Adult religious converts’ perspectives of interpersonal relationships during the conversion process

M.A. (Clinical Psychology)Adult religious conversion is an atypical religious experience with multiple social and psychological meanings for the convert. Four adult religious converts were interviewed to explore and describe their perspectives of their interpersonal relationships during the conversion process. These transcribed interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis within a case study design from a Critical Realist paradigm. The converts viewed conversion as a path to a preferred way of life with nine themes identified (romance with the religiously wayward, esteem for a religious sage, acceptance, gaining a new religious family, new religion aids relationships, life transitions, commonality maintains alt-religious relationships, diverse family dynamics, and altreligious relationships ending). Further interpretation integrated these themes within three relational processes that engage religious conversion through disrupting the convert’s religious status quo, maintaining relational stability conducive to conversion, and attracting the convert toward the new religion. These relational dynamic processes explore the texture and express the subtleties of relationships during the religious conversion process