Investigating Prayer : Impact on Health and Quality of Life

This book relates the experience of researching, planning, and conducting a scientific study into intercessory prayer (prayer for others). The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether the impact of prayer could be measured in a formal study, based on the large number of anecdotal reports of efficacy. The study was a prospectively randomized double-blind trial that added prayer by an established Christian prayer group to conventional therapy for cancer. The unique design feature was that the primary endpoint was a change in a validated scale of spiritual well-being. The patients were informed that they were participating in a study about spiritual well-being and quality of life but remained blinded to the intervention. The initial observation from the baseline data was that spiritual well-being made a unique contribution to quality of life. The final outcome of the study was that there was a statistically significant difference in spiritual well-being favoring the prayer group. The background includes a fascinating review of the medical literature on the topic, which contains positive and negative studies that each attracts a vigorous debate about methodology, endpoints, and whether metaphysical phenomena can or should be studied using scientific methodology. The complementary and alternative medicine literature is also equivocal as to whether prayer, arguably the most common complementary medical therapy, should be included in the range of interventions grouped under that heading. In addition to reporting the background and results of the study, the book explores the reactions of a range of individuals to the trial, all of which help reflect on the nature of prayer. "From the ancients to the Renaissance, religion and medicine worked hand in hand to heal the people, until the scientific minds of the Enlightenment created a physical model of illness without a spiritual component. In this century, spirituality is gaining recognition as part of individuals' psychological makeup and capacity for meaning-making, and gaining currency as part of holistic concepts of wellness despite resistance from many in the scientific community. Prayer: Investigating Its Impact on Quality of Life brings science and spirituality together, pointing out thought-provoking parallels and asserting that each can enrich the other. At the book's center is a detailed study of a randomized double-blinded trial that added intercessory prayer (i.e., prayer for others) to conventional cancer treatment, with findings relevant to conceptions of prayer as intervention. In addition, a review of salient medical literature (including complementary and alternative medical journals) contains both positive and negative studies, encouraging a vigorous dialogue about methodology, endpoints, and whether metaphysical phenomena can--or should--be studied using scientific methods. Among the topics covered: The role of spirituality in illness ; Prayer as complementary or alternative therapy ; The relationship between spiritual wellbeing and quality of life ; Instruments for assessing religious and spiritual belief ; A randomized blinded study of intercessory prayer in patients with cancer ; Possible directions for further research. Prayer: Investigating Its Impact on Quality of Life should interest readers on all sides of the debate, including doctors, practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, and others involved in holistic treatment of patients."--Publisher's website. Front Matter....Pages i-x What Is Prayer and Why Study It?....Pages 1-19 Studies of Prayer as a Complementary Therapy....Pages 21-54 A Theological Reflection on Prayer....Pages 55-75 The Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Quality of Life....Pages 77-94 A Randomized Blinded Study of Intercessory Prayer in Patients with Cancer....Pages 95-106 The Impact of the Study on the Trials Team....Pages 107-120 Response to Our Study of Prayer....Pages 121-133 What Next?....Pages 135-144 Back Matter....Pages 145-147 Investigating Prayer 4 Preface 6 Contents 8 Chapter 1: What Is Prayer and Why Study It? 12 Chapter 2: Studies of Prayer as a Complementary Therapy 31 Chapter 3: A Theological Re fl ection on Prayer 65 Chapter 4: The Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Quality of Life 86 Chapter 5: A Randomized Blinded Study of Intercessory Prayer in Patients with Cancer 104 Chapter 6: The Impact of the Study on the Trials Team 116 Chapter 7: Response to Our Study of Prayer 130 Chapter 8: What Next? 143 Index 153