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Open research questions in Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

542 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 7,620 Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Limited understanding of how spiritual care influences emotional, existential, and quality of life outcomes. Heterogeneity in spirituality definitions and limited professional training hinder consistent implementation. Weak institutional support for spiritual care integration into clinical practice.

    The Influence of Spirituality in the Care of Patients with Advanced Chronic Illnesses and at the End of Life: An Integrative Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of spiritual care content in Australian medical school curricula. The need for a curriculum to teach spiritual care to final year medical students. The need for a workshop-based approach to teach spiritual care.

    Methodology of a Study Assessing a New Curriculum Designed to Teach Australian Final Year Medical Students How to Assess Patients’ Spiritual Needs · 2026 · DOI

  • the complexity of pluralistic societies and the need for interdenominational dialogue - the variability of military contexts and the need for flexible and context-sensitive frameworks - the absence of universally transferable frameworks for military spiritual care

    Toward a Framework for Military Spiritual Care in Belgium: An Exploratory Scoping Literature Review · 2026 · DOI

  • the absence of universally transferable frameworks for military spiritual care - the need for a multidimensional, multi-worldview, and multidisciplinary approach to chaplains' functions - the lack of a single dominant model that can be directly applied to the Belgian context

    Toward a Framework for Military Spiritual Care in Belgium: An Exploratory Scoping Literature Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faced challenges in recruiting participants, using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling strategies. The study had to address the issue of language preferences, offering the survey in both English and Korean. The study had to overcome the challenge of ensuring the validity of the survey instrument, using a needs assessment tool designed to evaluate self-reported comfort, perceptions, and practices.

    Korean American Church Leaders as Mental Health Gatekeepers in the USA: A Needs Assessment of Readiness, Barriers, and Referrals · 2026 · DOI

  • The study utilized a cross-sectional quantitative design, - The survey instrument was not designed to validate psychometric constructs, - The study relied on self-reported data from participants, - The sample size was limited to 93 leaders, - The study did not control for all potential variables

    Korean American Church Leaders as Mental Health Gatekeepers in the USA: A Needs Assessment of Readiness, Barriers, and Referrals · 2026 · DOI

  • Uncertainty among HUD-VASH staff about discussing spirituality with Veterans. Limited understanding of the potential of chaplaincy among HUD-VASH staff. The paper also mentions the challenge of analyzing and interpreting the survey responses and focus group transcripts.

    Spiritual Supports for Formerly Unhoused US Veterans: A Quality Improvement Evaluation · 2026 · DOI

  • the study was determined not to be research and thus not to require further regulatory oversight, - the study used a mixed-methods evaluation, - the study was conducted in New England

    Spiritual Supports for Formerly Unhoused US Veterans: A Quality Improvement Evaluation · 2026 · DOI

  • unclear records - insufficient publication numbers - absence of reliable indexing and citation data for 2025 - studies published up to December 31, 2024, were included, while those from 2025 were excluded

    A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of the Top 100 Cited Publications on Religious Identity · 2026 · DOI

  • exploring the trend analysis of the top 100 cited research papers - identifying major scholarly trends - advancing the understanding of developments in the field of religious identity

    A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of the Top 100 Cited Publications on Religious Identity · 2026 · DOI

  • Research that grounds successful aging within specific cultural landscapes is needed - The role of socio-cultural determinants, specifically religion, remains under-examined

    Religion’s Influence on Successful Aging: Mediating Mechanisms of Life Satisfaction and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Brazil · 2026 · DOI

  • Important gaps persist in the literature, particularly in middle-income countries, concerning the demographic consequences and intergenerational distribution of aging-related costs. The role of socio-cultural determinants, specifically religion, remains under-examined.

    Religion’s Influence on Successful Aging: Mediating Mechanisms of Life Satisfaction and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Brazil · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for a comprehensive review of moral injury research trends and thematic clusters. The lack of studies exploring the relation between moral injury and women's health. The need for a refined search to only those publications with a specific focus on moral injury.

    Moral Injury, Chaplaincy, Clergy, and Women’s Health · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating whether religious influences extend to nonreligious individuals in other health-related contexts, - Examining the effect of religious priming on health-oriented altruism in different populations

    RELIGIOUS Exposure and Concern for Others’ Health: Religious Priming Promotes Health-Oriented Altruism in Nonreligious Individuals Through Awe in China · 2026 · DOI

  • The majority of studies emphasize religious individuals, with limited attention given to secular and nonreligious populations. Prior research has focused on the health benefits for religious individuals, neglecting how religion might inspire concern for others' health. The paper identifies a gap in understanding how religious influences extend to nonreligious individuals in health-related contexts.

    RELIGIOUS Exposure and Concern for Others’ Health: Religious Priming Promotes Health-Oriented Altruism in Nonreligious Individuals Through Awe in China · 2026 · DOI

  • The integration of spiritual care into nursing practice faces significant barriers due to gaps in academic training. Organizational and cultural barriers within health services also pose challenges to integrating spiritual care. The lack of academic preparation and technical insecurity among nursing students and professionals are additional challenges.

    Spirituality in Education and Health Care as Perceived by Nursing Students, Residents, and Preceptors: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The current literature lacks a synthesis that articulates how educational deficiencies impact the competencies, values, and challenges perceived by nursing students and professionals. Nursing education presents structural gaps in addressing spirituality, contributing to professional insecurity. The integration of spiritual care into nursing practice faces significant barriers due to gaps in academic training.

    Spirituality in Education and Health Care as Perceived by Nursing Students, Residents, and Preceptors: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a lack of understanding and consensus on the definitions and practices of spirituality, spiritual care, and pastoral care. It highlights the need for further research on the role of spirituality in healthcare. The paper discusses the challenges and limitations of providing spiritual care in healthcare settings.

    Faith in Brazil, Nursing, Spirituality and Spiritual Care · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies the challenge of providing spiritual care in a healthcare setting. The research highlights the importance of addressing patients' unique spiritual needs. The study notes the challenge of ensuring the trustworthiness of qualitative findings.

    Providing Spiritual Care to Patients Undergoing Open-Heart Surgery in Turkey: A Phenomenological Analysis of Nurses’ Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the impact of spiritual care on patient outcomes, - Exploring the role of nurses in providing spiritual care in different cultural contexts, - Examining the relationship between spiritual care and nurse-patient communication

    Providing Spiritual Care to Patients Undergoing Open-Heart Surgery in Turkey: A Phenomenological Analysis of Nurses’ Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • Implementing interventions for patients with chronic pain in Poland, - Investigating the role of existential well-being in other populations, - Examining the effects of meaning-centered therapy or spiritually oriented conversations in clinical settings

    Existential Well-Being Mediates the Relationship Between Religious Well-Being and Mental Health as Well as Quality of Life in Polish Chronic Pain Patients: Longitudinal Pilot Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between moral intelligence and spiritual care perceptions among nursing students. The study aims to fill this gap by examining the relationship between moral intelligence and spiritual care perceptions.

    Determination of the Relationship between Moral Intelligence and Spiritual Care Perceptions among Nursing Students: The Turkish Example · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies challenges related to defining spirituality and assessing patients' spiritual care needs. Barriers to provider spiritual well-being, such as moral distress and compassion fatigue, are also identified.

    Maternal Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Spiritual Care and the Challenges and Opportunities for Provider Spiritual Well-Being in the United States · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in understanding providers' views on spiritual care and its impact on their well-being. There is a need to develop spiritual care training programs that address the spiritual well-being of maternal healthcare providers.

    Maternal Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Spiritual Care and the Challenges and Opportunities for Provider Spiritual Well-Being in the United States · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper notes that the limited number of databases used may not cover all relevant literature. The study highlights that the majority of the existing research is cross-sectional, limiting the understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. The review notes that the results may not be generalizable due to the specific regions and cultures of the studies analyzed.

    Spiritual Well-Being in Coronary Heart Disease Patients: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

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542 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 7,620 Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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