Table 1.
Characteristics of the included studies
| Author(s) (year) | Objective | Methods | N | Participants | Setting | Country | Q a | Risk of bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu-Ras (2011) | To examine the roles of Muslim chaplains in health care settings, and in serving Muslim patients in particular | Survey + interviews | 56 + 33 | Pastoral care directors, chaplains (Muslim and non-Muslim) | Health care | US | + | Not described why using mixed methods was necessary and how the data are integrated |
| Abu-Ras and Laird (2011) | To examine Muslim and non-Muslim chaplains’ approaches of pastoral care with Muslim patients | Interviews | 33 | Chaplains (Muslim and non-Muslim) | Hospital | US | + | Poor description of data analysis |
| Cadge and Sigalow (2013) | To explore chaplains’ two main strategies when working with patients and families with a RS background other than their own | Interviews + pt observ | 20 | Chaplains (various RSa backgrounds) | Hospital | US | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; poor description of data collection and analysis |
| Carey and Davoren (2008) | To explore the interfaith pastoral care provided by Christian health care chaplains to patients and their families of non-Christian religions | Survey + interviews | 30 | Chaplains (Christian) | Hospital | AU | ± | Poor description of qualitative data analysis, small sample for quantitative part |
| Chui and Cheng (2013) | To explore the experiences of religious workers in Asian penitentiaries | Interviews | 17 | Prison chaplains, volunteers (Buddhist) | Prison | CN | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; poor description of data analysis |
| Ellis and Campbell (2005) | To explore the importance of concordant belief systems in patient–physician spiritual interactions | Interviews | 20 | Family physicians, (ambulatory) patients | Community health | US | ++ | None |
| Galek et al. (2010) | To examine the degree to which chaplains are more likely to pray with patients of their own religious faith | Correlational study | 82 | Chaplains, students (Christian, Jewish) | Hospital | US | ± | Poor description of sample and selection of sample; mainly students |
| Hodge and Lietz (2014) | To examine the utility of spiritually modified cognitive-behavioral therapy with the treatment of substance abuse | 6 focus groups | 40 | Therapists, clients | Various | US | + | Poor description of influence research team on research process |
| Kale (2011) | To examine how spiritual care is perceived by recording the lived experiences of palliative care workers at Hospice Africa Uganda | Interviews | 15 | Various palliative care workers (mainly Christian) | Hospital | UG | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; poor description of data analysis |
| Kellems et al. (2010) | To (1) gain information about therapy involving RS issues, (2) examine relationship between similarity of therapist–client RS and therapy process, (3) examine relationship between therapists’ level of personal RS commitment and importance they attach to specific RS goals/interventions, (4) examine the relationship of RS training to self-efficacy for working with RS issues, (5) explore how personal RS impacted therapists’ work with particular clients | Survey | 220 | University counseling center therapists (various RS backgrounds) | University | US | ++ | None |
| Kerley et al. (2009) | To study the narrative of prison chaplains and local religious congregants in order to learn more about the ministry workers responsible for the provision of faith-based prison programs | Interviews | 30 | Chaplains, religious congregants (Christian) | Prison | US | ± | Poor description of data analysis; no code tree |
| Magaldi-Dopman et al. (2011) | To offer an in-depth, qualitative examination of spiritual/religious/non-religious identity development among psychologists and its impact on their psychotherapy with clients | Interviews | 16 | Psychologists (various RS backgrounds) | Various | US | ++ | None |
| Mayers et al. (2007) | To explore the process of help-seeking and therapy among clients with religious or spiritual beliefs | Interviews | 10 | Clients (strong RS beliefs; various RS backgrounds) | Therapy | UK | ++ | None |
| Pesut and Reimer-Kirkham (2010) | To analyze the negotiation of religious and spiritual plurality in clinical encounters, and the contexts that shape that negotiation | Interviews + pt observ | 65 | Health care professionals, administrators, patients, family members | Hospital | CA | + | Poor description of the research team and relation of the research team with participants; poor description of data analysis |
| Pesut et al. (2012) | To examine the contributions of spiritual care providers in Canadian institutional health care contexts | Interviews | 21 | Spiritual care providers, volunteers (various RS backgrounds) | Hospital | CA | + | Poor description of influence research team on research process; poor description of data analysis |
| Reimer-Kirkham et al. (2004) | To examine the contexts of intercultural spiritual caregiving | Interviews + focus group | 6 | Nurses, chaplains | Hospital | CA | + | Small sample; no code tree |
| Reimer-Kirkham et al. (2012) | To examine the negotiation of religious and spiritual pluralism in health care, with a focus on the themes of “sacred” and “place” | Interviews + pt observ | 69 | Health care professionals, administrators, patients, family members | Hospital | CA | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; participant selection and data collection unclear |
| Sherwood (2000) | To use guided reflection to examine a written caregiving encounter to identify spiritual themes and interpret their influence on nursing practice | 5 focus groups | 40 | Nurses, student nurses | Hospital | US | + | None |
| Silton et al. (2013) | To obtain basic information from professional chaplains about their use of prayer with patients | 1 focus group | 8 | Chaplains (various RS backgrounds) | Hospital | US | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; small sample size |
| Sinclair et al. (2009) | To examine the factors affecting the practice of spiritual care programs or professional chaplains working within an oncology setting | Interviews + pt observ | X | Spiritual caregivers | Cancer center | US | ± | Poor description of influence research team on research process; poor description of data collection; no code tree |
| Taylor et al. (2014) | To describe how the religiosity of Christian nurses motivates their practice and manifests during patient care, especially spiritual care | Interviews | 14 | Nurses | Hospital | US | ++ | None |
| Wesley et al. (2004) | To analyze the roles and educational needs of hospice social workers regarding assessment and intervention in spirituality, religion, and diversity of their patients | Survey | 62 | Hospice social workers (Various RS backgrounds) | Hospice | US | + | Data collection via membership organization; limited response rate |
X, Not applicable; AU, Australia; CN, China; UG, Uganda; RS, Religious/spiritual; pt observ, participant observations; ±, moderate quality; +, good quality; ++, very good quality
aQuality was assessed using the following guidelines: Tong et al. (2007) for qualitative studies, Kelley et al. (2003) for quantitative studies, and Leech and Onwuegbuzie (2010) for mixed methods studies