Self-rated Spirituality Research Articles

Correlates of Spirituality among African American and Black Caribbean Emerging Adults.

Spirituality is a significant cultural strength and resource for Black emerging adults. Numerous studies show that increasing numbers of emerging adults tend to identify themselves as being spiritual but not religious. However, no studies to date have identified the demographic correlates of spirituality for Black emerging adults from different ethnic groups (i.e., African American vs. Black Caribbean). Data from the National Survey of American Life was used to identify the demographic correlates of 2 indicators of spirituality (e.g., self-rated spirituality and subjective spirituality) for 802 African American and 428 Black Caribbean emerging adults using linear regression. For African Americans, being a woman predicted both greater self-rated spirituality and subjective spirituality. However, among Black Caribbeans men rated spirituality higher in importance than women. African Americans who reported higher educational attainment tended to report higher levels of self-rated spirituality and subjective spirituality. Romantic status for Black Caribbeans, whether they had no romantic involvement or a current romantic partner, was associated with lower self-ratings of spirituality. Unmarried cohabitating individuals in both ethnic groups tended to report lower levels of self-related spirituality. Unemployment for Black Caribbeans was associated with lower subjective spirituality. Findings are of interest to those who serve and work with Black emerging adults.

Evidence for the Brief Mysticism Scale: Psychometric Properties, and Moderation and Mediation Effects in Predicting Spiritual Self-Identification

ABSTRACT How are mystical experiences related to self-rated spirituality? Is the recently developed short 8-item version of Hood’s Mysticism Scale an efficient measurement? The current study expands evidence for both questions using N = 1,582 American and N = 1,492 German samples measured in three waves, average 4 to 5 years apart. Results show that the 8-item brief M-Scale has good psychometric property evidenced by 1) measurement invariance across time, and 2) good test–retest reliability. Results further demonstrate that the 8-item brief M-Scale 3) moderates the effect of self-rated religiosity on self-rated spirituality, and 4) mediates the prediction of self-rated religiosity on self-rated spirituality over time. We conclude that the M-Scale can be used as a measure for self-attributed spirituality and that the 8-item brief version of the M-Scale can be used when questionnaire length is an issue.

Development of a One-item Screening Question to Assess Spiritual Well-Being for Advanced Cancer Inpatients in Korea

ContextSpiritual well-being (SWB) is significant for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Thus, shortened versions of questions would be helpful in approaching SWB. ObjectivesOur goal was to develop a one-item screening question to assess the SWB of advanced cancer inpatients. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, multicenter study involving adult advanced cancer inpatients from seven palliative care units in South Korea. The candidate one-item questions were three questions scored using numeric rating scales from 0 to 10: feeling at peace (Are you at peace?), self-rated spirituality (Do you think of yourself as a spiritual person?), and self-rated religiosity (Do you think of yourself as a religious person?). The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality 12 (FACIT-Sp-12) comprised of two subscales Meaning/Peace and Faith was used to assess SWB. Pearson's correlation test was conducted to determine the relationship between the three questions, the total FACIT-Sp-12 score, and its subscales. ResultsA total of 202 patients were enrolled. A strong correlation was observed between self-rated spirituality (r = 0.732 and 0.790; P < 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively) and religiosity (r = 0.708 and 0.758; P < 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively) with the total FACIT-Sp-12 scores and faith subscale scores. Feeling at peace showed a moderate correlation with the total of FACIT-Sp-12 scores (r = 0.505, P < 0.01). All three questions had a moderate correlation with the meaning/peace subscale. ConclusionSelf-rated spirituality and religiosity showed better convergence validity than feeling at peace. Therefore, we recommend self-rated spirituality or religiosity as a one-item question for screening SWB in inpatients with advanced cancer.

The Influence of Religiosity/Spirituality on Sex Life Satisfaction and Sexual Frequency: Insights from the Baylor Religion Survey

Prior literature has generally found either a null or positive association between sex life satisfaction and religiosity. However, different studies have used various measures of religiosity and have focused on different demographics along the dimensions of age, marital status, and gender, limiting what can be determined in terms of moderating and cross-demographic effects. This shortcoming is germane because it may explain the differing findings in the literature. This study drew on the nationally representative 2017 Baylor Religion Survey (N = 1501) to test relationships among sex life satisfaction, sexual frequency, and a variety of different religious measures while testing for demographic moderators. Results suggest that religion and spirituality have a strong and significant association with sex life satisfaction while controlling for basic sociodemographic variables, and that this relationship is consistent across marital status, age, and gender. The positive association between religion and sexual frequency appeared to be limited to more intrinsic, personal forms such as self-rated spirituality and frequency of prayer. This association did not exist for non-married individuals, however, and among non-marrieds those who attend religious services more reported lower sexual frequency. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

An exploration of the role of religion/spirituality in the promotion of physicians' wellbeing in Emergency Medicine.

Background: Burnout is highly prevalent among Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians and has significant impact on quality of care and workforce retention. The objective of this study was to determine whether higher religion/spirituality (R/S) is associated with a lower prevalence of burnout among EM physicians (primary outcome). A history of malpractice lawsuits and maladaptive behaviors were the secondary outcomes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, survey-based study conducted among a random sample of physicians from the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians mailing list. Burnout was measured using a validated 2-item version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Maladaptive behaviors (smoking, drinking, and substance use) and medical malpractice were self-reported. R/S measures included organized religiosity, religious affiliation, private R/S practice, self-rated spirituality, religious rest, and religious commitment. Logistic regression was used to model study outcomes as a function of R/S predictors. Results: Of 422 EM physicians who received the invitation to participate, 138 completed the survey (32.7%). The prevalence of burnout was 27%. No significant associations were observed between burnout and R/S indicators. Maladaptive behaviors (adjusted OR = 0.42, CI: 0.19 to 0.96; p = 0.039) and history of medical malpractice (adjusted OR = 0.32; CI: 0.11 to 0.93; p = 0.037) were less likely among physicians reporting to be more involved in organized religious activity and to observe a day of rest for religious reasons, respectively. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for a possible protective association of certain dimensions of R/S on maladaptive behaviors and medical malpractice among EM physicians.

Religiosity, Spirituality, and End-of-Life Planning: A Single-Site Survey of Medical Inpatients

ContextPrior studies suggest that terminally ill patients who use religious coping are less likely to have advance directives and more likely to opt for heroic end-of-life measures. Yet, no study to date has examined whether end-of-life practices are associated with measures of religiosity and spirituality. ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between general measures of patient religiosity and spirituality and patients' preferences for care at the end of life. MethodsWe examined data from the University of Chicago Hospitalist Study, which gathers sociodemographic and clinical information from all consenting general internal medicine patients at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Primary outcomes were whether the patient had an advance directive, a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, a durable power of attorney for health care, and an informally designated decision maker. Primary predictors were religious attendance, intrinsic religiosity, and self-rated spirituality. ResultsThe sample population (n=8308) was predominantly African American (73%) and female (60%). In this population, 1.5% had advance directives and 10.4% had DNR orders. Half (51%) of the patients had specified a decision maker. White patients were more likely than African American patients to have an advance directive (odds ratio [OR] 2.1; 95% CI 1.1–4.0) and a DNR order (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.0–2.9). Patients reporting high intrinsic religiosity were more likely to have specified a decision maker than those reporting low intrinsic religiosity (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.6). The same was true for those with high compared with low spirituality (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.5). Religious characteristics were not significantly associated with having an advance directive or DNR order. ConclusionAmong general medicine inpatients at an urban academic medical center, those who were highly religious and/or spiritual were more likely to have a designated decision maker to help with end-of-life decisions but did not differ from other patients in their likelihood of having an advance directive or DNR order.

Spirituality with and without Religion—Differential Relationships with Personality

This study contributes to the exploration of self-rated spirituality by anchoring self-ratings of spirituality and religiosity in an integrative model of personality. For the measurement of personality dispositions and characteristic adaptations, the NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PI-R, German version) and the Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe) have been administered to a sample ( N = 135) of German-speaking students. A three-step study design is employed. First, previous findings on associations between personality and religiosity/spirituality are replicated and supplemented. Second, sources of meaning are shown to explain a considerably higher amount of unique variance in religiosity and spirituality than do personality dispositions. Third, two types of spirituality— religious-and-spiritual and spiritual-but-not-religious—are identified and distinguished on the basis of personality traits. The spiritual-but-not-religious type shows significantly higher degrees of Neuroticism, and lower degrees of Agreeableness. Possible interpretations and lines of future research on ‘spirituality without religion’ are sketched out.

Predictors of hospitalised patients' preferences for physician-directed medical decision-making

BackgroundAlthough medical ethicists and educators emphasise patient-centred decision-making, previous studies suggest that patients often prefer their doctors to make the clinical decisions.ObjectiveTo examine the associations between a preference for physician-directed...

Spirituality, Religiosity, and Spiritual Pain in Advanced Cancer Patients

Context Spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual pain may affect advanced cancer patients’ symptom expression, coping strategies, and quality of life. Objectives To examine the prevalence and intensity of spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual pain, and how spiritual pain was associated with symptom expression, coping, and spiritual quality of life. Methods We interviewed 100 advanced cancer patients at the M.D. Anderson palliative care outpatient clinic in Houston, TX. Self-rated spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual pain were assessed using numeric rating scales (0 = lowest, 10 = highest). Patients also completed validated questionnaires assessing symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale [ESAS] and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), coping (Brief COPE and Brief R-COPE), the value attributed by the patient to spirituality/religiosity in coping with cancer (Systems of Belief Inventory-15R), and spiritual quality of life (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being-Expanded [FACIT-Sp-Ex]). Results The median age was 53 years (range 21–85) and 88% were Christians. Almost all patients considered themselves spiritual (98%) and religious (98%), with a median intensity of 9 (interquartile range 7–10) of 10 and 9 (range 5–10) of 10, respectively. Spiritual pain was reported in 40 (44%) of 91 patients, with a median score of 3 (1–6) among those with spiritual pain. Spiritual pain was significantly associated with lower self-perceived religiosity (7 vs. 10, P = 0.002) and spiritual quality of life (FACIT-Sp-Ex 68 vs. 81, P = 0.001). Patients with spiritual pain reported that it contributed adversely to their physical/emotional symptoms ( P < 0.001). There was a trend toward increased depression, anxiety, anorexia, and drowsiness, as measured by the ESAS, among patients with spiritual pain ( P < 0.05), although this was not significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusion A vast majority of advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care considered themselves spiritual and religious. Spiritual pain was common and was associated with lower self-perceived religiosity and spiritual quality of life.

Are Residents Willing to Discuss Spirituality with Patients?

Family medicine is redefining itself in the wake of the Future of Family Medicine Project, the move to the Patient-Centered Medical Home, and the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's emphasis on primary care. This effort has included representing family doctors as physicians who "care for the whole person" and who "specialize in you." Many patients believe that whole person care involves attention to spirituality and wish to share their beliefs in the medical encounter. This national survey investigated whether a random sample of family medicine residents were willing to address spirituality upon patient request. With varying degrees of willingness, most doctors said that they would discuss patient beliefs if asked. Denominational preference, residency training in addressing spirituality, and self-rated spirituality were all predictive of the strength of reported willingness. These results indicate that training in addressing spirituality may create residents more likely to discuss the topic in clinical practice.

The Impact of Spirituality, Religiosity, and Spiritual Pain in Coping Strategies and Quality of Life (QOL) of Caregivers of Advanced Cancer Patients (CACP) in the Palliative Care (PC) Setting (717)

1.Discuss the impact of spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual pain in caregivers of advanced cancer patients in the palliative care setting.2.Determine the importance of spiritual assessment in caregivers of advanced cancer patients in the palliative care setting. Background. Concerns about spiritual issues arise in the caregivers of advanced cancer patients (CACP). Caregivers could face physical, social, emotional distress, and spiritual-pain. Limited research has been done in oncology focusing on the spiritual-aspects of caregivers suffering. Research objectives. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we examined these associations and various factors, including quality of life (QOL) and coping. Methods. We interviewed 43 CACP in our palliative care (PC)-outpatient clinic. Self-rated spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual-pain were assessed using numeric-rating scales (0 = lowest, 10 = highest). They completed various validated questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances (PSQI), psychosocial distress (HADS), coping (Brief-COPE, Brief-R-COPE), and QOL (FACIT-Sp-Ex, SBI-15R, CGQOL). Results. The median age (range) was 52 years (21–83), 67% female. 78% were white, 17% African American, and 5% Hispanic. Ninety-one percent were Christians, 2% Jewish, and 2% Agnostic. Eighty-six percent were married and 42% were working full time. They were patients’ spouse (58%), friend (12%), and child (14%). Almost all CACP considered themselves spiritual (100%) and religious (98%), with a median score (0 to 10) of 8 (interquartile range 6-10) and 8 (4-9), respectively. The caregivers reported spirituality and religiosity help them cope with their patients’ illness (100%) and have a positive impact on their patients’ physical (58%) and emotional (76%) symptoms. Spiritual-pain was reported in 23/40 (58%) CACP, with a median score of 5 (2-8). Caregivers with spiritual pain expressed worse HADS-anxiety (median 10 versus 4, p = 0.002), worse HADS-depression (6 vs 2, p = 0.006), and expressed denial (3 vs 2, p = 0.01), behavioral disengagement (3 vs 2, p = 0.011), and dysfunctional coping strategies (19 vs 16, p = 0.02) and worse QOL (CGQOL: 70 vs 51, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in religious coping strategies, FACIT-Sp-Ex, and PSQI. Conclusion. Majority of CACP considered themselves spiritual and religious. Spirituality, religiosity, and spiritual pain play an important role in their emotions and QOL. This supports the importance of spiritual assessment and support for CACP. Implications for research, policy, or practice. Highlight the importance of the spiritual assessment of caregivers of advanced cancer patients in the palliative care setting.

Religiosity, spirituality and antenatal anxiety in Southern U.S. women

We investigated the association between religiosity, spirituality, and anxiety in pregnant women, taking into account potential confounders. From September 2005 through March 2006, pregnant women in three obstetrics practices in the American South were included in a cross-sectional study. The anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure anxiety. Of the 344 participating women, 23 screened positive for moderate to severe anxiety (HADS [anxiety] score greater than 10). Overall religiosity or spirituality (odds ratio [OR], 0.53; p=0.006) and social support (OR, 0.42; p<0.0001) were significantly associated with significantly lower odds of a positive anxiety screen. Among the specific measures of religiosity or spirituality, self-rated religiosity, self-rated spirituality, and participation in nonorganizational religious activities were significantly associated with lower odds of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. Religiosity and spirituality are associated with reduced anxiety in pregnant women. Additional study is needed to evaluate whether the association is causal.

Religion, spirituality, and health in medically ill hospitalized older patients.

To examine the effect of religion and spirituality on social support, psychological functioning, and physical health in medically ill hospitalized older adults. Cross-sectional survey. Duke University Medical Center. A research nurse interviewed 838 consecutively admitted patients aged 50 and older to a general medical service. Measures of religion included organizational religious activity (ORA), nonorganizational religious activity, intrinsic religiosity (IR), self-rated religiousness, and observer-rated religiousness (ORR). Measures of spirituality were self-rated spirituality, observer-rated spirituality (ORS), and daily spiritual experiences. Social support, depressive symptoms, cognitive status, cooperativeness, and physical health (self-rated and observer-rated) were the dependent variables. Regression models controlled for age, sex, race, and education. Religiousness and spirituality consistently predicted greater social support, fewer depressive symptoms, better cognitive function, and greater cooperativeness (P<.01 to P<.0001). Relationships with physical health were weaker, although similar in direction. ORA predicted better physical functioning and observer-rated health and less-severe illness. IR tended to be associated with better physical functioning, and ORR and ORS with less-severe illness and less medical comorbidity (all P<.05). Patients categorizing themselves as neither spiritual nor religious tended to have worse self-rated and observer-rated health and greater medical comorbidity. In contrast, religious television or radio was associated with worse physical functioning and greater medical comorbidity. Religious activities, attitudes, and spiritual experiences are prevalent in older hospitalized patients and are associated with greater social support, better psychological health, and to some extent, better physical health. Awareness of these relationships may improve health care.