Johnstone

March 19, 2007 - The Center's Dr. Brick Johnstone, Ph.D. ABPP, gave a national presentation on "Spirituality, Religion and Disability" at the American Psychological Association Rehabilitation Psychology Mid-Winter Meeting March 16-18, 2007, in Charlotte, N.C. The theme of the conference was "Spirituality and Health: Current Updates in Research, Teaching, and Clinical Services."

Johnstone is a neuropsychologist, professor and chair of the MU Department of Health Psychology. He leads the Center for Religion, the Professions & the Public's spirituality and health research project. He co-presented with Joseph Hinkebein, Ph.D. ABPP, a clinical associate professor with the MU Department of Health Psychology.

Johnstone presented on the theoretical/conceptual issues related to the topic, followed by his research data on individuals with traumatic brain injury. While a fellow at the Center in 2004, Johnstone studied spirituality and mental health in patients with brain injuries, finding that those with spiritual beliefs did not have better physical recovery, but coped better with their disability.

He heads an interdisciplinary team studying the relationship between religion, spirituality, and a variety of health-related fields - including adolescent health behaviors, neuroscience, physical health, mental health, chronic cognitive and physical disability, and medical disorders through the Center's spirituality and health project.