Distant Intercessory Prayer

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Distant Intercessory Prayer 1

Running head INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND TASK PERFORMANCE

Distant Intercessory Prayer and Task Performance

Lynn M. Munson and Douglas Degelman Do my essay on Distant Intercessory Prayer CHEAP !

Vanguard University of Southern California

Distant Intercessory Prayer

Abstract

In an extension of research demonstrating causal effects of intercessory prayer for physical

healing in a medical setting, the present study experimentally examined the effects of

intercessory prayer for improved task performance in an employment setting. Trained

customer service representatives either did, or did not, receive (over a 14-day period) daily

intercessory prayer for the specific needs and challenges of their workplace. Speed of call

handling was evaluated for each customer service representative. The specific dependent

measures were number of calls per hour and number of seconds per call. No statistically

significant differences between prayer and non-prayer groups were found for either calls per

hour or seconds per call. Recommendations for research in this new area of study center on

methodological issues, including the selection of relevant dependent measures.

Distant Intercessory Prayer

Distant Intercessory Prayer and Task Performance

Reviews of research on religion and health have concluded that at least some types of

religious behaviors are related to higher levels of physical and mental health (Gartner, Larson, &

Allen, 11; Koenig, 10; Levin & Vanderpool, 11; Maton & Pargament, 187; Paloma &

Pendleton, 11; Payne, Bergin, Bielema, & Jenkins, 11). One of the "religious behaviors" that

has been shown to be related to health and well-being is prayer (Finney & Maloney, 185;

McCullough, 15; Paloma & Pendleton, 11).

The empirical studies examined in these reviews have almost all revealed a significant

relationship between an individuals religious belief system and measures of well-being (Aldridge,

11; Friedman & Benson, 17; Larson et al., 1; Matthews, 17). A more difficult question

to answer is whether the relationship between religion and health, or more specifically between

prayer and health, is causal. Most studies examining prayer and health are correlational, leaving

unanswered the question of whether prayer is causing the observed changes in health. To

illustrate, if individuals who pray for physical healing (or know that others are praying for them)

have more positive outcome measures, many would argue that the positive outcome is not the

direct effect of the prayer, but instead may be the result of positive cognitive expectations.

One study that has experimentally examined the causal effect of prayer on health measures

was conducted by Randolph Byrd (188). Byrd conducted what has proved to be a landmark

study experimentally examining the causal effect of intercessory prayer (prayer offered on behalf

of another) on recovery from cardiological illness. In this double-blind study, patients in a

coronary care unit either received or did not receive daily prayer (while hospitalized) from

Christian prayer intercessors. Patients receiving prayer had "less congestive heart failure, required

less diuretic and antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests,

and were less frequently intubated and ventilated" (Byrd, 188, p. 8).

In another randomized, double-blind study on the effect of healing therapy utilizing

intercessory prayer on insulin dosage in type I diabetes mellitus patients, Wirth and Mitchell

(14) found that although there was a reduction in insulin dosage over a period of two weeks in

Distant Intercessory Prayer 4

the treatment condition compared to the control condition, the difference was not statistically

significant.

Although Byrds (188) study provides some evidence of a causal effect of prayer on

medical outcomes, there have been no comparable studies examining the potential causal effects

of prayer outside a medical setting. One important setting in which to study prayer is the

workplace, where prayer may address issues such as potential interpersonal conflict and the

pressures inherent in most workplaces (such as deadlines and performance evaluations). The

workplace clearly represents an untapped area for research into the possible causal effects of

intercessory prayer.

The specific purpose of the present study was to utilize the double-blind methodology of

Byrds (188) study on health outcomes to evaluate the "distance" effects (Dossey, 17; Schlitz,

17) of intercessory prayer (prayer without the individuals presence or awareness) on

occupational task performance. In a health care customer service call center, will individuals

receiving prayer evidence different levels of task performance (number of calls answered per hour

and number of seconds per call) compared to individuals who are not receiving prayer?

Method

Participants

Research participants were 10 trained customer service call center representatives ( men

and 4 women) all residing in southern California.

1

The mean age for the men was 4.0 years (SD

= 8.8), and the mean age for the women was 7. years (SD = 8.). Ethnicity of participants was

not evaluated. All study participants had at least six months and no more than two years

experience in this customer service call center environment. Primary responsibilities of the

customer service representatives were to respond to member questions concerning health care

coverage and to attempt to resolve member complaints. Participants worked in a controlled

environment at individual pod-like workstations, which were grouped in clusters of five. Each

used identical computer and phone answering equipment. Calls were distributed equally as

representatives were available.

Distant Intercessory Prayer 5

Two women (ages 6 and 55) served as prayer intercessors for the study. The intercessors

were self-identified Christians who were active participants in prayer ministries in a local United

Methodist church.

Apparatus

Data on answer speed and call handling time was attained utilizing the Northern Telecom

Meridian Max call reporting system. A daily prayer log sheet was used as a self report by prayer

intercessors.

Procedure

Participants were randomly assigned by gender- and age-matched pairs to prayer and nonprayer

groups. Participants had no knowledge that a study on intercessory prayer was being

conducted, but they were aware of ongoing monitoring of their phone interactions with

customers. Permission to use these data for the current study was obtained. Customer service

representatives in the prayer group were assigned to two prayer intercessors who had no prior

knowledge of the participants. Intercessors were provided with general information related to

potential work environment challenges and specific information (age, gender, and identification

number) about those for whom they were to pray. They were directed to offer daily specific

prayers for efficiency, alertness, and wisdom with members issues. Most prayers were -5

minutes in length. Intercessors recorded daily prayer "events" for each individual.

The study period spanned a 7-day pretest period (11//6 to 11//6) and a 14-day

experimental period (11/10/6 to 11//6). Daily measurements of number of calls answered per

hour and call handling time (number of seconds per call) were obtained.

Results

For each participant, the mean number of calls per hour and the mean number of seconds

per call for both the seven-day pretest period and the fourteen-day experimental period were

obtained. Table 1 presents, for both prayer and non-prayer groups, the means and standard

deviations of both measures (calls per hour and seconds per call) for both pretest period and

experimental period.

Distant Intercessory Prayer 6

Preliminary analyses of pretest calls per hour and seconds per call revealed no significant

differences between prayer and non-prayer groups for either calls per hour, F (1, 6) = 0.4, p =

.5, or seconds per call, F (1, 6) = 0., p = .4.

Multivariate tests of significance of calls per hour and seconds per call (and follow-up

univariate tests of significance of each) revealed no significant differences between prayer and

non-prayer groups in the change in either the mean number of calls per hour or the mean number

of seconds per call from pretest period to experimental period (all ps .10).

Discussion

The major finding of this study is that prayer for a two-week time period did not elicit a

statistically significant change in task performance as measured by time per call or number of calls

handled per hour among customer service representatives. While other studies found a correlation

between prayer and physical or mental wellness, this study, which appears to be the first study

dealing with the potential causal effects of prayer on occupational task performance, found no

effect of prayer on the two measures of occupational task performance (calls per hour and

seconds per call).

In considering the results of this exploratory study, several issues are clear. First, it must be

recognized that there are many, many measures potentially affected by intercessory prayer beyond

the physical characteristics of the phone conversations between the customer service

representatives and the customers. A comprehensive list of these measures is not possible, but

included would have to be supervisor evaluations, peer evaluations, customer evaluations,

measures of personal peace, confidence, patience, kindness, insight into customer issues, and

resolution of customer issues. As the study of intercessory prayer moves into a new area

(occupational task performance), it is extremely important for researchers to have an ongoing

record of the dependent measures which were, and were not, impacted by intercessory prayer.

The dependent measures employed in this study (calls per hour and seconds per call) were

selected primarily because they were measures that were already being collected by the employer.

These measures may have been relatively insensitive to the effects of prayer due to certain

Distant Intercessory Prayer 7

conditions of employment customer service representatives received "incentives" (both monetary

and status) for efficient handling of calls. Thus, customer service representatives may have been

performing at or near optimal levels, resulting in a ceiling effect.

Second, there is an acknowledged need to report findings of statistical nonsignificance,

especially as research moves into a new area. Schlitz (17) and Larson et al. (1) both noted

the deleterious effects of selective reporting of only statistically significant effects. When a study

employs careful controls (such as the present study which controlled the potential biasing effects

of participant knowledge of being recipients of prayer), findings of statistical nonsignificance are

of greater value than studies in which several rival hypotheses can be identified.

Third, if the effect size that is being examined is reliable yet relatively small, there may be

several factors that determine whether a statistically significant effect is observed in a specific

situation. Schlitz (17) observed that the need of participants seems to increase effect size. To

the extent that this is so, we would expect employees of whom there are high expectations, or

who are experiencing prolonged stressful situations, or who operate in a highly competitive

setting might be more likely to be affected by intercessory prayer. Although some of these

conditions presumably applied in the present study, the selection of dependent measures may have

obscured their impact. Future research in this area should carefully consider the level of

participant need.

Few fields of research are as open and inviting as the study of the effects of intercessory

prayer in the workplace! In addition to the many potentially important dependent measures

already mentioned, future research needs to address additional variables such as the nature and

length of the intercessory prayer, the length of time the intercessory prayer period lasts, the

personal characteristics of both the participants and the intercessors (including age, gender, and

ethnicity), and the occupational characteristics of those receiving prayer (including type of

position, length of employment, and ongoing levels of stress). As future research begins to map

out the complex ways in which intercessory prayer impacts those in the workplace, additional

issues such as the endurance of the effects of prayer over time will certainly arise.

Distant Intercessory Prayer 8

References

Aldridge, D. (11). Spirituality, healing and medicine. British Journal of General Practice, 41,

45-47.

Byrd, R. C. (188). Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit

population. Southern Medical Journal, 81, 86-8.

Dossey, L. (17, March). Prayer as distant intentionality An idea whose time has come. Paper

presented at the meeting of Spirituality and Healing in Medicine-II, Los Angeles, CA.

Finney, J. R., & Malony, H. N. (185). Empirical studies of Christian prayer A review of the

literature. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 104-115.

Friedman, R., & Benson, H. (17). Spirituality and medicine. Mind/Body Medicine, , 1-.

Gartner, J., Larson, D. B., & Allen, G. D. (11). Religious commitment and mental health A

review of the empirical literature. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 6-5.

Koenig, H. G. (10). Research on religion and mental health in later life A review and

commentary. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, , -5.

Larson, D. B., Sherrill, K. A., Lyons, J. S., Craigie, F. C., Thielman, S. B., Greenwold, M. A., et

al. (1). Associations between dimensions of religious commitment and mental health

reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry and Archives of General Psychiatry 178-

18. American Journal of Psychiatry, 14, 557-55.

Levin, J. S., & Vanderpool, H. Y. (11). Religious factors in physical health and the prevention

of illness. Prevention in Human Services, (), 41-64.

Maton, K. I., & Pargament, K. I. (187). The roles of religion in prevention and promotion.

Prevention in Human Services, 5, 161-05.

Matthews, D. A. (17). Religion and spirituality in primary care. Mind/Body Medicine, , -1.

McCullough, M. E. (15) Prayer and health Conceptual issues, research review, and research

agenda. Journal of Psychology and Theology, , 15-.

Paloma, M. M., & Pendleton, B. F. (11). The effects of prayer and prayer experiences on

measures of general well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1, 71-8.

Distant Intercessory Prayer

Payne, I. R., Bergin, A. E., Bielema, K. A., & Jenkins, P. H. (11). Review of religion and

mental health Prevention and the enhancement of psychosocial functioning. Prevention in

Human Services, (), 11-40.

Schlitz, M. J. (17, March). Healing effects of intercessory prayer and distance intentionality.

Paper presented at the meeting of Spirituality and Healing in Medicine-II, Los Angeles, CA.

Wirth, D. P., & Mitchell, B. J. (14). Complementary healing therapy for patients with Type I

diabetes mellitus. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 8, 67-77.

Distant Intercessory Prayer 10

Table 1

Means and Standard Deviations of Mean Calls Per Hour and Mean Seconds Per Call for

Prayer and Non-Prayer Groups by Period

Period

Measure Pretest Experimental

Prayer

Calls Per Hour

M 7.88 7.6

SD 1.86 .0

Seconds Per Call

M 50.05 55.01

SD 71.7 6.86

Non-Prayer

Calls Per Hour

M 8. 7.8

SD .16 .10

Seconds Per Call

M 0. 5.6

SD 8. 81.5

Distant Intercessory Prayer 11

Author Note

Requests for reprints should be sent to Lynn M. Munson, 108 Trident Lane, Huntington

Beach, CA 646.

Distant Intercessory Prayer 1

Footnote

1The study began with 115 participants; data from 1 were dropped due to insufficient data

resulting from illnesses and unexpected days off.

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