Characteristics of Ethical Leadership: Themes Identification Through Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Design From the Pakistan Context

The current approaches in identifying the characteristics of ethical leadership proceed mainly from a Western perspective based on virtue-driven moral philosophy (i.e., relativism) and frequently ignoring the Asian perspective of morality based on idealism. This study aimed to conduct parallel analysis in convergent design by using qualitative and quantitative methods to extract person-driven ethical leadership themes by considering the Asian context. Using the hypothetico-deductive method, 13 themes were extracted altogether, out of which 4 are new context-driven themes (i.e., altruism, encouragement, collective good, and spiritual transcendence as the emerging themes of ethical leadership in the Asian context).

Assessment of selected suicide risk factors and the level of spirituals transcendence and religiosity

Suicide is a global phenomenon and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The analysis covers suicidal risk factors (depression, psychological pain, fascination with death) and protective factors (spirituality, religiosity) in the population of healthy people in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the relationship between recent stressful events and suicide risk factors. In the period from October 2020 to March 2021, 260 people aged 18-63 were surveyed electronically, using the own questionnaire and Polish adaptations of research tools to assess: depression, mental pain, anxiety and fascination with death, spirituality and religiosity and the AUDIT screening test. 38.8% of the respondents achieved the result indicating the presence of symptoms of depression and the need for specialist consultation. Women achieved higher results compared to men (Z = -2.424; p = 0.015). In the measurement of religiosity and spiritual transcendence, the lowest score was noted on the following scales: religious commitment, religious crisis and fulfillment in prayer, while the highest score in the sense of attachment scale. Among the maximum results, the lowest was recorded in the measurement of transcendence and the highest in religious commitment. In the subscale of religious commitment, the respondents achieved the lowest average intensity, and slightly higher in the measurement of the religious crisis. However, the feeling of fulfillment in prayer and universality were the most intense. Statistical significance was demonstrated between depression and fascination with death (ρ = 0.399; p <0.001) and depression and psychological pain (ρ = 0.677; p <0.001). As the religious crisis intensified, the following also intensified: depression (ρ = 0.290; p <0.001), psychological pain (ρ = 0.279; p <0.001) and fascination with death (ρ = 0.224; p <0.001). A positive correlation was found between the number of stressful events and depression (ρ = 0.259; p <0.001) and psychological pain (ρ = 0.295; p <0.001). Statistical significance was demonstrated in the analysis of the impact of recent stressors on suicide risk factors. Psychological pain is the strongest predictor of the "S" sample, and the religious crisis is associated with a greater severity of suicide risk factors. Depressiveness correlates with the intensity of mental pain and fascination with death in people with a high level of spiritual transcendence and religiosity. Increased depression and psychological pain are more common in women and in people experiencing recent stressful situations in life.

Is There a Connection Between Spiritual Transcendence and Quality of Life? A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Patients Under the End-of-Life Care

Background: There is limited data available on the spiritual dimension of palliative care in Eastern Europe. In countries such as Poland, investigating spirituality and its essential aspects is further complicated because in a predominantly Catholic country, spirituality is mistakenly thought to be identical to religiousness. Aim: This study investigated the connection between spiritual transcendence, meaning in life, altruism, and the quality of life of cancer patients in end-of-life care in an Eastern Europe Country (Poland). Design: This cross-sectional study was based on 4 surveys. The Quality of Life Questionnaire MQOL-R, the Scale of Spiritual Transcendence, the Purpose in Life Questionnaire PIL-6, and the Altruism Scale were used. Setting/Participants: Data from 41 oncology patients receiving end-of-life care at home and in a stationary hospice was obtained. Results: Results indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between transcendence, spiritual growth, and global quality of life. There is also a positive correlation between altruism and the meaning of life, as well as between the meaning of life, spirituality and quality of life, while altruism is positively associated exclusively with spirituality. Conclusion: This study revealed that spiritual transcendence can be understood, according to Piedmont's theory, as a personality trait that allows the patients to cross the boundaries of their existence and identify subjectively important values in their life. It can be examined and developed not only in the context of the need but also as a predisposition and a resource of personhood.

The Influence of Spiritual Transcendence on a Centering Meditation: A Growth Curve Analysis of Resilience

The authors longitudinally examined a spiritual meditation based on centering prayer. The study consisted of two primary aims: (1) to determine the effectiveness of centering meditation on increasing resilience and (2) to examine the temporal dynamics of spiritual transcendence on resilience during the meditation. Participants (n = 150) engaged in a 4-week randomized controlled trial, in which the treatment group practiced the centering meditation twice a day. The growth curve model includes a three-way interaction to determine if there were group effects in the relationship between spiritual transcendence and time. The interaction between treatment group, time, and spiritual transcendence was statistically significant in explaining the trajectory of resilience, p < 0.05. Based on the findings, the centering meditation was effective in statistically significantly increasing resilience in the treatment group compared to the waitlist control group. In addition, spiritual transcendence significantly potentiated the effect of centering meditation on improving resilience over time, p < 0.05. The authors discuss limitations and implications for research and practice of centering meditation.

“Per tatto di vertù”: il tatto dell’anima e il tocco della Grazia nella Divina Commedia

This contribution aims to identify the notions of “tatto” and “tocco” as main agents for soul health and as vectors of spiritual transcendence in Dante’s thought and in particular in the Divine Comedy. In his path from Hell to Paradise, the pilgrim transforms his physical ability “to touch” and “to be touched” in a form of spiritual sensoriality. In this way, the sensitive phenomenons participate to the intellectual processes, pleasure becomes salvation, and the perception of sweetness allows access to the intangible and ineffable realities of Paradise. We will analyze the functions of tactile feeling and experience in their pathological, pharmacological and finally spiritual aspects. First we show how touch feeling, for Christian thought, corresponds to a general modality through which Grace enters into the intellect and through which the intellect perceives the divine phenomena. In this case, pleasure is synonymous with communication with God and is no more related to a condemnable voluptuousness. From the symptomatic touch of physical suffering of Hell to the ineffable sweetness of Paradise, passing through the acquisition of a new spiritual touch in Purgatory, Dante develops this idea through many similarities. Poetic writing becomes itself the instrument through which the soul could taste the divine “stille” in order to turn back to the “stelle”.

Validation of the Hungarian version of the short form of Spiritual Connection Questionnaire (SCQ-14)

Background: Spirituality is a human specific phenomenon associated with positive mental and physical health outcomes. From a scientific point of view, it is a complex construct which can be investigated in various ways. The Spiritual Connection Questionnaire (SCQ) measures spirituality independently from religiousness thus it appears to be an appropriate measure to assess religious and non-religious aspects of spirituality. Aim: The present study aimed to develop and validate the Hungarian version of the short form of the Spiritual Connection Questionnaire (SCQ-14). Furthermore, it aimed to investigate spirituality’s association with affect and thinking style. Methods: Participants of two non- representative community samples (n = 387 and n = 145) completed the following questionnaires online: short form of the Spiritual Connection Questionnaire, Spiritual Transcendence Scale, Rational–Experiential Inventory, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Results: The Hungarian SCQ-14 showed an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.94 and 0.97 on Sample 1 and 2, respectively). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated inappropriate fit with the theoretically assumed one-factor model (χ2 = 435.848, df = 77, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.904; NFI = 0.886; RMSEA = 0.110 [90% CI = 0.100–0.120] on Sample 1, and χ2 = 247.132, df = 77, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.917; NFI = 0.885; RMSEA = 0.123 [90% CI = 0.106–0.141] on Sample 2). In contrast, results of exploratory factor analyses indicated a one-factor structure on both samples. The SCQ-14 was positively associated with spiritual transcendence, experiential thinking style, and partly with positive affect. No significant correlations with rational thinking style and negative affect were found. Results of the multiple hierarchical linear regression analysis on both samples revealed a significant contribution of experiential thinking style and spiritual transcendence to spiritual connection after controlling for gender, age, educational qualification, and positive affect. Conclusions: The Hungarian version of the Spiritual Connection Questionnaire (SCQ-14) is a valid, psychometrically sound measure. Spiritual transcendence and experiential thinking style independently contribute to spiritual connection.Elméleti háttér: A spiritualitás humánspecifikus jelenség, amelynek pozitív hatása a testi és mentális egészségre nézve bizonyított. Tudományos szempontból a spiritualitás meglehetősen összetett fogalom, számos különböző mérőeszközzel vizsgálható. A Spirituális Kapcsolat Kérdőív (Spiritual Connection Questionnaire, SCQ) vallástól függetlenül értékeli a spiritualitás szintjét, így vallásos és nem vallásos személyek körében egyaránt alkalmazható. Cél: Jelen kutatás célja Spirituális Kapcsolat Kérdőív rövid változatának (SCQ-14) magyar nyelvű validálása volt. További cél volt a spiritualitás gondolkozási stílussal és affektivitással való összefüggésének vizsgálata. Módszerek: A kutatás két nem reprezentatív mintából áll (n = 387 és n = 145), amelynek résztvevői a Spirituális Kapcsolat Kérdőív rövid változatát, a Spirituális Transzcendencia Kérdőívet, az Észszerűség–Megérzés Kérdőívet, valamint a Pozitív és Negatív Affektivitás Skálát töltötték ki online formában. Eredmények: Az SCQ-14 magyar változata kiváló belső konzisztenciát (Cronbach-α = 0,94 az első, és 0,97 a második mintán) jelzett. A konfirmatív faktoranalízis nem mutatott megfelelő illeszkedést az eredeti egyfaktoros modellhez képest (χ2 = 435,848, df = 77, p < 0,001; CFI = 0,904; NFI = 0,886; RMSEA = 0,110 [90% CI = 0,100– 0,120] az első mintán, és χ2 = 247,132, df = 77, p < 0,001; CFI = 0,917; NFI = 0,885; RMSEA = 0,123 [90% CI = 0,106–0,141] a második mintán). Ezzel szemben a feltáró faktoranalízis eredménye egyfaktoros modellt mutatott mindkét minta esetén. Az SCQ-14 továbbá pozitív irányú összefüggést mutatott a spirituális transzcendenciával, a tapasztalati gondolkodási stílussal, valamint részben a pozitív affektivitással is. A spirituális kapcsolat és negatív affektivitás, valamint a racionális gondolkodási stílus között nem jelentkezett szignifikáns korreláció. A mindkét mintán lefuttatott többszörös hierarchikus lineáris regresszió eredményei szerint a tapasztalati gondolkodás és a spirituális transzcendencia a nem, a kor, az iskolai végzettség és a pozitív affektivitás kontrollálása után is szignifikáns kapcsolatban maradt a spirituális kapcsolat pontszámmal. Következtetések: A Spirituális Kapcsolat Kérdőív rövid változatának magyar verziója valid, jó pszichometriai mutatókkal bíró mérőeszköz. A spirituális transzcendencia és a tapasztalati gondolkodás egymástól függetlenül is hozzájárulnak a spirituális kapcsolathoz.

Falling Up

This article investigates melodic figures and harmonic sequences that miraculously only step up to illuminate an aesthetic lineage that connects gospel to electronic dance music. It argues that the synth-risers and ever-opening filters of contemporary euphoric rave music like happy-hardcore and uplifting-trance find precedence in compositional devices that made their way into funk/soul and disco/garage from Black gospel music, and that these gospel inventions were derived from the Afro-diasporic ring-shout. Cognitive linguistic and psychoacoustic theories premise an analytical framework for musical representations of endless ascent. Through close readings of representative recordings—a 1927 Pentecostal sermon by Reverend Sister Mary Nelson, James Cleveland’s “Peace Be Still,” Chic’s “Le Freak,” Trussel’s “Love Injection,” and DJ Hixxy’s remix of Paradise's “I See the Light”—the article examines various historical intersections with parlour music, European art music, and modal jazz, and suggests that musical ascent has a non-causal but, nevertheless, objective relationship with a type of spiritual transcendence.

Global Paradox of Race Spiritual Transcendence

This paper is a critical analysis of the poem “Indigo Brown” by Will Cox, a Modern American prolific writer, poet, philosopher, essayist, vociferous activist and humanist. It is an in-depth study to inspire people to get rid of their ego and live through their soul. The poet has introduced the idea of negative capability as he believes that the societal taboos lead to intellectual muddle and insecurity. The poet draws a bridge between the never ending heartaches of the past and connects them beautifully with the present state where he has gathered himself and lifts his head to reconcile with the never changing customs. However, the question of freedom has an everlasting impression at the back of his head and expresses a desire to transcendence to a spiritual realm, traveling beyond time to purify his soul from the unworthy assertions society has labeled him with. His style is direct and rhetoric and he uses significant symbols, imageries and literary devices and also uses authorial intrusion to establish his point of view

Selected determinants of spirituality among nurses

Introduction. Spirituality has a multi-dimensional nature which influences the professional activities of nurses in a caring profession.Aim. Identifying selected determinants of spirituality among nurses and their relationship with socio-demographic factors.Material and methods. Research was conducted in 2018 on 144 nurses. All of the respondents were active in their profession. The research was made with diagnostic survey method using standardized research tools, including a Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ), the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS), and the Brief Religious Coping (RCOPE) questionnaire, (BR).Results. It was established that age and professional seniority positively correlate with Religious Attitude (SDQ), p<0.05; Transcendence Proper (STS), p<0.01; and with positive religious stress-coping strategies (BR), p<0.01. It shows that a declaration of relationship to faith positively correlates with the subscales of the questionnaire (SDQ), i.e. Religious Attitude (r=0.247, p<0.01), Ethical sensitivity (rho=0.230, p<0.01), and Harmony (r=0.218, p<0.05). Moreover, a strong correlation was confirmed with Transcendence Proper (STS), r=0.40, p<0.01, and with positive religious strategies for coping with stress (BR), r=0.505, p<0.01, and declared relationship to faith.Conclusions. The dimensions of spirituality are significantly related to age, seniority, declaration of attitude to faith, and positive religious stress-coping strategies. Predictors of spirituality among nurses are place of residence, spiritual openness and negative religious stress-coping strategies.