Searching for Religion and Spirituality: Content Analysis of Pediatric Psychology Journals

Objectives: A bibliometric content analysis of articles published in Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology and Journal of Pediatric Psychology from 2018 to 2023 seeks to determine the ubiquity, variety, balance, and disparity of articles that address religion and spirituality. Method: Thirty-five key terms related to religion and spirituality were selected and articles were sourced and screened in both journals via “full text” searches for all key terms. Each relevant article was downloaded as a full-text PDF and organized by key terms. Utilizing Adobe Acrobat’s advanced search, we conducted a “Whole Word” search using each key term separately across all PDF files. Search results were imported into Microsoft Excel via .csv files, where the “Countif” function determined term frequencies within articles. Articles were double coding to ensure reliability and consistency in the results. Results: Of 1,570 articles identified between 2018 and 2023 ( Journal of Pediatric Psychology , n = 1,318; Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology , n = 252), 60 (4%) included at least one of 35 key terms focused on religion and spirituality. The most common terms were spiritual ( f = 145), religious coping ( f = 134), religion ( f = 63), spiritual coping ( f = 62), and spirituality ( f = 36). The average number of articles that primarily focused on religion and spirituality was 4.72 ± 4.15. Conclusions: The limited coverage of religion and spirituality in pediatric psychology flagship journals revealed by this content analysis signals an important call for increased publication of work that focused on diverse aspects of identity. Implications for Impact Statement The study discovered that there’s a lack of research primarily focusing on religion and spirituality in pediatric psychology. Articles that focused on religion and spirituality found that religious and spiritual coping was beneficial for some families in managing disease-related stress and adjustment. They also highlighted the bidirectional effects of such coping on both patients and families. To offer culturally responsive care, further evaluation and integration of religion and spirituality into training programs, and clinical and research practices is needed. This ensures that pediatric psychologists effectively understand and address the religious and spiritual needs of children and families.