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Dianne Dragon, Ph.D. is a 2025 graduate of the PhD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.
Dissertation Committee
- Stewart Burns, PhD, Committee Chair
- Betty Overton-Adkins, PhD, Committee Member
- Debby Flickinger, PhD, Committee Member
Keywords
clinical pastoral education, ACPE, CPE, CPE educator, professional health care chaplaincy, chaplain visit, spiritual care assessment, spiritual care intervention, spiritual care visit, spiritual but not religious, SBNR, interfaith, interdisciplinary team, IDT, research literacy, board certified chaplain, BCC
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
The transformation to the curriculum taught in chaplain training in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) will now address the spiritual needs of a more diverse, nonreligious, and interfaith population in the United States. Historically rooted in religious frameworks, CPE curricula are evolving to incorporate non-religious spiritual care interventions and promote research literacy among chaplains. This dissertation study uses descriptive analysis to present a study surveying CPE educators across over 300 U.S. based CPE centers to explore teaching practices and adaptation strategies. Findings reveal that integrating evidence-based methods and interdisciplinary collaboration is key to addressing inclusivity and professional competency in chaplaincy. By examining quantitative and qualitative data, this research emphasizes the need for adaptive and inclusive approaches to meet modern spiritual care demands. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).
Recommended Citation
Dragon, D. (2025). Innovating Chaplaincy Education: Integrating Nonreligious Spiritual Care Interventions to Serve a Diverse Patient Population. https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/1122
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Commons, Jewish Studies Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Religious Education Commons, Social Psychology Commons
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Dianne Dragon
ORCID: #0009-0004-3651-369X
Dianne Dragon is the Staff Chaplain at the Veterans Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Dianne’s research focuses on how chaplains are trained in CPE and the role of Professional Healthcare Chaplain on the IDT. Dianne was board certified as a Professional Healthcare Chaplain in 2021 by the Spiritual Care Association. A former AmeriCorps volunteer and CPE Resident, Dianne brings the dimension of spirituality to the interdisciplinary team.
Dianne earned her Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, and her M.A. in Health & Wellness and B.A. in Liberal Arts from Union Institute and University.
Dianne would like to formally acknowledge the dedicated staff members of Union Institute and University and Antioch University for their support throughout this “teach-out” program.