Author:

Keywords:

Social Sciences, Psychology, Applied, Psychology, Chaplaincy, healthcare, spiritual care, outcome, QUALITY-OF-LIFE, CANCER-PATIENTS, EXISTENTIAL ANXIETY, PALLIATIVE CARE, SPIRITUAL CARE, DEPRESSION, INTERVENTIONS, PEACE, REFERRALS, IMPACT, C24/18/002#54690266, G070919N#54970017, 1701 Psychology, 2204 Religion and Religious Studies, 5004 Religious studies, 5005 Theology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

Research on the effects of chaplaincy care is scarce and hampered by methodological limitations. Our quasi-experimental study (n = 256 at baseline) aimed to gain insight into the immediate and intermediate impact of chaplaincy care on inpatients’ existential anxiety, peace, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data. After controlling for age, gender, education, (non)religion/(non)belief and religiosity, participants receiving chaplaincy care demonstrated greater immediate improvement in peace compared to the control group at posttest. This was not found for anxiety, depressive symptoms or existential anxiety, nor for any of the outcomes at the three-week follow-up assessment.