Supernatural Attributions: Seeing God, the Devil, Demons, Spirits, Fate, and Karma as Causes of Events.

For many people worldwide, supernatural beliefs and attributions-those focused on God, the devil, demons, spirits, an afterlife, karma, or fate-are part of everyday life. Although not widely studied in clinical psychology, these beliefs and attributions are a key part of human diversity. This article provides a broad overview of research on supernatural beliefs and attributions with special attention to their psychological relevance: They can serve as coping resources, sources of distress, psychopathology signals, moral guides, and decision-making tools.

Intolerance of uncertainty prospectively predicts the transdiagnostic severity of emotional psychopathology: Evidence from a Veteran sample.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been conceptualized as a transdiagnostic vulnerability for emotional psychopathology, but few studies have tested whether it prospectively predicts emotional psychopathology, and none have utilized transdiagnostic and clinician-rated outcomes. To fill this gap, the present study tested whether IU prospectively predicted the clinician-rated severity of transdiagnostic emotional psychopathology six months later in a treatment-seeking Veteran sample. Participants completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty 12-item scale (IUS-12) and the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 (SCID-5) at Time 1 and again six-months later (Time 2); assessed emotional disorders included both anxiety-related disorders (i.

What shall we call God? An exploration of metaphors coded from descriptions of God from a large U.S. undergraduate sample.

People use numerous metaphors to describe God. God is seen as a bearded man, light, and love. Based on metaphor theories, the metaphors people use to refer to God reflect how people think about God and could, in turn, reflect their worldview.

The impact of social support and morally injurious events on PTSD symptoms in Veterans.

Potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs), including committing transgressions (Transgressions-Self) and perceiving betrayals, have been positively associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A proposed mechanism for the association between PMIEs and PTSD symptoms is social disconnection. However, research on PMIEs and social disconnection is limited.

Correction: Generational and Time Period Differences in American Adolescents' Religious Orientation, 1966-2014.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Emerging adult reactions to labeling regarding age-group differences in narcissism and entitlement.

Both academic and popular literatures have repeatedly contended that emerging adults are the most narcissistic and entitled age-group in modern times. Although this contention is fiercely debated, the message that emerging adults are narcissistic and entitled has saturated popular culture. Despite this saturation, relatively little empirical work has examined how emerging adults might react to such labels.

Religious and spiritual struggles, religiousness, and alcohol problems among undergraduates.

Theoretically, religion/spirituality may protect against alcohol problems or facilitate recovery. However, challenges can arise in religious/spiritual life that may contribute to or complicate alcohol problems. Emerging adults often experience difficult transitions from family environments to independent membership in academic communities straddling the legal drinking age boundary.

Morally injurious events and psychological distress among veterans: Examining the mediating role of religious and spiritual struggles.

Objective: Potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs)-violations (perpetrated or witnessed) of one's deeply held beliefs or values-have been associated with several forms of psychological distress. The values violated by PMIEs are often influenced by one's religion/spirituality (r/s). Struggles with one's r/s beliefs and/or practices may also contribute to elevated psychological distress.

Trait entitlement: A cognitive-personality source of vulnerability to psychological distress.

Psychological entitlement is a personality trait characterized by pervasive feelings of deservingness, specialness, and exaggerated expectations. The present review expands upon this understanding by conceptualizing entitlement as a cognitive-personality vulnerability to psychological distress. A review of research is conducted, and a novel, multipart model is described by which entitlement may be seen as such a vulnerability.

Spiritual Struggle Among Patients Seeking Treatment for Chronic Headaches: Anger and Protest Behaviors Toward God.

This study examined anger and protest behaviors toward God among 80 US adults seeking treatment for chronic headaches (66 women, 14 men; 71 completed treatment). Measures were administered before and after an intensive 3-week outpatient treatment program. At both times, anger and protest toward God correlated with lower pain acceptance, more emotional distress, and greater perceived disability.

Generational and time period differences in American adolescents' religious orientation, 1966-2014.

In four large, nationally representative surveys (N = 11.2 million), American adolescents and emerging adults in the 2010s (Millennials) were significantly less religious than previous generations (Boomers, Generation X) at the same age. The data are from the Monitoring the Future studies of 12th graders (1976-2013), 8th and 10th graders (1991-2013), and the American Freshman survey of entering college students (1966-2014).

The role of continuing bonds in coping with grief: overview and future directions.

The existing empirical literature depicts a complex picture of the role that continuing bonds play in coping with bereavement, with contradictory findings emerging across studies. This article presents an overview of continuing bonds research and highlights several areas ripe for exploration. First, definitional issues are identified.

The spiritual struggle of anger toward God: a study with family members of hospice patients.

Introduction: Anger toward God is a common form of spiritual struggle, one that people often experience when they see God as responsible for severe harm or suffering. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, correlates, and preferred coping strategies associated with anger toward God among family members of hospice patients.

Methods: Teams from a large hospice in the midwestern United States distributed surveys, one per household, to family members of home-care patients.

Forgiveness, depressive symptoms, and communication at the end of life: a study with family members of hospice patients.

Introduction: Forgiveness has begun to receive empirical attention in end-of-life contexts, but primarily among patients. This study examined forgiveness issues and communication priorities among family members of hospice patients.

Methods: Surveys were distributed to family members of home-care patients in a large not-for-profit hospice in the Great Lakes region of the United States.

Addiction and "Generation Me:" Narcissistic and Prosocial Behaviors of Adolescents with Substance Dependency Disorder in Comparison to Normative Adolescents.

The purpose of this study is to explore narcissistic and prosocial behaviors as reported by adolescents with and without substance dependency disorder (SDD). This study employs a quasi-experimental design using SDD adolescents compared with two normative samples of adolescents. In comparison to normative adolescents, adolescents with SDD were strongly distinguished by overt narcissistic behaviors and less monetary giving.

Anger toward God: social-cognitive predictors, prevalence, and links with adjustment to bereavement and cancer.

Many people see themselves as being in a relationship with God and see this bond as comforting. Yet, perceived relationships with God also carry the potential for experiencing anger toward God, as shown here in studies with the U.S.

Personal relationships and communication messages at the end of life.

The diagnosis of advanced illness often brings with it an element of limited time. Being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and facing death can evoke many painful emotions including anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty. However, it can also create the potential for profound growth and transformation.

Taking up offenses: secondhand forgiveness and group identification.

When a person or group is mistreated, those not directly harmed by the transgression might still experience antipathy toward offenders, leading to secondhand forgiveness dynamics similar to those experienced by firsthand victims. Three studies examine the role of social identification in secondhand forgiveness. Study 1 shows that the effects of apologies on secondhand victims are moderated by level of identification with the wronged group.