Spontaneous mystical experience among atheists: meaning-making, psychological distress, and wellbeing.
In religious individuals, spontaneous mystical experiences (SMEs) tend to reinforce pre-existing beliefs and are associated with enhanced wellbeing, mediated by adaptive interpretive frameworks and accepting social environments. The meaning-making and outcomes of SMEs among atheists have not been in...
| Published in: | Mental Health, Religion & Culture Vol. 23; no. 9; pp. 789 - 806 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Ltd
Nov2020
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=148111733&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 148111733 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 13674676 36K jtl: Mental Health, Religion & Culture issn: 13674676 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Nov2020 vid: 23 iid: 9 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd artinfo: ui: 148111733 10.1080/13674676.2020.1823349 ppf: 789 ppct: 17 formats: tig: atl: Spontaneous mystical experience among atheists: meaning-making, psychological distress, and wellbeing. aug: au: van der Tempel, Jan Moodley, Roy affil: Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada su: Adaptability (Personality) Psychological adaptation Psychological distress Mental health Religion Spirituality Well-being Social context Grounded theory sug: subj: Adaptability (Personality) Psychological adaptation Psychological distress Mental health Religion Spirituality Well-being Social context Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) Grounded theory keyword: appraisal Atheism meaning-making mystical experience religion spiritual struggle appraisal Atheism meaning-making mystical experience religion spiritual struggle ab: In religious individuals, spontaneous mystical experiences (SMEs) tend to reinforce pre-existing beliefs and are associated with enhanced wellbeing, mediated by adaptive interpretive frameworks and accepting social environments. The meaning-making and outcomes of SMEs among atheists have not been investigated to date. Using a grounded theory approach, the present study found that the SMEs of eight male and female atheists of diverse backgrounds resembled those of religious experiencers in phenomenal content, but differed with respect to appraisal, coping, and outcome. Challenges in reconciling the SME with secular views and values were common and linked to varying degrees and durations of psychological distress, especially in relation to negative reactions from the social environment. No participant embraced organised religion, but most adopted more agnostic or spiritual worldviews, and ultimately associated their SMEs with enhanced wellbeing in various domains. However, participants who reported persisting doubt and preoccupation about their SMEs experienced deteriorating mental health. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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