Religiosity and Spirituality of German-Speaking Pilgrims on the Way of St. James

The article examines the intensity and structure of religiosity and spirituality of German-speaking foot and bicycle pilgrims on the Way of St. James within the framework of a multidimensional model of religiosity. The following nine aspects are distinguished: religious questions, faith, religious and spiritual identity, worship, prayer, meditation, monistic and dualistic religious experiences. Data of N=425 German-speaking pilgrims of the Way of St. James from the years 2017 and 2018 are analyzed. The data of the Religion Monitor 2017 from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (N=2837) serves as a population-representative comparison sample. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple regression analyses are used to analyze and to compare the two groups. The results show that German-speaking pilgrims in the analyzed sample have substantially higher values on all dimensions of religiosity than the general population in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This difference is most pronounced in the spiritual self-concept. However, for most pilgrims, the categories religious and spiritual are not mutually exclusive. Rather, spirituality forms a basis shared by almost all pilgrims in the sample, to which religiousness is added for many. Further, results are discussed in the light of the existing foot and bicycle pilgrimage research. Conclusively, it can be said that tourism and church actors should consider the religious character of pilgrims, which remains despite all changes in the religious landscape.

Authenticity, Religiosity, and Organizational Opportunity

A relatively recent emphasis on increased authenticity in the workplace has opened conversations that have previously been considered out-of-bounds within organizational dialogue. With this emphasis has come an invitation for employees to bring their “whole self” to work. An individual's religious beliefs and spiritual inclinations are often at the heart of their so-called true self. Thus, as organizations have encouraged greater authenticity, discussions regarding religiosity and spirituality have followed. While there are some inherent dangers in incorporating religiosity and spirituality into the workplace, the primary purpose of this chapter is to show three natural ways in which these important parts of an individual's identity can be—or already are being—situated into existing and accepted areas of research. Thus, this theoretical piece provides a brief examination of the literature in the fields of positive organizational behavior, meaningful work, and employee engagement and will, in the process, analyze areas of crossover between these and religiosity and spirituality.

Religiosity and spirituality in mental health: nurses’ training, knowledge and practices

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze nurses’ training, knowledge and practices in the religiosity/spirituality interface in the context of Psychosocial Care Centers. Methods: a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study, carried out in a metropolitan region of Ceará. Four nurses were interviewed, and the data were examined using the content analysis technique. Results: four categories emerged from analysis: Deficit in teaching religious and spiritual practices in higher education in nursing; View of the concept of religiosity and spirituality; Religiousness and spirituality as an integral part of the person; Reception of religious and spiritual practices as an aid to treatment. Final considerations: a deficit in nursing undergraduate teaching was identified concerning religiosity and spirituality. However, the interviewed professionals understand the importance of religious and spiritual dimensions in the therapeutic process, even though they do not accurately differentiate the concepts.

Compulsive sexual behavior, religiosity, and spirituality: A systematic review

Background and aims In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the relationship between compulsive sexual behavior (CSB), religiosity, and spirituality. This review summarizes research examining the relationship CSB has with religiosity and spirituality, clarifying how these constructs inform the assessment and treatment of this syndrome. Methods The present paper reviews research published through August 1, 2021, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only studies providing quantitative analyses were included. Results This review identified 46 articles, subsuming 59 studies, analyzing the relationship between CSB and religiosity or spirituality. Most studies used cross-sectional designs with samples primarily composed of heterosexual White men and women. Generally, the studies found small to moderate positive relationships between religiosity and CSB. Studies considering the mediating or moderating role of moral incongruence identified stronger, indirect relationships between religiosity and problematic pornography use (PPU), a manifestation of CSB. Few studies examined the association between spirituality and CSB, but those that did either reported negative relationships between indicators of spiritual well-being and CSB or positive relationships between CSB and aspects of spiritual struggles. Discussion and conclusions Although research examining CSB and religiosity has flourished, such growth is hampered by cross-sectional samples lacking in diversity. Moral incongruence assists in explaining the relationship between religiosity and PPU, but future research should consider other manifestations of CSB beyond PPU. Attention should also be given to examining other religiosity and spirituality constructs and obtaining more diverse samples in research on CSB, religiosity, and spirituality.

The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on the Happiness, Optimism, and Pessimism of Brazilian Medical Students

Background Mental health problems are very common among medical students, becoming a concern for health care professionals and educators. Despite the fact that there is a growing body of literature supporting the role of religiosity and spirituality (RS) on mental health and on positive psychology outcomes, little evidence is available among medical students, a population subjected to important distress. Aims This study aimed to investigate the role of RS on the levels of optimism, pessimism, and happiness among Brazilian medical students. Methods This is a cross-sectional study including medical students from the first to the eighth semester of a private medical school. The instruments used were: TOT-R for optimism and pessimism, Lyubomirsk and Lepper subjective happiness scale, and sociodemographic profile. The independent variables were Brazilian Portuguese Duke University Religiosity Scale for religiosity, Brief Spiritual Religious Coping (SRC) for negative and positive SRC; and Facit-Sp for spiritual well-being. Results A total of 353 medical students were included (response rate 97.51%). Higher levels of intrinsic religiosity and peace were associated with greater happiness and optimism. However, negative SRC was associated with lower levels of happiness and optimism and higher levels of pessimism. Conclusion Medical students tend to use their RS as a resource for dealing with the challenges of medical school, influencing their happiness and optimism. In this context, it seems that religiousness acts in two different ways, not only have positive but also negative outcomes among the participants.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Spiritual and Mental Well-Being of ICU Surrogates and their Treatment Preferences

Aspects of religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are associated with alleviating stress and influencing the treatment decision-making process in surrogates of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of the population, but no significance has been established with spiritual well-being. This study hypothesized that the pandemic negatively affected surrogate spiritual well-being in a relationship mediated by a surrogate’s intrinsic religiosity, religious coping, and non-organizational religiosity. It was also hypothesized that surrogates would desire less aggressive treatments and have lower goals of patient function due to the pandemic. Baseline surrogate survey data using the FACIT-sp, Brief RCOPE and Durel scales, as well as answers to questions regarding treatment preferences and goal of patient function from the Chaplain Family Project were used in this study along with the pandemic status of the surrogate at the time of interview. There were 100 surrogates interviewed prior to the pandemic and 82 interviewed during the pandemic with a mean age of 54.5 and 53.8 years, respectively, who were mostly white (82.0% and 75.6%, respectively), female (72.0% and 72.0%, respectively), and on average had obtained at least an associate degree. There was a significantly greater preference for aggressive, life-sustaining interventions (LSIs) over relief of pain (26.1% pre-pandemic to 40.9% during pandemic, p=0.0494) and a significantly fewer proportion of patient-surrogate advance conversations (66.7% to 51.9%, p=0.0435) in the during pandemic group. There was no statistical difference found in spiritual well-being, intrinsic religiosity, religious coping, non-organizational religiosity (NOR), treatment preferences, nor patient function goals between the pandemic status groups, when controlling for surrogate demographics and previous patient advance care planning. A longitudinal study should further investigate the possible effect of the pandemic upon surrogate spiritual well-being and ICU decisions and experiences for greater clarity.

The Diverse Spirit: Spiritual Care Perspectives and the Implications for Older Adults in Various Settings

Religiosity and spirituality are commonly supported and viewed as essential elements of well-being in old and very old age, particularly at end of life. These essential elements often include the exploration of the meaning in life, inner peace, belonging, contentment, and near-end-of-life-completion. The positive outcomes of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices have been well established. However, these experiences and related positive outcomes may not always include a diverse array of older adults. The spiritual care of older adults is becoming more culturally diverse and includes differing perspectives on what constitutes spiritual care, both in approach and practice. This symposium will explore the current state of spiritual care for older adults through a lens of cultural diversity and inter-religious/spiritual perspectives. A focus on the current practices of spiritual care for older adults and future implications will also be considered. Recommendations pertaining to future gerontological inquiry in the importance of spiritual care, as well as diverse approaches within gerontological practice will be highlighted and discussed.

Traditional Romani Christianity vs Pentecostal and neo-Protestant Christianity: A grounded picture of religiosity and spirituality among the Roma in the twenty-first century in Slovakia

Through the example of specific locations settled by the Roma population in Slovakia, the study offers a grounded picture of Romani religiosity and spirituality in the twenty-first century. The author provides a brief overview of the analytical grasping of this phenomenon in the scientific community, as well as remarks on the seemingly neutral analytical terms used for the description of religiosity and spirituality among the Roma, which may contain clichés or be eventually culturally and intellectually colonialist. Based on multi-sited ethnographies in Slovakia, the author elucidates how traditional Romani Christianity is confronted with Pentecostal and neo-Protestant Christianity, which are considered non-traditional within the traditionally Roman Catholic Slovakia. To avoid scientific exotization of Romani religious culture, the author describes the main elements of traditional Romani Christianity based on the emic insights of non-Pentecostal Roma from various localities and through the lenses of the Pentecostal discourse (converts and pastors). She also mentions the fluid and postmodern features of Romani Christianity, which have preserved numerous traditional elements fluidly mixed with post-traditional and ultra-modern forms of spirituality and religiosity.