Spiritually Modified Cognitive Therapy: A Review of the Literature‪.‬

Spiritual interventions can be understood as therapeutic strategies that incorporate a spiritual or religious dimension as a central component of the intervention. Studies indicate that many social workers use spiritual interventions in practice settings (Canda & Furman, 1999; Derezotes, 1995; Furman, Benson, Grimwood, & Canda, 2004; Mattison, Jayaratne, & Croxton, 2000; Murdock, 2004; Sheridan, 2004). One nationally representative study of NASW-affiliated direct practitioners (N = 2,069) found that the majority of respondents had used a number of spiritual interventions in their work with clients (Canda & Furman). Nearly 70 percent, for example, reported incorporating religious language or concepts into their clinical work. Although the extent to which social workers use spiritual interventions is beginning to be understood, few guidelines have emerged regarding their use. Studies repeatedly have found that most social workers have received little or no training in the use of spirituality in practice settings (Canda & Furman, 1999; Furman et al., 2004; Murdock, 2004; Sheridan & Amato-von Hemert, 1999). As observers have noted, questions concerning the empirical validity of spiritual interventions and their use in clinical settings have yet to be addressed in the academic literature (Mattison et al., 2000; Sahlein, 2002). This represents a significant gap in the literature. The importance of basing practice decisions on the empirical literature is widely recognized (Crisp, 2004; Gambrill, 2003; Gibbs, 2003; Proctor, 2003). Clients have a right to expect social workers to select interventions that have been associated with positive outcomes (Rosen, Proctor, & Staudt, 1999). Indeed, the use of empirically based approaches is arguably an ethical requirement. Even in newly emerging areas, such as spirituality, the NASW Code of Ethics (2000, sect. 1.04) stipulates that practitioners should use interventions only after engaging in appropriate exploration and study of the approach under consideration.