Exploring the lived experience of concealment of non-belief (atheism) in the context of Muslim and Christian communities within the UK: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Title: Exploring the lived experience of concealment of non-belief (atheism) in the context of Muslim and Christian communities within the UK: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
Creator: Mimis Efthymiou
Supervisor: Dr. Sharon Cahill and Dr. Rosemary Lodge
Date: 2024
Abstract: Although the rates of atheism seem to be rising across the world, there is relatively little
psychological research inquiring about atheism. Religion has been identified as an important dimension in an individual’s life and identity and has thus been a popular subject of scientific investigation and cultural awareness in the field of counselling psychology, but atheism has only recently attracted direct investigation. Existing research on atheism mostly originates from the United States and is focused on the differences between religious and non-religious samples and atheist perceptions of discrimination. Recent studies in the United States and to a lesser degree the United Kingdom have begun to qualitatively examine atheist experiences with some studies also investigating the concealment of an atheist identity. This study contributes to this growing body of literature by exploring the experience of atheists who are currently concealing their atheist identity in the United Kingdom.
This study used a qualitative research design to explore the lived experience of concealment of non-belief (atheism) in the context of Muslim and Christian communities within the UK. Six participants were recruited on social media and self-identified as atheists, were 16 and over, and were concealing their atheist identity to some. Three male and three female participants aged 20-65 years were recruited. Three participants were UK-born while three participants immigrated from abroad. Three of the participants originated from a Muslim background and three participants originated from a Christian background. The interview schedule included questions exploring participant experiences of concealment and the perceived impact of these experiences on their lives and sense of identities. These recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The Group Experiential Themes which emerged are centred around: fears and concerns around revealing atheism, living a life of pretence, navigating a landscape of otherness, and tensions in concealment.
Findings from the study contribute to counselling psychology’s relationship with difference and inclusion and offer insights to clinicians working with atheists on how the experience of concealment can interact with a client’s identity and relational world. The study also contributes to current research inquiries on atheism as a concealable identity
Subject: Psychology and Psychotherapy
Extent: 248 Pages
Format: Document
degree: Doctorate, DPsych
Language: Eng
Date Issued: 2024

Item sets: Theses or Dissertation

Media: Mimis Efthymiou Thesis.pdf