Opening up the black box of chaplaincy
A qualitative study into the reported workings of a narrative and interfaith spiritual care intervention in palliative care at home
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22310651 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Annemarie Foppen (0000-0002-8527-8540, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, corresponding author), Iris R Wierstra (0000-0001-7587-8887, Chair group Humanist Chaplaincy Studies for a Plural Society, University of Humanistic Studies), Anke I Liefbroer (0000-0003-4356-3981, Tilburg University), Lenneke Post (0000-0002-2534-4788, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Erik Olsman (0000-0002-1951-2247, Protestant Theological University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 261-276 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0885-4726 • E-ISSN: 1528-6916 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/08854726.2025.2471739 |
| PMID | 40077905 |
| OpenAlex | W4408418843 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
This study investigated the reported workings of a narrative and interfaith spiritual care intervention in palliative care at home called “In dialogue with your life story.” It was developed to address clients’ spiritual needs in the religious plural context of the Netherlands. Thus far, how the intervention impacted clients’ spiritual well-being remained a black box. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with and workbooks of clients (N = 75) and chaplains (N = 33) indicated seven intervention elements that promoted clients’ spiritual well-being in four ways: (1) they offered new insights and a better overview, (2) provided a place to connect and share experiences, (3) helped to reach deeper layers of meaning, and (4) brought out feelings of calmness and gratitude. The findings shed light on the intervention’s black box and encourage further exploration of associations between chaplaincy goals, processes, and outcomes
Alternative medicine · Art · Narrative · Palliative care · Pastoral care · Qualitative research · Sociology · Spiritual care · Spirituality · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
What do I do? Developing a taxonomy of chaplaincy activities and interventions for spiritual care in intensive care unit palliative care
Healthcare Chaplains Responding to Change
Goals of chaplaincy care
Addressing spiritual needs in palliative care
A spiritual care intervention for chaplains in home-based palliative care
Patient Reported Outcome Measure of Spiritual Care as Delivered by Chaplains
Outcomes for Professional Health Care Chaplaincy
Can Outcome Research Respect the Integrity of Chaplaincy? A Review of Outcome Studies
Interfaith Spiritual Care
Transcending the Suffering in Cancer
Standardization of Spiritual Care in Healthcare Facilities in the Netherlands
Chaplains’ Professional Identity and a Structured Approach to Chaplaincy
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Positioning Chaplaincy in the Pluralistic and Multidisciplinary Dutch Care Context
Negotiating Religious Differences
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |