Joseph M. Currier, Ph.D.
Dr. Currier will be reviewing applications for the SPiRIT Lab for the 2024-25 academic year.
Education
APA Accredited Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Polytrauma and Returning Veterans (OEF/OIF) Program, Memphis VA Medical Center, Memphis TN
APA Accredited Clinical Psychology Internship, Memphis VA Medical Center, Memphis TN
Ph.D Clinical Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis TN
M.A. Clinical Psychology, Wheaton College, Wheaton IL
B.A. Psychology and Catholic Studies, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul MN
Research Interests
My research broadly focuses on the multifaceted role of spirituality and religion (S/R) in coping with traumatic events and other mental health challenges. Along with graduate and undergraduate students, our Spirituality in Psychological Research, Intervention, and Training (SPiRIT) Lab generally pursues two types of studies: (1) basic research studies that examine pathways or processes via which S/R can promote resilience, cause psychological suffering, and/or influence the etiology, phenomenology, and healing of PTSD, moral injury, and other clinical problems; and (2) translational research studies that will lead to ethical and effective strategies for routinely addressing S/R in clinical training and practice. We rely on diverse scientific methods to achieve these goals, including mixed methods, longitudinal surveys, practice-based evidence research, meta-analysis, experience sampling, and community participatory action research. We also regularly collaborate with colleagues from psychology and other healthcare fields (including chaplaincy), community partners and organizations, and funders who make our work possible.
Current Projects
Divine Forgiveness Project: In partnership with colleagues from Wheaton College, University of Central Florida, and Florida State University, this project seeks to illumine the nature, expressions, and functions of divine forgiveness (DF) in theistic relational spirituality across three phases. In Phase 1, we will conduct an online survey assessing DF, religious attachment, and other psychospiritual factors. In Phase 2, we will examine the reciprocal interplay between DF and indices of psychospiritual functioning (e.g., positive and negative emotion, moral struggles, self-compassion) in a representative group of survey respondents via an ecological momentary assessment approach. In Phase 3, participants will complete an adapted version of the Religious Attachment Interview that has been designed to examine how individual differences in religious attachment might influence perceptions and experiences of DF.
Spiritual and Religious Competencies Project: In partnership with psychology, counseling, and social work colleagues from five universities, the project seeks to promote research and training in spiritual and religious (S/R) competencies via micro-, mezzo-and macro-level objectives across four initiatives: (1) develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate an integrated curricular approach to infusing training in S/R competencies into graduate coursework; (2) produce resources/tools for assessing and addressing S/R competencies in clinical training settings; (3) conduct a national, inter-disciplinary survey of graduate faculty to understand faculty views, experiences, and perceived barriers/supports to training their students in S/R competencies; and (4) coordinate a set of systems-level change activities to identify/remove barriers and promote widespread integration of S/R competencies in mental health training, research, and practice.
Google Scholar Profile
Recent Publications
Currier, J. M., Swift, J., Sanders, P., & Richards, P. S. (2024). Preventing dropout in spiritually integrated psychotherapies: What are effective methods of attending to clients’ spirituality? Psychotherapy. Advanced online publication.
Currier. J. M., Bounds, E. M., Matsuo, H., Abernethy, A. D., Witvliet, C. V., VanHarn, K., Root Luna, L., Foster, J. D., & Schnitker, S. A. (2024). Temporal associations between meaning in life, ultimate meaning struggles, and mental health outcomes in a spiritually integrated inpatient program. Journal of Clinical Psychology. Advanced online publication.
Currier, J. M., McDermott, R. C., Sanders, P., Barkham, M., Owen, J., Saxon, D., & Richards, P. S. (2024). Practice-based evidence for spiritually integrated psychotherapies: Examining trajectories of psychological and spiritual distress. Journal of Counseling Psychology. Advanced online publication.
Currier, J. M., McDermott, R. C., Fernandez, P., Salcone, S., Hinkel H. M., Schuler, K., Fadoir, N., & Smith, P. N. (2024). Examining the outcomes and acceptability of a peer-led spiritual intervention for moral injury in a Veteran Service Organization. Psychological Services, 21, 276-286.
Salcone, S., Currier, J. M., Hinkel, H. M., Pearce, M. J., Wong, S., Pargament, K. I. (2023). Evaluation of Spiritual Competency Training in Mental Health (SCT-MH): A replication study with mental health professionals. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 54, 336-341.
Currier, J. M., Fox, J., Pearce, M., Vieten, C., & Oxhandler H. K. (2023). Enhancing competencies for ethical integration of religion and spirituality in psychological services. Psychological Services, 20, 40-50.