Spiritual Pain: A Symptom in Search of a Clinical Definition

We conducted a literature search to identify and compare definitions of the experiential dimension of spiritual pain. Key databases were searched, up to the year 2021 inclusive, for papers with a definition of "spiritual" or "existential" pain/distress in a clinical setting. Of 1...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health
Authors: Illueca, Marta (Author) ; Bradshaw, Ylisabyth S. (Author) ; Carr, Daniel B. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer Science + Business Media B. V. 2023
In: Journal of religion and health
Further subjects:B Spirituality
B Pain management
B Palliative Care
B Spiritual pain
B spiritual distress
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:We conducted a literature search to identify and compare definitions of the experiential dimension of spiritual pain. Key databases were searched, up to the year 2021 inclusive, for papers with a definition of "spiritual" or "existential" pain/distress in a clinical setting. Of 144 hits, seven papers provided theoretical definitions/descriptions; none incorporated clinical observations or underlying pathophysiological constructs. Based on these findings, we propose a new definition for "spiritual pain" as a "self-identified experience of personal discomfort, or actual or potential harm, triggered by a threat to a person’s relationship with God or a higher power." Our updated definition can inform future studies in pain assessment and management.
ISSN:1573-6571
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of religion and health
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01645-y