dives’ into so many aspects of positive psychology.”

-          Julie J. Exline, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University

-          Co-Author of Working With Spiritual Struggles in Psychotherapy: From Research to Practice

-          https://psychsciences.case.edu/faculty/julie-exline/ https://www.guilford.com/books/Working-with-Spiritual-Struggles-in-Psychotherapy/Pargament-Exline/9781462524310

Editors and Affiliations

  • School of Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy, Wheaton College, Wheaton, USA

    Edward B. Davis

  • Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA

    Everett L. Worthington Jr.

  • Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, USA

    Sarah A. Schnitker

About the editors

Edward B. Davis, Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College (IL), has published over 100 articles and chapters, mostly on the intersections of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. He also is a licensed clinical psychologist who practices from a positive psychology framework that often is spiritually integrative. Davis has procured more than $4 million in funding as a principal investigator on research grants and was the recipient of the 2020 Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division 36 (Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality).

Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, has published over 500 articles and chapters and over 45 books on positive psychology, religion/spirituality, and the hope-focused couple approach. He does an essentially equal amount of basic scientific and applied research. He has co-edited several Springer-published handbooks. 

Sarah A. Schnitker, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, studies virtue and character development in adolescents and emerging adults, with a focus on the role of spirituality/religion and technology in virtue formation. Schnitker has procured more than $6 million in funding as a principal investigator on multiple research grants and has published over 50 articles and chapters.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

  • Editors: Edward B. Davis, Everett L. Worthington Jr., Sarah A. Schnitker

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10274-5

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2023

  • License: CC BY

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-10273-8Published: 19 November 2022

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-10276-9Published: 19 November 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-10274-5Published: 17 November 2022

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXIV, 513

  • Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Positive Psychology, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)