A social cognitive perspective on religious beliefs: Their functions and impact on coping and psychotherapy

Religious beliefs are an important part of clients' culture, whether acknow ledged or not. Psychological theories about social and cognitive processes can help mental-health professionals better understand the function of reli gious beliefs in coping and their role in therapy. Religious individuals ar e likely to use heuristics to farm rapid judgments rather than engage in fo rmal information-gathering processes. The confirmatory and in-group/out-gro up biases support such judgments and shield them from disconfirmatory evide nce. Religious beliefs provide order and understanding to an otherwise chao tic and unpredictable world. Many religions advocate forgiveness, which is often helpful in resolving conflicts. Another beneficial religious belief i s an ever-present spiritual attachment figure. Negative effects of religion include its exercising aversive control to maintain conformity and its pro moting an external locus of control. In contrast, mental-health professiona ls belong to a tradition of free inquiry and self-development, and guide cl ients to acquire competencies necessary to change and direct their lives. T herapist attitudes are far less likely to include allegiance to religion th an are those of the public and psychiatric patients, Rather than being bias ed against religion or trying to debate religion, therapists need to engage in problem solving with clients in the context of this example of sociocul tural factors. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.