Kenneth I. Pargament

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1977

Dr. Pargament's nationally and internationally known research addresses religious beliefs and health. His current research program addresses how elderly people who struggle with their religious beliefs and hold negative perceptions about their relationships with God and life meaning have an increased risk of death, even after controlling for physical and mental health and demographic characteristics. He also studies the process by which people create perceptions about the sanctity of aspects of their life activities and the beneficial effects of "sanctification" for individual and interpersonal well-being. A strong emphasis on this work is how individuals and couples "sanctify" their marriage and how that sanctification is a strong predictor of marital quality and stability. Dr. Pargament won the 2000 Virginia Staudt Sexton Mentoring Award from the American Psychological Association for his generous work in encouraging both faculty, undergraduate, and graduate research in the psychology of religion.

Recent Publications:

Kusner, K., & Pargament, K. I. (2012).  Shaken to the core:  Understanding and addressing the spiritual dimension of trauma.  In R. A. McMackin, E. Newman, J. M. Fogler, & T. M. Keane (Eds.),Trauma therapy in context:  The science and craft of evidence-based practice (pp. 211-230).  Washington DC: APA Press.

Pargament, K. I., Abu-Raiya, H., & Magyar-Russell, G. (Forthcoming). When religion goes awry: Religious risk factors for poorer health and well-being.  Invited chapter to Religion and psychiatry. World Psychiatric Association.  

Krumrei, E. J., Mahoney, A., & Pargament, K. I. (2011). Demonization of divorce: Prevalence rates and links to post-divorce adjustment.  Family Relations, 60, 90-103.

Pargament, K. I. & Sweeney, P. J. (2011).  Building spiritual fitness in the Army:  An innovative approach to a vital aspect of human development.  American Psychologist, 66, 58-64.

Lomax, J. W., Kripall, J. J., & Pargament, K. I. (2011).  Perspectives on “sacred moments” in psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 1-7.

Abu-Raiya, H., Pargament, K. I., & Mahoney, A. (2011). Examining coping methods with stressful interpersonal events experienced by Muslims living the U.S. following the 9/11attacks. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 3, 1-14.

Lomax, J. W., & Pargament, K. I. (2011).  Seeking ‘sacred moments’ in psychotherapy and in life. Psyche & Geloof, 22, 79-90.

Pargament, K. I., Feuille, M., & Burdzy, D. (2011).  The Brief RCOPE:  Current psychometric status of a short measure of religious coping.  Religions, 2, 51-76.

Rosmarin, D. H., Pirutinsky, S., & Pargament, K. I. (2011). A brief measure of core religious beliefs for use in psychiatric settings.  International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 41, 255-261.

Pirutinsky, S., Rosmarin, D.H., Holt, C., Feldman, R.H., Caplan. L.S., Midlarsky, E., & Pargament, K.I. (2011). Intrinsic religiosity as a buffer of the relationship between physical illness and depressive symptoms among Jews: Mediators and moderators. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 67, 1-10.

Raiya, H. A., Pargament, K. I., & Mahoney, A. (2011). Examining coping methods with stressful interpersonal events experienced by Muslims living the U.S. following the 9/11attacks. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 3, 1-14.

Pargament, K, I., & Sweeney, P, J. (2011). Building spiritual fitness in the Army: An innovative approach to a vital aspect of human development.  The American Psychologist, 66(1), 58-64.

DeMaris, A., Mahoney, A., & Pargament, K.I. (2011). Doing the scut work of infant care: Does religiousness encourage father involvement?” Journal of Marriage and Family, 73(2), 354-368.

DeMaris, A., Mahoney, A., & Pargament, K.I. (2010). Sanctification of marriage and general religiousness as buffers of the effects of marital inequity. Journal of Family Issues, 31, 1255-1278.

Raiya, H. A., & Pargament, K. I. (2010). Religiously integrated psychotherapy with Muslim clients: From research to practice. Professional psychology: Research & practice, 41(2), 181-188. doi: 10.1037/a0017988

Rosmarin, D. H., Krumrei, E. J., & Pargament, K. I. (2010). Are gratitude and spirituality protective factors against psychopathology? International Journal of Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy, 3(1).

Rosmarin, D. H., Pargament, K. I., & Robb, H. B. (2010). Introduction to special series:  Spirituality and religious issues in behavior change.  Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 17(4), 343-347.

Rosmarin, D. H., Pargament, K. I., Pirutinsky, S., & Mahoney, A. (2010). A randomized controlled evaluation of a spiritually integrated treatment for subclinical anxiety in the Jewish community, delivered via the Internet. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 24(7), 799-808. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.05.014

Pargament, K. I., & Krumrei, E. J. (2009). Clinical assessment of clients’ spirituality. In J. Aten & M. Leach (Eds.), Spirituality and the therapeutic process: A guide for mental health professionals (pp. 93-120). Washington DC: American Psychological Association Press.

Rosmarin, D. H., Pirutinsky, S., Pargament, K. I., & Krumrei, E. J. (2009). Are religious beliefs relevant to mental health among Jews? Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 1, 180-190. doi: 10.1037/a0016728.

Rosmarin, D. H., Pargament, K. I., Krumrei, E.J., Flannelly, K. J. (2009). Religious coping among Jews: Development and initial validation of the JCOPE. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65 (7), 670-683.

Doehring, C., Clarke, A., Pargament, K. I., Hayes, A., Hammer, D., Nikolas, M., & Hughes, P. (2009). Perceiving sacredness in life: Correlates and predictors. Archives for the Psychology of Religion, 31, 55-73.

Pirutinsky , S., Rosmarin, D. H., Pargament, K. I. (2009). Community attitudes towards culture-influenced mental illness: Scrupulosity vs. nonreligious OCD among orthodox Jews. Journal of Community Psychology, 37 (8), 949-958.