The Experience Sampling Method: A New Way of Assessing Variability of the Emotional Dimensions of Religiosity and Spirituality in a Dutch Psychiatric Population

AbstractReligiosity and spirituality (R/S) are often regarded as being relatively stable over time. The present exploratory experience sampling method (ESM) study aims to assess the variability of threeR/S parameters concerning affective representations of God and spiritual experiences in a psychiatric population. Depressed in- and outpatients self-identifying as being spiritual or religious participated, from two Dutch mental health care institutions. The twenty-eight participants rated momentary affectiveR/S-variables up to 10 times per day over a 6-day period when prompted by a mobile application. All three examinedR/S parameters varied significantly within the day. ESM examination ofR/S showed good compliance and little reactivity. This indicates that ESM offers a feasible, usable, and valid way to exploreR/S in a psychiatric population.
Source: Journal of Religion and Health - Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research