Relationship Between Spirituality and Wellness in a Sample Of University Students Cover Image

Studentų dvasingumo ir sveikatingumo sąsajos
Relationship Between Spirituality and Wellness in a Sample Of University Students

Author(s): Valdas Pruskus
Subject(s): Psychology
Published by: Vytauto Didžiojo Universitetas
Keywords: dvasingumas; sveikatingumas; nedalomojo aš sveikatingumo modelis; spirituality; wellness; indivisible self; evidence – based model of wellness

Summary/Abstract: Tyrimo tikslas. Straipsnyje analizuojamos studentų kasdieninės dvasinės patirties ir sveikatai palankaus gyvenimo būdo sąsajos, aptariamos dvasingumo ir sveikatingumo sąvokos, pristatomas Nedalomojo Aš penkių faktorių sveikatingumo modelis. Metodai. Empirinei dvasingumo ir sveikatingumo ryšių analizei, naudojant kasdieninės dvasinės patirties skalę (DSES, Underwood, Teresi, 2002) ir penkių faktorių sveikatingumo klausimyną (5F-WEL, Myers, Sweeney, 2005), ištirti 136 Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto 1-2 kurso studentai. Rezultatai, išvados. Rezultatai rodo, kad studentiškame amžiuje vyrų dvasingumo rodikliai yra žemesni nei moterų, tačiau tiek vyrų, tiek moterų grupėse dvasingumas buvo reikšmingai teigiamai susijęs su sveikatai palankiu gyvenimo būdu. Vyrų grupėje aukštesnis dvasingumas buvo susijęs su geresniu bendro sveikatingumo vertinimu bei vertybinio sveikatingumo komponento vertinimu. Moterų grupėje didesnis dvasingumas buvo susijęs su geresniu bendro sveikatingumo, taip pat aukštesniu kūrybiškumo, atsparumo, vertybinio ir fizinės sveikatos sveikatingumo komponentų vertinimais. Background, purpose. There is substantial literature that relates spirituality to a better mental and physical health (Hill, Pargament, 2003). However, the nature of this relationship is not clear enough. This study examines the relationship between students’ spirituality and their wellness. Wellness is conceptualized as a way of life, oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully within the human and natural community (Myers, Sweeney, 2005). This definition describes wellness as an indicator of a health oriented lifestyle. Because as many as two thirds of all premature deaths are due to lifestyle factors (Myers et al. 2000), the analysis of students’ lifestyles could help to understand the way spirituality is related to better health. Material and methods. The study sample consisted of 136 first and second year bachelor students at Vytautas Magnus University: 55 (40.4%) were males and 81 (59.6%) were females. Religion was identified by 113 (83.1%) students; most of the students described themselves as Christians (92.5%). For assessment of wellness, the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (5F-WEL, Myers, Sweeney, 2005) was used. 5F-WEL is based on the Indivisible Self Model of Wellness (Hattie, et al. 2004). For assessment of spirituality, the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES, Underwood, Teresi, 2002) was used. Results, conclusions. The results showed that male students had reported lower spirituality levels compared to female students. Males and females differed in wellness profiles; females scored higher on the Essential Self and Social Self scales.

  • Issue Year: 2008
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 9-28
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Lithuanian