Travis Research Institute
Spirituality and Health
Office
Chief Academic Officer
Fuller Theological Seminary
180 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101-1714
Office
Psychology Building 143
Fuller Theological Seminary
180 N. Oakland Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101-1714
aabernet@fuller.edu
Phone
626.584.5359
tinaarmstrong@fuller.edu
Phone
626.584.5649
External Collaborators
Karl Van Harn, DMin, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Kimlin Ashing, PhD, City of Hope CCARE
Joseph Currier, PhD, University of South Alabama
Charlotte vanOyen-Witvliet, PhD, Hope College
Lindsey Root Luna, PhD, Hope College
Joshua Foster, PhD, University of South Alabama
Sarah Schnitker, PhD, Baylor University
Janet Carter, MDiv, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Marwan Tabbara, MD, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Katharine Putman, PsyD, Azusa Pacific University
Mission
The Spirituality and Health Lab is interested in two primary research questions: What dimensions of spirituality influence preventive health behaviors, disease, and psychological functioning? How and through what mechanisms does spirituality influence preventive health behaviors, disease, and psychological functioning? Three research teams are associated with this lab: Experiences of Spirituality and Health-Related Outcomes (ESHO); Spirituality, Cancer, and Health Disparities (SCAHD); and Spirituality, Culture, and Eating Disturbance (SCED).
PROJECT
Experience of Spirituality and Health-Related Outcomes (ESHO) Research Team
- African American Women Spirituality and Health Team
- Spiritual Experiences in Worship: Cultural, Theological, and Psychological Perspectives
- Music Worship Leader Project
- Spirituality and Transformation in a Community-Based Group in the Bahamas
- Forgiveness and Spiritual Distress in an Inpatient Psychiatric Setting
- Examining Spirituality and Mental Health Outcomes in Psychiatric Patients
- Clarifying How Views of the Afterlife, Hope, and Meaning Influence Suicidal Ideation in Psychiatric Inpatients
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Experiences of Spirituality and Health-Related Outcomes (ESHO) Team
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Hinkel, H. M., Isaak, S. L., Abernethy, A. D., Witvliet, C. V. O., Schnitker, S. A., Root Luna, L.M., & Currier, J. M. (2021). Religiousness, meaning, and quality of life: Test of a mediational model among adults seeking a spiritually integrated inpatient program. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 1054–1067. https://doi- org.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/jclp.23096
Schnitker, S. A., Ro, D., Foster, J. D., Abernethy, A. D., Currier, J. M., Witvliet, C. V. O., Root Luna, L. M., Putnam, K., VanHarn, K., & Carter, J. (2020). Patient patients: Increased patience associated with decreased depressive symptoms in psychiatric treatment. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15, 300-313. doi:10.1080/17439760.2019.1610482
Abernethy, A. D., Currier, J. M., Schnitker, S. A., Witvliet, C. V. O., Root Luna, L M., Foster, J.D., VanHarn, K., & Carter, J. (2021). Inpatient perspectives on the appropriateness of spiritually integrated interventions in a Christian-affiliated program. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 52(3), 272-278. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000367
Currier, J. M., Foster, J. D., Witvliet, C. vanOyen, Abernethy, A. D., Root Luna, L. M., Schnitker, S.A., … Carter, J. (2019). Spiritual struggles and mental health outcomes in a spiritually integrated inpatient program. Journal of Affective Disorders, 249, 127–135. https://doi-org.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.02.012
Abernethy, A. D., Currier, J. M., Witvliet, C. V. O., Schnitker, S. A., Putman, K. M., Root Luna, L.M., Foster, J. D., Spencer, A., Jones, H., VanHarn, K. J., & Carter, J. (2018). Understanding the roles of religious comfort and strain on depressive symptoms in an inpatient psychiatric setting. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/rel0000233
The Family - Bahamas Group Project
Abernethy, A. D., Grannum, G. D., & Allen, D. F. (2019). Spirituality and transformation in a community-based group in the Bahamas. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 22(3), 227–243. https://doi-org.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13674676.2019.1579177
Abernethy, A. D., Allen, D. F., & Carroll, M. A. (2017) Adapting group therapy to address real world problems: Insights from groups offered in the Bahamas. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy. 1-18. 10.1080/00207284.2017.1335582
Black Women’s Spirituality Group
Abernethy, A. D. (in press). Spirituality as a source of strength and power for African American group therapists. A. Weiss, S. Masselink, Y, I. Kane, (eds)., Women, power, and group psychotherapy leadership. Routledge.
Spirituality, Cancer, and Health Disparities (SCAHD) Team
Flores, N. J., Mathew, M. J., Fortson, L. S., Abernethy, A. D., & Ashing, K. T. (2021). The influence of culture, social, and religious support on well-being in breast cancer Survivorship. Cureus, 13(3), e14158. https://doiorg.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.7759/cureus.14158
Spirituality, Culture, and Eating Disturbance (SCED) Team
King, L. H., Abernethy, A. D., Keiper, C., & Craycraft, A. (2018). Spirituality and eating disorder risk factors in African American women. Eating And Weight Disorders: EWD. https://doiorg.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0611-1
General
Abernethy, A. D., & Kim, S.-H. (2018). The Spiritual Transcendence Index: An Item Response Theory Analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 28(4), 240–256. https://doi-org.fuller.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/10508619.2018.1507800
Porter, S. L., Wang, D. C., Abernethy, A., Strout, S., Dillard, W., Yong, A., & van Vlastuin, W. (2021). Ecumenical and traditioned measurement: Measuring Christian maturation across distinct traditions of Christian spirituality. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. https://doi.org/10.1177/19397909211041032
Abernethy, A. D. (2021). Spiritual formation: Our spiritual journey to clinical practice. In D. J. Downs, T. Armstrong, and A Yong, (eds)., Vocation, formation, and theological education: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (pp. 163-184). Claremont Press.
Abernethy, A. D. (2020). Spirituality as a resource in group psychotherapy. In M. D. Ribeiro (ed.), Examining social identities and diversity issues in group therapy: Knocking at the boundaries (pp. 149-160). Routledge Press.
People
Faculty and Principal investigator
Alexis D. Abernethy
Associate Provost for Faculty Inclusion and Equity
Professor of Psychology
BS, HOWARD UNIVERSITY
MA, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
TEAMS
EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY AND HEALTH-RELATED OUTCOMES (ESHO) RESEARCH TEAM
SPIRITUALITY, CANCER, AND HEALTH DISPARITIES (SCAHD) TEAM
SPIRITUALITY, CULTURE, AND EATING DISTURBANCE (SCED) TEAM
Students
Nathan Flores
Nathan Flores, MA. is pursuing the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Fuller. His current research focuses on examining the religious/spiritual, cultural and social factors related to health outcomes (e.g. quality of life, cognitive functioning, and depression) for Latina and African American breast cancer survivors. Nathan has worked in different university medical hospitals over the last two years helping improve the quality of life of adults and elderly with neurodegenerative disorders. He considers it a privilege to (re)discover meaning, purpose, and improved holistic functioning of people.
Mary Jacob Mathew
Mary is a fourth-year student pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is involved in research examining cultural, social, and spiritual factors that can influence health related quality of life and health disparities in Latina and African American breast cancer survivors. She is also involved in exploring the role of Spirituality and Asceticism in the Treatment of Eating Disorders.
Patrick Jacques
Patrick E. Jacques is pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and an MA in Theology. His academic research centers on social connectedness, resilience, hope, gratitude, and their capacity to enhance spirituality and worship experiences. He seeks to make psychoeducation more accessible to marginalized and racialized groups.
Heather Jones
Heather is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is currently on internship at Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program / Wichita State University Counseling and Testing Center / South Central Mental Health Counseling Center in Kansas. Her research interests include the associations among self-forgiveness, depression, religious strain in psychiatric inpatients.
Faculty
Tina Armstrong
Director of Clinical Training and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology
BA IN THEATER, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES
EDM IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOLOGY, HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, CAMBRIDGE, MA
MA IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA
MA IN THEOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA
PHD IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, PASADENA, CA
TEAM
EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY AND HEALTH-RELATED OUTCOMES (ESHO) RESEARCH TEAM
TEAM
SPIRITUALITY, CULTURE, AND WELLBEING (SGW) RESEARCH TEAM
Students
Jordan Lara
Jordan is a first year PsyD student. Her cross-cultural experiences abroad has furthered her passions in bridging the gap between Hispanic and American cultures. She has worked in aging facilities, school sites, and rehabilitation institutions. She is especially interested in the dynamics of privilege, immigration, and therapy conducted in Spanish.
Contact Us
t. 626.584.5544
email: tri@fuller.edu
Staff
Jim Cummings, MDiv, MA
Research Administrator
jamescummings2@fuller.edu
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
8 am–5 pm
Address
Room 326
180 N. Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA 91182