Assessment of Spiritual Development in College Students: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

This research pursues the design of a qualitative means of assessing Spiritual Awareness and Development in college students. An historical perspective regarding the relationship of religious, theological and spiritual concerns to higher education along with the projection of an emerging paradigm within which the student development profession can be expected to operate is presented. A review of the professional and related literature treating Spiritual Development is given. A review of literature involving related aspects of Psychosocial, Cognitive, Ethical, Moral, Faith, Religious, Identity and Ego Development follows. The significance of Life Story, Myth, Metaphor and Community to Spiritual Awareness and Development and other related Developmental models is discussed and a review of pertinent literature is presented. A Methodology incorporating these implications is then hypothesized. The first phase of a two phased pilot project to develop a qualitative assessment instrument is described and discussed. In addition to establishing that the Process developed in Phase 1 can produce consistent and credible participant 'data' across several (5) small groups (n = 6-10), results suggest that the process can be applied as an Intervention and Curriculum component as well as a Research or Assessment Method.