Wiley (2008) explored the concept of spirituality as measured by spiritual well-being scale (SWBS). In this research, there was an intensive investigation on the physical, emotional, functional and, spiritual well-being of chronically ill patients. The overall quality of life of these chronically ill patients was also factored in the research. From the factor analysis results, two spiritual well- being scales were identified.
One of these subscales assessed meaning/peace while the other assessed faith/spiritual beliefs as they related to the life of the patients. The results were that the correlation between these two scales was 0.54, and reliability of the entire scale and the subscales ranged from 0.81-0.88 (p. 273) The research also revealed a significant relationship between the spiritual well-being and the quality of life of these patients.
The criteria of spirituality were measured in terms of the faith one had after recovering from the illness as well as, a person’s perception on the meaning of life, peace, and purpose in life. The consequence of spirituality in this case was that validity existed in meaning/ peace subscale as it did not have a significant variability with other measures of religiousness. This showed that there did not exist a religious affiliation while using this subscale. No antecedents existed in this case.
Vance (2001) explored the concept of spirituality as measured by the Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS), Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale (SIBS), and Spiritual Care Practice Questionnaire to examine how nurses’ attitudes towards spirituality influenced their ability to provide patients with spiritual care, and identify barriers inhibiting nurses from delivering spiritual care to patients (p. 264).
The author defined spirituality as possessing a connection to God, or higher being, “as an interconnection with God or god being, that enables a human being to transcend the circumstances at hand and give purpose and meaning to life.” (p. 265).
The author found a strong correlation existed between the nurse’s self-reported attitudes towards spirituality, and their ability to deliver spiritual care to patients (p. 266). More importantly, nurses that scored higher on the SWBS and SIBS were found to provide better spiritual care to their patients.
Barriers identified by the nurses in providing spiritual care included lack of time, inadequate education, and the belief that spirituality is a personal matter that should not be addressed by nurses (p. 267). Criteria for spirituality encompasses the belief of transcendence, interconnection with God, or higher being and obtaining a sense of meaning, and purpose in one’s life. No antecedents or consequences of spirituality were identified in this study.
Lazenby (2010) In another related research on the role of spirituality to the recovery of cancer patients was investigated. Spirituality was measured by Spiritual Time meditation Scale (STMS) perday and also recording the number of times that one retreated to spiritual places. Here the author identified spirituality as an awareness of something greater than an individual self.
The doctors in the study were interviewed and acknowledged that, despite it being stressing to handle cancer patients, they relentlessly committed themselves to ensure their welfare. They also conquered with the belief that patients’ spirituality contributed significantly to their recovery.
The findings from this research were that the more one meditated on spirituality, the less pain they experienced in relation to their illness. There was also a high relationship between the numbers of times a patient had an interaction with the doctor to their health improvement. In this case the criteria of spirituality was measured in terms of meditation of the holy word. There were no consequences or antecedents presented in this case.
Reference List
Lazenby, J. M. (2010). On “spirituality,” “religion,” and “religions”: a concept analysis. Palliative supportive care, 8(4), 469-476.
Wiley, H.M. (2008). Spirituality and meaning in supportive care: spirituality- and meaning-centered group psychotherapy interventions in advanced cancer [Review]. Supportive Care in Cancer, 10(4), 272-280.