A Mixed Methods Study of Undergraduate Psychology Students at an Evangelical University: The Integration of Psychology and Christianity

The integration of psychology and spirituality has gained attention in both religious and secular communities over the last decade, and there has been an increased emphasis on Christian integration in the last few years. Current literature is primarily focused on frameworks and theories for integration. This thesis examines the existing literature on current methods of teaching integration and its applications within social work, church ministry, counseling, and education. By completing the Psychology-Faith Integration scale and a brief semi-structured interview, participants detailed how they understood and experienced the integration of psychology and Christianity throughout their undergraduate psychology programs. Scores on the Psy-FI scale were found to have a slight positive correlation with the number of psychology courses taken and a possible connection to completion of the university’s integration course. Prominent themes evident throughout participant interviews include God as sovereign and in control, God as creator, Jesus and Christianity serving as the foundation for psychology, how God designed the brain to function, how the integration of psychology and Christianity inform relationships with others, sin and the fallen nature of man, checking psychology against scripture, and psychology being utilized as a tool. Findings suggest a need for additional integration curriculum earlier in psychology degree programs that emphasizes practical application.