The Process and Experience of Deciding to Live Openly Atheist in a Christian Family: A Qualitative Study

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dc.contributor.authorAlidoosti, Babaken
dc.contributor.committeechairHuebner, Angela J.en
dc.contributor.committeememberMcCollum, Eric E.en
dc.contributor.committeememberFalconier, Mariana K.en
dc.contributor.departmentHuman Developmenten
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:50:39Zen
dc.date.adate2010-01-26en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:50:39Zen
dc.date.issued2009-12-11en
dc.date.rdate2010-01-26en
dc.date.sdate2009-12-22en
dc.description.abstractExisting literature reveals that atheists are among the least accepted groups in America. This study examined the process atheists go through when disclosing their atheism to their religious family members. It is hoped that the information gained may benefit therapists who work with this population as they go through this potentially difficult time and adds to the currently insufficient body of research on atheism and atheists. Using the guided frameworks of grounded theory and social exchange and choice theory, a focus group was conducted with seven atheists and coded for themes. The data revealed the disclosure process as happening in three main stages which cover how the atheists arrived at the belief system, how it was disclosed and its reception, and how relationships have been impacted since the disclosure. The clinical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-12222009-140247en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12222009-140247/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/36403en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartAlidoosti_B_T_2009_.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectAtheismen
dc.subjectcoming outen
dc.subjectreligionen
dc.titleThe Process and Experience of Deciding to Live Openly Atheist in a Christian Family: A Qualitative Studyen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineHuman Developmenten
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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