Task analysis of a christian-integrated psychotherapy framework

This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of spiritual change processes by conducting an empirical investigation of clinically meaningful events occurring within the context of a Christian-Integrated Psychotherapy Framework. The discovery phase of task analysis was used to build a rational-empirical model that explicated how clients developed stronger attachments to their God images. A rational model was specified, and five cases were selected for further analysis from a pool of 27 client-participants and 423 video-recorded psychotherapy sessions. Clinical observations and the coding of in-session measures were used to select resolved and unresolved cases, which were then contrasted to create a 10-step rational-empirical model. In this model, clients initially presented with intense feelings of shame, guilt, or helplessness but concluded with heightened levels of love and joy. Clients who reached this resolution all underwent an experience whereby their God images became dynamic, alive, intimate, and authentic. Results are discussed, and implications for the existence of an in vivo God image and corrective emotional spiritual experiences are introduced. Specifically, corrective emotional spiritual experiences appear to have influenced clients to transition from being insecurely attached to more securely attached to their in vivo God images. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).