Spiritual well-being in a group of South African adolescents
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Date
2007-11
Authors
Van Rooyen, Brenda Mary
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Findings in this South African sample of adolescents confirm that adolescents who highly value religion/spirituality also report both praying and attending church/spiritual activities more frequently. Thus there is congruence between their commitment, and their practices – both personal (prayer) and public (church/spiritual activity attendance) – associated with positive psychological outcomes (Pargament, 1997). Whether belief precedes practice or practice precedes belief is arguable (Spilka et al., 2003), but this research supports evidence of a correspondence between belief and practice. This research also suggests that a high valuing of religion/spirituality, more frequent church/spiritual activity attendance and more frequent prayer are all related to higher levels of transcendental spiritual well-being or a self-reported significant and harmonious relationship with a divine Other or energy. Thus commitment to spirituality and public and private practices associated with spirituality seems to generate a closer relationship with the divine and thus higher levels of transcendental spiritual well-being. Similarly this research suggests that a higher valuing of religion/spirituality and more frequent prayer are related to higher levels of personal spiritual well-being and to higher levels of global spiritual health. Thus commitment and private practice, more consistent with an intrinsic religious orientation (Allport & Ross, 1967; Milevsky & Levitt, 2004; Pargament, 1997), seem related to a closer relationship with self and to more developed relationships in all domains (personal, communal, environmental and transcendental) generating higher levels of spiritual health.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Child Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2007, Spiritual formation, Teenagers -- Psychology, Teenagers -- Religious life