title: Maladaptive Representations of Religious Beliefs as Cognitive Schemata: Exploring Associations with Depression and Anxiety and potential clinical implications
Creators: name: Shaban, Taregh
Publisher: name: University of Reading
Year: 2024

description: This thesis comprises four studies designed to answer the central research question: Are there
identifiable religious schemata within the conservative Muslim population that may be conferring
vulnerabilities to experiences of depression and anxiety?
Study 1, reported in Chapter 2 is a pilot study evaluating the Socratic Dialogical Interpre-view (SDI-v).
This method synthesises Cognitive Behavioural Therapy's Socratic dialogue with Dinkins’ Socratic
Hermeneutic ‘Interpre-view’. Conducted with three Muslim participants, the study explored the
cultural acceptability and effectiveness of SDI-v in eliciting core religious belief. The findings indicated
that the technique was acceptable to the Co-inquirers, demonstrating its potential feasibility for the
target Muslim population. Analysis of resulting interview data also revealed that the SDI-v effectively
identified theocentric core beliefs and related cognitive structures suggesting its potential as a useful
tool for exploring Muslim religious beliefs in a mental health research context. This pilot established
the groundwork for the use of the SDI-v with a broader sample and provided the reassurance needed
for the appropriateness of the technique in the current cultural environment.
Having established the utility and feasibility of the SDI-v, the second study built upon the foundational
work of Study 1 by applying the interview technique to a broader sample of sixteen Muslim Coinquirers. This second qualitative study explored the structure and content of religious schema
through the SDI-v and subsequently scrutinised the data using template analysis. Findings uncovered
a robust religious schema marked by negative beliefs and emotions, stable from childhood through
adulthood yet showing some developmental evolution. This study, discussed in detail in Chapter 3, not
only set the stage for the subsequent research but also provided necessary data for the development
of the Religious Schema Questionnaire (ReSQue)
The third study, presented in Chapter 4, significantly advances the field with the creation and
validation of a Religious Schema Questionnaire (ReSQue) specifically tailored for a Muslim population.
This three-phased study began with generating items from interview data collected in the previous
study. The initial stage also involved a cultural acceptability process for the two questionnaires’ items,
and a rigorous translation procedure. The subsequent exploratory factor analysis examined data from
174 university students, leading to two 18-item versions of the ReSQue (childhood and adulthood)
that substantially mirrored each other. The final phase confirmed the factor structure of both versions
of the questionnaire using data from 250 participants. Subsequent reliability and validity tests
provided further support for the psychometric robustness of the ReSQue reinforcing this unique
measure’s importance for assessing religious schemata especially in conservative Muslim populations. The final study (Chapter 5) examined the relationship between maladaptive religious schemata,
measured by the ReSQue, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in 250 participants. Logistic
regression showed significant and high probabilities of reporting above cut-off for depression and
anxiety given high scores on both versions of the ReSQue. Moreover, the influence of various ReSQue
subscales sometimes varied across the C-ReSQue and A-ReSQue, suggesting some age-related
differential impact. The findings have a number of clinical implications including the importance of
assessing for religious schemata particularly among religious individuals experiencing anxiety and
depression, and the significance of considering age and schema developmental stages when designing
interventions.
A more detailed exposition of the key clinical implications and recommendations drawn from the
preceding studies was reflected upon and discussed in the final and concluding Chapter 6. These
recommendations included the need for incorporating religious and spiritual components into
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy assessments and formulations, with two models based on study data
proposed to aid this process. The application of minor adaptations to cognitive and schema-focussed
techniques such as cognitive restructuring and imagery dialogue were also suggested as potentially
effective interventions for modifying maladaptive religious schemata. This chapter further emphasized
the critical role of therapists' understanding of clients' religious traditions and the strategic use of
scriptural sources over other religious materials. Finally, interdisciplinary collaboration was
recommended underscoring the value of combining religious understanding with mental health
expertise for a more comprehensive approach to care.