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Research on Intercessory Prayer: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations

  • Psychological Exploration
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Abstract

Belief in the healing power of prayer is found in various religious traditions. Spiritually grounded clinical interventions, such as intercessory prayer (IP), need to be understood in a broader sense. This essay features the IP trials, observing the controversial relationship between inconsistent results and allegedly inadequate methods and theoretical hypothesis. A survey of the literature was conducted including publications indexed until September 2013, focusing on the trials developed in the field and on the critics about the methodological design. Recent meta-analyses and multicenter studies found inconclusive results in the investigation of IP. Clinical trials on IP present some methodological difficulties: The intervention is not fully controlled; the primary outcome is not properly defined; and the theoretical models seem inconsistent. The “non-local consciousness” model may be appropriate for studies of IP. Directions for future research: greater emphasis on the evaluation of the effectiveness of this intervention in animal models; selection of subjects and healers who have previous connection; considering the hypothesis of non-local consciousness in the study design.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Health Education, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, 90640-001, Brazil

    Paulo Rogério Dalla Colletta de Aguiar

  2. Department of Psychology – Laboratory of Experimental Fenomenology and Cognition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Tiago Pires Tatton-Ramos

  3. Post-graduation Program of Psychology, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Letícia Oliveira Alminhana

Authors
  1. Paulo Rogério Dalla Colletta de Aguiar
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  2. Tiago Pires Tatton-Ramos
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  3. Letícia Oliveira Alminhana
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Correspondence to Letícia Oliveira Alminhana.

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de Aguiar, P.R.D.C., Tatton-Ramos, T.P. & Alminhana, L.O. Research on Intercessory Prayer: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations. J Relig Health 56, 1930–1936 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0172-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0172-9

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