Relationship of Ethnic Identity and Spiritual Development: An Exploratory Study

The current investigation examined the relationship of ethnic identity and spiritual development. The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (J. Phinney, 1992), Spirituality Ends Measure (B. Fiorito & L. Ryan, 1998), and Spirituality Means Measure (B. Fiorito & L. Ryan, 1998) were administered to 198 male and female college students from 4 ethnic groups. Results revealed differences among ethnic groups in the way that they identified with their ethnic heritage and spiritual orientation. In addition, the results Indicated that ethnic identity was positively associated with an intrinsic spiritual means orientation and negatively related to an extrinsic spiritual ends orientation. Implications for counselors and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

Defining the Nature of Spirituality in the Context of Maslow's and Rogers's Theories

This article discusses the presence and power of the spiritual content in the counseling process and in the attainment of optimum wellness. Spirituality and spiritual wellness are defined and the intrinsic nature of spirituality is discussed in the context of Rogers's and Maslow's self-actualization theories as well as the importance of optimum psychological wellness.     

Assessment of the Use of Spiritual Genograms in Counselor Education

Spiritual genograms collect and organize family information of a religious or spiritual nature. The authors explored the use of the spiritual genogram in counselor education. Graduate counseling students were assigned to construct and present a spiritual genogram within a course titled “Counseling and Spirituality.” An assessment of the quality of the students' learning experiences was conducted. Narrative responses were gathered from 32 advanced and postgraduate students enrolled in 1 of 4 classes over a 2‐year period. The results verified the benefits of this constructivist and experiential learning process. Implications for counselor development and further research are discussed.     

Spirituality of the developing person according to Maslow

Traditionally, children have generally been considered as developmentally immature, and unable to experience spirituality. The results of more recent studies, however, show that children have an inborn spiritual nature, which seems to be a natural and integral aspect of human development and cannot be studied in isolation, ignoring the other dimensions of one's being. This article aims to (1) reflect on how spirituality evolves among children; (2) explore Maslow's view on the Developing Person's Spirituality; and (3) Critically review Maslow's theory of the Spirituality of the Developing Person.     

Influence of Counselor Spirituality and Training on Treatment Focus and Self‐Perceived Competence

Spirituality is a potential area of concern for counseling clients. This study presents the empirical results of a survey completed by 572 counselors to determine if counselors' spiritual beliefs, experiences, or training had an impact on their focus of therapy or self‐perceived competence. A counselor's personal spirituality, spiritual experience, and spirituality training did significantly influence treatment focus as well as self‐perceived competence to counsel a client with spiritual concerns.     

The Boundaries of Woman’s Spirituality in the Beliefs–Spirituality–Religiousness (B–S–R) Model: A Third Perspective—Beliefs as a Cognitive Basis

The real nature of the phenomenon of woman’s Spirituality is the main contemporary challenge for empirical research. The literature needs many more examples of the cognitive genesis of worldviews, Spirituality and Religiousness. The first aim of this article is to present the central tenet of the Threefold Nature of Spirituality model which theoretically explains the nature of Spirituality and the theoretical relationship between beliefs (worldviews), Spirituality and Religiousness (B–S–R model). The second aim is the empirical verification of this relationship through the application of an analysis of mediation. The 308 participants were women aged 18–50 years (M = 25.25, SD = 9.42). The results obtained indicate that is a good mediator between an individual’s worldview and Religiousness. Presented analysis of mediation allows us to describe the basic functioning mechanism of the spiritual sphere and the relationship between the three elements: worldview, Spirituality and Religiousness.     

Configurations of student Spirituality/Religiosity: evidence from a Philippine university

One of the points of contention in youth research pertains to academic life vis-a-vis the religious and spiritual mindset of the young student. Questions about the probable associations between academic growth and spiritual/religious life are treated with intense interest in religious and sociological discussions. This study sought to find out the characteristics of Filipino student Spirituality and Religiosity using the Religiosity and Spirituality Scale for Youth from a sample of 3108 college students in a Manila-based Philippine university. It inquired further how certain psychosocial variables can be associated with student spirituality and religiosity (S/R). The results revealed two significant variable traits associated with S/R: identity (psychosocial factors) and relational (psychosocial adjustment) variables. The results point to significant insights for the management of youth religious behaviour in general and of tertiary students in particular despite recent decline in levels of religiosity among the young.     

Yogicchakra symbols: Mirrors of the human mind/heart

This paper describes the classical understanding of the system ofchakras, or centers of spiritual energy, in tantric yoga. Eachchakra is presented in terms of its traditional understanding. Each is also discussed in the light of contemporary psychological stage theories of development, showing that thechakras can be seen as a model of spiritual development. The preoccupations, concerns, and attitudes associated with eachchakra are portrayed as a mirror of the human mind/heart when spiritual energy is concentrated at that location.She is also founder and chair of the board of Resources for Ecumenical Spirituality.     

INTEGRATING INTERIORITY IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

This article explores Integral community development; an approach that integrates material needs (such as economic growth, resource management, and decision-making structures) and interior needs (such as cultural, spiritual, and psychological wellness). Including “interiority” in development is unique to conventional and alternative development practices, and analysis suggests it is necessary for sustainability. Integral community development works in three domains of action/application, dialogue/process, and self-growth/reflection, and recognizes the importance of changes in worldviews. Using this approach in a case study in El Salvador, research outcomes showed increased collaboration and self-reflection, where economic objectives merged with equality and environmental concerns.     

The Ethics of Prayer in Counseling

Spirituality has become increasingly important in counseling, with prayer being the spiritual intervention of choice for Christian counselors. The controversial nature of including prayer in counseling requires careful consideration of ethical issues. This article addresses the intersection of spiritual interventions, particularly prayer, with client welfare, multicultural sensitivity, values, and countertransference. The authors consider the ethical mandates, articulate concerns, and make recommendations.     

Psychotherapists and the mystical process

Spirituality is an often overlooked element in the therapeutic experience. The purpose of this paper is to document a well-recognized definition and framework for the mystical process. The author suggests some similarities between the mystical and psychotherapeutic processes. He asserts that psychotherapists who can recognize elements of the mystical process among their clients can serve as spiritual guides in psychotherapy.     

Spiritual Practices: The True Test of Spirituality

"Spirituality" may be the most loaded word in conversations on religion today. In this article I want to examine the current tensions between spirituality and religion and also suggest that "spiritual practices" are the key to authentic spirituality.     

The Influence of Headteachers' Backgrounds,Experiences and Beliefs on their Perceptions of the Nature of Children's Spirituality

The purpose of this article is to examine headteachers' perceptions of a range of issues relating to pupils' spiritual development as revealed in a survey undertaken in schools in 1998 and 2000. In particular, it seeks to examine their views regarding three major issues: (1) the meaning of the term spiritual development; (2) the areas of school life which contribute to pupils' spirituality; and (3) who should have responsibility for promoting spiritual development. A preliminary study of headteachers' perceptions of these issues was conducted in three education authorities in 1998 and documented in the International Journal of Children's Spirituality (Davies, 1998). The present study has increased the database to include headteachers from three additional authorities and has further analysed the results to take into account factors in headteachers' backgrounds which might influence their perceptions in this area.     

Spiritual But Not Religious? Beyond Binary Choices in the Study of Religion

“Spirituality” often has been framed in social science research as an alternative to organized “religion,” implicitly or explicitly extending theoretical arguments about the privatization of religion. This article uses in‐depth qualitative data from a religiously diverse U.S. sample to argue that this either/or distinction not only fails to capture the empirical reality of American religion, it does no justice to the complexity of spirituality. An inductive discursive analysis reveals four primary cultural “packages,” or ways in which people construct the meaning of spirituality in conversation: a Theistic Package tying spirituality to personal deities, an Extra‐Theistic Package locating spirituality in various naturalistic forms of transcendence, an Ethical Spirituality focusing on everyday compassion, and a contested Belief and Belonging Spirituality tied to cultural notions of religiosity. Spirituality, then, is neither a diffuse individualized phenomenon nor a single cultural alternative to “religion.” Analysis of the contested evaluations of Belief and Belonging Spirituality allows a window on the “moral boundary work” being done through identifying as “spiritual but not religious.” The empirical boundary between spirituality and religion is far more orous than is the moral and political one.     

Towards a model of influence of spirituality on leadership: empirical research of school leaders on Catholic schools in the Netherlands

What is spirituality? What is leadership? And what is their relationship? The article presents the concept of ‘discernment’ (Latin: ‘discretion’) as the link (tertium comperationis) between spirituality and leadership. Spirituality is a way of life in (the growth of) discernment towards human fullness, which is grounded in a moral universe (God, nature). Three elements are employed in discernment: spiritual traits (Cloninger), spiritual capital (Bourdieu) and spiritual transformation (Waaijman). The influence of spirituality on leadership is empirically tested in research among 97 leaders (principals) of Catholic schools in the Netherlands. The findings show three types of leadership, namely trustworthy guiding leadership, empowering leadership and autocratic leadership. Our model with three predictors of a spiritual life growing in discernment (spiritual traits, capital and transformation) is partially confirmed, and looks promising for future research. In the discussion, the authors reflect on trustworthy-guiding leadership from the concept of attestation of Paul Ricoeur.     

Social media addiction and psychological adjustment: religiosity and spirituality in the age of social media

Previous research indicates a significant association between social media use and psychological adjustment. The present study investigated whether religiosity/spirituality mediates the relationship between social media intrusion and psychological adjustment. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, Religious Commitment Inventory-10, Spirituality Index of Well-Being, the DASS-21 Scales, and the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, which was altered slightly to include all types of social media. Results revealed that social media intrusion was significantly positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, and negatively correlated with spiritual well-being and the self-efficacy component of spiritual well-being. Furthermore, the self-efficacy dimension of spiritual well-being partially mediated the association between social media intrusion and psychological stress. From these results, it may be inferred that higher social media intrusion may have the ability to decrease specific aspects of spirituality, which may, in turn, negatively impact psychological adjustment. Limitations and future directions are discussed.     

Can spirituality be taught to health care professionals?

Although people with life-limiting conditions report a desire to have spiritual concerns addressed, there is evidence that these issues are often avoided by health care professionals in palliative care. This study reports on the longitudinal outcomes of four workshops purpose-designed to improve the spiritual knowledge and confidence of 120 palliative care staff in Australia. Findings revealed significant increases in Spirituality, Spiritual Care, Personalised Care, and Confidence in this field immediately following the workshops. Improvements in Spiritual Care and Confidence were maintained 3 month later, with Confidence continuing to grow. These findings suggest that attendance at a custom-designed workshop can significantly improve knowledge and confidence to provide spiritual care.     

ADOLESCENT IDENTITY FORMATION VERSUS SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

Since 1950, Erik Erikson's emphasis on ego-identity formation as the crucial task of adolescence has been the framework for almost all subsequent research and programming to empower positive adolescent development. Chatlos has recently described a “Framework of Spirituality” and contends that identity formation significantly interferes with and should occur after a spiritual transformational process for optimal and more meaningful adolescent development. This article reviews the current status of research in identity formation, including religious and spiritual identity formation contributing to his conclusion, and describes the spiritual transformational process that is proposed to be central to positive adolescent development. A possible link between systemic focus on identity formation and current social upheaval is also identified.     

The German-Language Version of the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory-Revised: Adaptation and Initial Validation

This study deals with the development and initial validation of the German language version of MacDonald’s (2000) Expressions of Spirituality Inventory-Revised (ESI-R; Macdonald, D.A. (2000). The Expressions of Spirituality Inventory: Test Development, Validation and Scoring Information. Unpublished test manual. University of Detroit Mercy). Using two samples (N?=?479 and N?=?610 adults), we found the best fit for a five-factor solution that converges well with the original English language version. Correlations with subjective measures for religiosity, life satisfaction, orientations to happiness, personality, single item ratings of religious and spiritual behaviors as well as a ratings on the depiction of religious contents in the media support the validity of the German ESI-R. Overall, the findings are encouraging and the scale seems to be useful for further research in German-language countries.     

Spiritual Experiences of Muslim Critical Care Nurses

The purpose of this study was to determine the experiences and perceptions of intensive care nurses (ICNs) about spirituality and spiritual care, as well as the effective factors, and increase the sensitivity to the subject. In this study, we examined spiritual experiences, using McSherry et al. (Int J Nurs Stud 39:723–734, 2002) Spirituality and spiritual care rating scale (SSCRS), among 145 ICNs. 44.8% of the nurses stated that they received spiritual care training and 64.1% provided spiritual care to their patients. ICNs had a total score average of 57.62 ± 12.00 in SSCRS. As a consequence, it was determined that intensive care nurses participating in the study had insufficient knowledge about spirituality and spiritual care, but only the nurses with sufficient knowledge provided the spiritual care to their patients.