Department
Counseling and Human Services
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Date of Award
10-2018
Degree Level
Ph.D.
LCSH subject
Mental health -- religious aspects
Identifier
ETD2018Aziz
School/University
St. Mary's University (San Antonio, Tex.)
Size or duration
ix, 136 pages
Copyright date
2018
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Wooten, Ray H.
Abstract
This study was undertaken to provide information and insights enabling mental health professionals to better understand and treat clients who follow the Coptic Orthodox religion. Using the heuristic phenomenological method dialogues with six members of the Coptic Orthodox church were conducted to learn how religious orientation influences attitudes toward psychological distress and psychological help-seeking in the Coptic Orthodox community. Qualitative analysis of responses revealed the following eight themes: culture informs religiosity, experiencing psychological distress, sources of psychological distress, attitudes toward psychological distress and help-seeking, devotion to the church, dealing with psychological distress religiously, carrying the cross, and priests as psychological counselors. Results suggest that many Coptic Orthodox followers who experience psychological distress are reluctant to share their experiences with their community due to stigmatization. Those who experience such distress typically seek counseling from their priest, relying on the reassurance of confidentiality in a priest/parishioner relationship, though findings suggest that some priests may lack competency in dealing with psychological difficulties.
Recommended Citation
Aziz, Sandy Guergues, "Religiosity and Attitudes Toward Psychological Health, Distress, and Help-Seeking Among Coptic Orthodox Parishioners" (2018). Theses & Dissertations. 21.
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/dissertations/21
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.