Development and Application of a Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire Called SHALOM

John Fisher

doi:10.3390/rel1010105

Abstract

The Four Domains Model of Spiritual Health and Well-Being was used as the theoretical base for the development of several spiritual well-being questionnaires, with progressive fine-tuning leading to the Spiritual Health And Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM). SHALOM comprises 20 items with five items reflecting the quality of relationships of each person with themselves, other people, the environment and/or God, in the Personal, Communal, Environmental and Transcendental domains of spiritual well-being. SHALOM has undergone rigorous statistical testing in several languages. SHALOM has been used with school and university students, teachers, nurses, medical doctors, church-attenders, in industry and business settings, with abused women, troubled youth and alcoholics. SHALOM provides a unique way of assessing spiritual well-being as it compares each person’s ideals with their lived experiences, providing a measure of spiritual harmony or dissonance in each of the four domains.

Highlights

It is not easy working out how to assess spiritual well-being (SWB)
The stringent process applied to the development of Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (SWBQ)/Spiritual Health And Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM)
All people requesting a copy of the SH4DI or the SWBQ/SHALOM are sent a copy of SHALOM, with references to the theoretical model underpinning it, and papers describing its application, together with a scoring key

Summary

Introduction

It is not easy working out how to assess spiritual well-being (SWB). Like the fictional character. Transcendental domain – relationship of self with some-thing or some-One beyond the human level (i.e., ultimate concern, cosmic force, transcendent reality or God) This involves faith towards, adoration and worship of, the source of Mystery of the universe [21]. This definition outlines the inter-connective and dynamic nature of spiritual health, in which internal harmony depends on intentional self-development, coming from congruence between expressed and experienced meaning, purpose and values in life at the Personal level. In the work presented here, religion (with small ‘r’) is construed as essentially a human, social activity with a focus on ideology and rules (of faith and belief systems), as distinct from a relationship with a Transcendent Other such as that envisioned in the Transcendental domain of spiritual health. Whilst it is acknowledged that the ideals of most religions would embrace relationships with both horizontal and vertical aspects, the two are separated for emphasis in this model

Development of Measures

Applications of the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire

General Comments on SWBQ Studies

Spiritual Dissonance

Findings

Conclusions