Understanding spirituality: validation of two measurement scales
Research in spirituality demonstrates its importance in promoting health and quality of life and is recognized by social workers in their practice. Adopting a spirituality-focused intervention requires measurement instruments, particularly relevant for caregivers of individuals with multiple disabil...
| Authors: | ; ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Journal for the Study of Spirituality
Year: 2025, Volume: 15, Issue: 2, Pages: 174-188 |
| Further subjects: | B
scale validity
B multiple disabilities B Spirituality B family caregivers B Social intervention B Quality of life |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Research in spirituality demonstrates its importance in promoting health and quality of life and is recognized by social workers in their practice. Adopting a spirituality-focused intervention requires measurement instruments, particularly relevant for caregivers of individuals with multiple disabilities. Understanding what spiritual experiences mean to these caregivers can enhance the effectiveness of interventions. This study assessed the psychometric properties of two scales in a sample of family caregivers of adults with multiple disabilities: the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) by Underwood and Teresi (2002) and the Spirituality Scale by Pinto and Pais-Ribeiro (2007). The study involved 204 family caregivers of adults with multiple disabilities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional structure for the DSES and a two-factor solution for the Spirituality Scale. The relationship between the scales and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (through WHOQOL-Bref) was assessed to explore the associations between spirituality and quality of life. The study concluded that, although everyday spiritual experiences may not be recognized as impacting quality of life, broader dimensions of spirituality, such as hope/optimism and meaning of life, influence psychological health and social relationships. This justifies the need for instruments that can measure spirituality's multidimensionality, providing a reliable tool for research and intervention. |
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| ISSN: | 2044-0251 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the Study of Spirituality
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/20440243.2025.2472175 |
