| This meta-analysis on the effectiveness of prayer involved 23 studies (10,115 participants) with 44 outcome measures. The results indicated that prayer demonstrated a significant improvement for physical and psychological ailments. Recent research about prayer goes beyond theological issues and crosses over to the psychological and medical fields. Given the importance of understanding religion and religious activities and their relationship to psychological and physical wellness, it is becoming increasingly relevant for health care providers to investigate religious and spiritual issues.;This meta-analysis provided a cross-sectional analysis of data, inventoried and explored, for the purposes of demonstrating an overarching principal regarding the efficacy of prayer. Specifically, this study hypothesized that a strong relationship existed between the requests made through prayer and the physiological and psychological outcomes measured. Twenty-three studies were examined, and it was discovered that prayer had a statistically significant effect on requested outcomes (dw = .76, z = 37.78, p < .001). Particular religious beliefs added to the effect: A larger effect on measured outcomes was found for individuals reporting Judeo-Christian beliefs than for individuals reporting other beliefs (d w = 0.95, z = 27.52, p < .05). Finally, there was a significant effect noted for the combined methodological category of prayer for physical health (dw = 1.62, z = 35.68, p < .05), followed by psychological wellness (dw = 0.66, z = 22.45, p < .05). Despite the reservations of Western health practitioners and social scientist scholars regarding the effectiveness of prayer, these findings suggest that prayer indeed has a significant and measurable effect. The results of the study are discussed in terms of limitations and suggested areas of future clinical and methodological research. |
