Research References (Selected)
When Faith Falters: Psychology, Scripture and the Path to Flourishing
Nervous System, Protection & Trauma
Banik, S., & Bell, S. (2022). Neurobiological mechanisms of stress and trauma: Implications for clinical practice. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 18, 293–320. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-115224
Herman, J. L. (2020). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence — from domestic abuse to political terror (Revised ed.). Basic Books.Note: Updated edition with new clinical framing.
Therapeutic Relationship & Change
Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2021). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 58(2), 174–186. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000367
Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2023). Relationship and responsiveness: The foundation of effective psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79(3), 414–431. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23330
Non-Linear Change & Meaning-Based Healing
Hayes, S. C., & Hofmann, S. G. (2022). The blooming of contextual therapies: Past, present, and future. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 24, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.01.001
Lilienfeld, S. O., & Stephenson, G. M. (2021). Evidence-based therapy and non-linear change processes: Reconciling complexity with clinical practice. Clinical Psychology Review, 90, Article 102097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102097
Rolvsjord, R. (2021). Non-linear therapeutic change: A relational and performance-based approach (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Meaning & Identity in Healing
Park, C. L., & Helgeson, V. S. (Eds.). (2021). Handbook of the psychology of meaning. Guilford Press.
Steger, M. F., & Kashdan, T. B. (2020). The psychological importance of meaning in life: Theory, research, and practice. American Psychological Association.
Triplett, K. N., et al. (2023). Meaning reconstruction in trauma therapy: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36(1), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22807
Additional Contemporary Trauma & Resilience Sources
Cloitre, M., & Courtois, C. A. (2020). Treating complex trauma: A sequenced, phase-based approach. Psychotherapy, 57(3), 250–259. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000318
Sikkema, K. J., et al. (2022). Psychosocial interventions for trauma recovery: Current evidence and future directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 96, Article 102170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102170
Have you Eaten? Korean Food, Soup, and the Language of Care
Gibson, G. R., Probert, H. M., Van Loo, J., Rastall, R. A., & Roberfroid, M. B. (2004). Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: Updating the concept of prebiotics. Nutrition Research Reviews, 17(2), 259–275. https://doi.org/10.1079/NRR200479
Hong, S.-T., & Kim, J. (2020). The effects of fermented soybean foods on human health: A narrative review. Journal of Medicinal Food, 23(8), 760–773. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2020.0013
Jose, P. E., & Brown, I. (2019). Comfort food in childhood: Memory and wellbeing. Appetite, 141, 104300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104300
Kang, S. S., & Kim, H. (2021). Fermented foods and intestinal health: Effects on intestinal microbiota and digestive comfort. Food & Function, 12(6), 2392–2409. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0FO02961G
Macht, M. (2008). How emotions affect eating: A five-way model. Appetite, 50(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2007.07.002
Marco, M. L., Heeney, D., Binda, S., Cifelli, C. J., Cotter, P. D., Foligné, B., … Hutkins, R. (2017). Health benefits of fermented foods: Microbiota and beyond. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 44, 94–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2016.11.010
Swain, M. R., Anandharaj, M., Ray, R. C., & Rani, R. P. (2013). Fermented fruits and vegetables of Asia: A potential source of probiotics. Food Research International, 51(1), 15–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2012.11.006
Timmermans, B., & De Beuckelaer, A. (2022). Psychological comfort foods: Effects on mood and meaning. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 32(1), 168–182. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1246
Wild, B., & Wansink, B. (2019). Comfort food calm: On the comforting effects of eating familiar foods. Food Quality and Preference, 76, 71–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2019.04.005
Mom Guilt, Reframed
Meeussen, L., Van Laar, C., & Van Grootel, S. (2023).The pressure of intensive mothering and its impact on mothers’ well-being. Current Psychology, 42(3), 2075–2089. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02602-4
Roskam, I., Brianda, M. E., & Mikolajczak, M. (2021).A step forward in the conceptualization and measurement of parental burnout: The Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 628312. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.628312
Roskam, I., Raes, M. E., & Mikolajczak, M. (2021).Exhausted parents: Development and preliminary validation of the Parental Burnout Inventory. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 674274. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674274
Leahy-Warren, P., McCarthy, G., & Corcoran, P. (2022).First-time mothers: Social support, maternal parental self-efficacy and postnatal depression. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(1–2), 146–157. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15913
Felder, J. N., Lemon, E., Shea, K., Kripke, K., Dimidjian, S., & Segal, Z. V. (2019).Role of self-compassion in psychological well-being among perinatal women. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 22(3), 367–377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0900-9
Mikolajczak, M., & Roskam, I. (2018).A theoretical and clinical framework for parental burnout: The balance between risks and resources (BR²). Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 886. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00886
Mikolajczak, M., Gross, J. J., & Roskam, I. (2019).Parental burnout: What is it, and why does it matter? Clinical Psychological Science, 7(6), 1319–1329.
When Mental Health and Faith Collide
Therapeutic Approaches & Addiction Recovery
Krotter, A. (2024). Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for addictive behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 32(2024), Article 10077.
Irani, R. D., & Ahmadi, R. (2022). Comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and brief intervention on relapse prevention among drug users. Addiction & Health, 14(4), 263–267.
Zamboni, L., Centoni, F., Fusina, F., Mantovani, E., Rubino, F., Lugoboni, F., & Federico, A. (2021). The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for the treatment of substance use disorders: A narrative review. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 209(10), 835–845.
Guenzel, N. (2023). Addiction relapse prevention. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Integration of Religion/Spirituality & Mental Health
American Psychological Association. (2023). Incorporating religion and spirituality into therapy. APA Monitor on Psychology.
Bradley, C. B. (2025). The relationship of Christian spirituality and sustained coping in addiction recovery. Liberty University Digital Commons.
Handbook of Religion and Health (3rd ed.). (2023). Koenig, H. G., King, D. E., & Carson, V. B. (Eds.). Oxford University Press.
Fortuna, L. R., et al. (2023). Integrating religious beliefs and spirituality in mindfulness-based CBT approaches for traumatic stress. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma.
Mental Health, Stigma, and Religious Community Context
Cambridge Handbook of Stigma and Mental Health. (2022). Chapter: Stigma and mental health in Abrahamic religious traditions. Cambridge University Press.
Pargament, K. I. (1997/2001). The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice. Guilford Press.
ACT & CBT Evidence
Zhang, L., et al. (2024). Effectiveness of an internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy intervention: A randomized trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e59093.
Khandelwal, N., et al. (2024). A pilot trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for substance use behaviors: Meta-analytic evidence. Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
General Psychiatry & Spirituality Context
APA Foundation. (2024). Mental Health: A Guide for Faith Leaders. American Psychological Association.
Psychiatric Times. (2025). Religion and spirituality in psychiatry and mental health clinical considerations.
Broader Context
Koenig, H. G., McCullough, M. E., & Larson, D. B. (2001/2012/2023). Handbook of Religion and Health. Oxford University Press.
Pargament, K. I. (1997/2001). The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice. Guilford Press.
“Do You Still Not Understand?” How Science Illuminates What Scripture Has Always Assumed About Learning
Learning, Memory, and Spaced Practice
Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. In M. A. Gernsbacher, R. W. Pew, L. M. Hough, & J. R. Pomerantz (Eds.), Psychology and the real world: Essays illustrating fundamental contributions to society (pp. 56–64). Worth Publishers.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2009). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 20(11), 1095–1102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02439.x
Latimier, A., Peyre, H., & Ramus, F. (2021). A meta-analytic review of the benefit of spacing out retrieval practice. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 959–987. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09571-8
Mawson, R. D., et al. (2025). The distributed practice effect on classroom learning: A systematic review of applied research. Educational Psychology Review. Advance online publication. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12189222/
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
Cognitive Load, Interleaving, and Learning Design
Chen, O., Paas, F., & Sweller, J. (2021). Spacing and interleaving effects require distinct theoretical bases: A systematic review testing the cognitive load and discriminative-contrast hypotheses. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 1499–1522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09538-9
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2019). Cognitive load theory (2nd ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93773-7
Productive Struggle and Learning Through Failure
Sinha, T., & Kapur, M. (2021). When problem solving followed by instruction works: Evidence and explanations. Review of Educational Research, 91(3), 408–444. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211019105
Kapur, M. (2016). Examining productive failure, productive success, unproductive failure, and unproductive success in learning. Educational Psychologist, 51(2), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2016.1155457
Stress, Shame, Emotion, and Learning
Almarzouki, A. F., et al. (2024). Stress, working memory, and academic performance: A systematic review. Stress, 27(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2024.2364333
Córdova, A., et al. (2023). The influence of stress and emotion on learning and memory: A neurocognitive review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1181789. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1181789
Immordino-Yang, M. H., Darling-Hammond, L., & Krone, C. R. (2019). Nurturing nature: How brain development is inherently social and emotional, and what this means for education. Educational Psychologist, 54(3), 185–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1633924
Relational Safety, Motivation, and Learning
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Routledge.
Yeager, D. S., & Walton, G. M. (2011). Social-psychological interventions in education: They’re not magic. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 267–301. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311405999
Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
Boot, N., Nevicka, B., & Baas, M. (2020). Creativity in ADHD: Goal-directed motivation and domain specificity. Creativity Research Journal, 32(3), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2020.1821566
Demeyer, I., De Raedt, R., & Koster, E. H. W. (2019). Attentional control and time perspective in adults with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(6), 567–578. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054716686181
Kooij, J. J. S., Bijlenga, D., Salerno, L., et al. (2019). Updated European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD. European Psychiatry, 56, 14–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.11.001
Mitchell, J. T., & Nelson-Gray, R. O. (2021). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and emotion regulation in adults: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 87, 102032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102032
Panagiotidi, M., Overton, P. G., & Stafford, T. (2018). The paradox of ADHD: Trait-related advantages in creativity, resilience, and adaptability. Personality and Individual Differences, 131, 16–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.04.017
Sedgwick, J. A., Merwood, A., & Asherson, P. (2019). The positive aspects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A qualitative study of successful adults with ADHD. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 11(3), 241–253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-019-00294-0
Shaw, P., Stringaris, A., Nigg, J., & Leibenluft, E. (2014). Emotion dysregulation in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(3), 276–293. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13070966
White, H. A., & Shah, P. (2016). Scope of semantic activation and innovative thinking in adults with ADHD. Journal of Creative Behavior, 50(3), 185–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.77
Biblical Behavioural Science Series
Case Study #1: Jonah and Avoidant Coping
Core avoidant coping + coping theory
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.
Suls, J., & Fletcher, B. (1985). The relative efficacy of avoidant and nonavoidant coping strategies: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology, 4(3), 249–288.
Experiential avoidance + ACT foundations (transdiagnostic “avoidance”)
Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. G., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(6), 1152–1168.
Chawla, N., & Ostafin, B. (2007). Experiential avoidance as a functional dimensional approach to psychopathology: An empirical review. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63(9), 871–890.
Measurement + psychological flexibility
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., Wilson, K. G., et al. (2004). Measuring experiential avoidance: A preliminary test of a working model. The Psychological Record, 54, 553–578.
Wang, Y., et al. (2024). Experiential Avoidance Process Model: A review. [PMCID article].
Groth, N., et al. (2019). Coping as a mediator between locus of control/competence beliefs and mental health: A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences.