Resolving anger toward God : lament as an avenue toward attachment

94 Pages·2014·0.47 MB·English

by  Kimberly N. Snow

Digital Commons @ George Fox University
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Psychology
1-1-2010
Resolving anger toward God : lament as an avenue
toward attachment
Kimberly N. Snow
George Fox University
This research is a product of the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program at George Fox University.Find out
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Recommended Citation
Snow, Kimberly N., "Resolving anger toward God : lament as an avenue toward attachment " (2010).Doctor of Psychology (PsyD).
Paper 96.
http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/psyd/96
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Resolving Anger Toward God: Lament as an Avenue Toward Attachment

by
Kimberly N. Snow

Presented to the Faculty of the
Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology
George Fox University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Psychology
in Clinical Psychology

Newberg, Oregon
May 2010
Resolving Anger toward God 2
Resolving Anger toward God:

Lament as an A venue toward Attachment

by

Kimberly N. Snow

has been approved

at the

Graduate School of Clinical Psychology

George Fox University

As a Dissertation for the Psy.D. degree

Approval

--
Mark McMinn, PhD, Chair
Date:,_S--=.I_''L_{2l>_0'__
Rodger Bufford, P
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Resolving Anger Toward God: Lament as an Avenue Toward Attachment

Kimberly N. Snow
Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology at
George Fox University
Newberg, Oregon

Abstract

Preliminary investigations have found anger toward God to be positively related to
various psychological problems, as well as physical, spiritual and religious problems (Exline &
Martin, 2005). Until recently, however, the topic of anger toward God has been vastly
overlooked by psychologists. Within the psychological literature, interventions specifically
targeting negative feelings toward God remain to be explored. The current study tested an
intervention based on the biblical psalms of lament (Zornow, 2009). The lament psalm
intervention consisted of 20 devotional readings and weekly experiential assignments, delivered
electronically over a four-week period. The study was completed by 192 college students at
Christian institutions across the United States. The majority of participants, 76%, were female,
and 84% of the sample was of European American descent. Overall, participants ascribed a high
level of importance to their religious beliefs. Religious affiliation was predominantly Christian.
It was hypothesized that the intervention would result in decreased feelings of anger and
complaint toward God, as well as increased intimacy with God over time, as demonstrated by a
Resolving Anger toward God iv

significant time by experimental condition interaction effect. It was also hypothesized that the
intervention would be related to changes in religious coping over time, also tested by an
interaction effect. Furthermore, it was believed that participants who scored high on measures of
both communion with God and complaint with God at Time 1 would receive the greatest benefit
from the intervention (Beck, 2006). In order to test these hypotheses, participants in the lament
psalm intervention were compared with participants in two control groups. Contrary to the
hypotheses, repeated measures ANOVAs revealed no significant interaction effects.
Further analysis was conducted in order to examine participants who reported a high
level of compliance with the intervention. Maximum compliance with the lament psalm
intervention was related to increased ratings on Communion with God, as measured by a
subscale of the Attachment to God Inventory, F (2, 101) = 3.71, p < 0.05. No other significant
interaction effects were found. Findings suggest that full participation in a lament psalm
intervention may result in benefits such as increased feelings of intimacy toward God.
Resolving Anger toward God v

Acknowledgments

This work is dedicated to Adam Snow, Mary Starr and Michelle Watson.
And to all of my loved ones who believe in the power of authentic relationship.
Resolving Anger toward God vi

Table of Contents
Approval Page.................................................................................................................................ii
Abstract.. ......................................................................................................................................iii
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................................v
Table of Tables.............................................................................................................................viii
Table of Figures..............................................................................................................................ix
Chapter 1: Introduction...................................................................................................................1
Relevance of Anger Toward God........................................................................................2
Suffering and Anger Toward God.......................................................................................5
Resolving Anger Toward God.............................................................................................7
Emotions in Relationship to God........................................................................................8
Chapter 2: Methods......................................................................................................................13
Participants........................................................................................................................13
Instruments........................................................................................................................13
Procedure...........................................................................................................................17
Chapter 3: Results.........................................................................................................................20
Demographics....................................................................................................................20
Hypothesis 1......................................................................................................................21
Hypothesis 2......................................................................................................................22
Hypothesis 3......................................................................................................................22
Additional Analyses: Hypotheses 1 and 2 Revisited.........................................................25
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Chapter 4: Discussion...................................................................................................................30
Limitations of the Current Study.......................................................................................33
Implications and Future Research.....................................................................................33
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................35
References ....................................................................................................................................37
Appendix A: Informed Consent for Research..............................................................................42
Appendix B: Intervention Measurements.....................................................................................44
Appendix C: Intervention Material..............................................................................................51
Appendix D: Curriculum Vita......................................................................................................79
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Table of Tables
Table 1 Subscale Items and Internal Consistency....................................................................16
Table 2 Instruments and Procedure..........................................................................................19
Table 3 Amount of Religious Activity.....................................................................................21
Table 4 Summary of Repeated Measures ANOVAs................................................................23
Table 5 ANOVAs (2 x 3) High-Communion/High-Complaint Participants’ Mean Change
Scores Compared to Other Participants by Experimental Group Condition...............26
Table 6 Repeated Measures ANOVAs for the Maximum Participation Group (Participation
Level = 7)....................................................................................................................27
Table 7 Items Comprising the AGI Communion Subscale......................................................31
Table 8 Pretest Means for Communion and Complaint Scales................................................32
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Table of Figures
Figure 1 Beck’s Communion and Complaint Circumplex Model with Quadrant Labels ..........9
Figure 2 AGI Communion for the Maximum Participation Group...........................................29