Search for Spiritual Assistance in Religious Organizations: What Are the Motives of Persons Who Have Experienced Destructive Relationships at Work?

Jolita Vveinhardt,Mykolas Deikus

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.702284

Abstract

Religious assistance is an effective tool in helping the victims of violence, but so far, it has not been investigated that what promotes the persons aggrieved in the workplace to seek such assistance. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the motives of persons who have experienced destructive relationships, which inspire the search for spiritual assistance in religious organizations, seeking to develop the provision of such service. After the analysis of the scientific literature, a questionnaire “Motives of Persons Aggrieved at Work for Seeking Spiritual Assistance (MP-SSA-40)” was developed and validated. In this study, a survey was conducted on 463 persons working in Lithuanian organizations using the questionnaire survey method. The correlation and regression analyses were performed. The study has shown that the religiosity of the victim is not the only condition for seeking spiritual assistance. Significant factors are the congruence of values borne by the person and the religious organization, the motives arising from the relation with the person providing assistance, and the motives determined by circumstances that create an important contextual background. The established trends show that by solving work-related problems and problems of interpersonal relationships of assistance providers, obstacles hindering the implementation of intrinsic motives of the victim to apply for spiritual assistance to the religious organization, providing it can be removed. The value of the article is demonstrated by the fact that it fills the existing gaps of knowledge about the motives of victims of destructive relationships at work, seeking religious spiritual assistance. In addition, a new and reliable instrument to measure such motives is proposed.

Highlights

Analyzing the possibilities of assistance to the victims of the destructive behavior of coworkers in the scientific literature, in addition to the organizational factors (Mountjoy et al, 2016), and factors related to wider assistance of the social environment (Zapf, 1999; Duffy and Spery, 2014) are highlighted
In parallel with therapy, the emphasis is placed on the religious aspect (Pargament et al, 2011; Zenkert et al, 2014; Benson et al, 2016; Ruth-Sahd et al, 2018), as research shows that the application of religious resources and spiritual care measures helps to convalesce from a traumatic experience (Rambo, 2010) and restores the integrity of broken relationships with the environment and ensures the intrinsic sense of well-being (Bartel, 2004; Delgado, 2005)
The research problem is formulated by the question: What motives of persons who have experienced destructive relationships inspire the search for spiritual assistance in religious organizations and how to develop the provision of such service? The purpose of this study is to identify the motives of persons who have experienced destructive relationships, inspiring the search for spiritual assistance in religious organizations, and seeking to develop the provision of such service

Summary

Introduction

Analyzing the possibilities of assistance to the victims of the destructive behavior of coworkers in the scientific literature, in addition to the organizational factors (Mountjoy et al, 2016), and factors related to wider assistance of the social environment (Zapf, 1999; Duffy and Spery, 2014) are highlighted. Search for Spiritual Assistance in Religious Organizations of psychological and physical violence, need professional help (Hoel et al, 2002; Carnero, 2005; Carnero and Martinez, 2005; Duffy and Sperry, 2007; Ferris, 2009) in solving negative consequences for health, professional activity, and social wellbeing In this context, in parallel with therapy, the emphasis is placed on the religious aspect (Pargament et al, 2011; Zenkert et al, 2014; Benson et al, 2016; Ruth-Sahd et al, 2018), as research shows that the application of religious resources and spiritual care measures helps to convalesce from a traumatic experience (Rambo, 2010) and restores the integrity of broken relationships with the environment and ensures the intrinsic sense of well-being (Bartel, 2004; Delgado, 2005). The research problem is formulated by the question: What motives of persons who have experienced destructive relationships inspire the search for spiritual assistance in religious organizations and how to develop the provision of such service? The purpose of this study is to identify the motives of persons who have experienced destructive relationships, inspiring the search for spiritual assistance in religious organizations, and seeking to develop the provision of such service

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion