Week6_post5_PSYC515_2023_Liberty

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 1

Results

The total sample size of this study was 78, with individuals ranging in age from 19 to 73

(M=41.91; S=11.61972); 91% of the participants identified as female; 9% identified as male; 0% of

the sample identified as other, although that was an option on the survey. The majority of the

participants were married (79.5%), followed by never married (11.5%), widowed (3%), and, finally,

separated or divorced (2.6% each). j j

Correlation of Intrinsic Spirituality and Perceived Stress

Intrinsic

Spirituality

Pearson

Correlation

Sig. (1-tailed)

Figure 1

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 2

Scatterplot Depicting the Correlation Between Intrinsic Spirituality and Perceived Stress

Note. Intrinsic spirituality (M=7.4060, S=2.25896) was scored 0-10 and perceived stress (M=26.5769,

S=8.77647) was scored 0-56, with higher scores indicating a greater degree of each variable. j

Discussion

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between intrinsic spirituality and

with lower perceived stress scores.

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 3

There were numerous limitations in this study, including the sampling method, characteristics

of the sample, and the testing instruments used. The sampling method precluded certain people

from participating in the study. The survey was distributed via social media, limiting participation to

those with both internet access and social media accounts (Facebook or Instagram). Furthermore,

the survey link was only active for one weekday, from the hours of 10:00am to 10:00pm, excluding

participation by those whose weekday obligations (e.g., work, family, or school) prevented them

from accessing or completing the survey during that time period. Although the survey was made

available to the public through the adjustment of privacy settings, because it was posted on a

personal social media account, it is likely that the majority of participants were friends or followers

Women represented an overwhelming majority of the sample (91%), as did married

participants (79.5%). For the purposes of our study, married included common law marriage. The

United States Census Bureau (USCB) estimates that 50% of Americans are married, with an additional

8% cohabitating with a partner; data indicates that 50.8% of Americans identify as female (USCB,

2022). Chi Square Goodness of Fit tests were used to examine whether the gender and marital status

of participants in this study were similar to nationally reported rates. They differed significantly x2(1,

N=78)=50.843, p <.001, 𝜙=0.81 (gender) and x2(1, N=78)=14.783, p<.001, 𝜙=0.44 (marital status). As

shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the sample consisted of significantly more women and more married

individuals than the nationally reported rates, suggesting that the sample is not an accurate

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 4

representation of the general American public. In addition, the scores for intrinsic spirituality are

skewed (-1.374). With a mean of 7.40, a median of 8, and a mode of 9, individuals with little to no

intrinsic spirituality are not adequately represented in this sample. Likewise, although the perceived

stress scores are relatively symmetrical (0.043), individuals with high levels and low levels of

perceived stress are underrepresented (M=26.58, MED=26, MODE=19). j j j j j j j j

Figure 2

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 5

Finally, there are limitations related to the testing instruments themselves. Both the Intrinsic

Spirituality Scale (Hodge, 2003) and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen & Mermelstein, 1983) are

instruments that rely on the subjectivity of self-assessment, as well as participants’ interpretation of

abstract constructs and questions. Furthermore, they each utilize Likert scale responses, which have

been challenged in terms of reliability and validity (Louangrath, 2018).

The findings of this study partially contradict those of Reutter and Bigatti (2014), who found

that higher levels of intrinsic spirituality were associated with lower levels of perceived stress, as well

used in the aforementioned study, a different instrument was used to evaluate intrinsic spirituality,

perception of stress at the onset of the stressor (Lorenz, Doherty, & Casey, 2019). Although these

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 6

results were obtained in a different sample population, they are supported by the current findings,

and perceived stress are not significantly correlated (Aftab et al., 2018). Finally, Werdel et al. (2014)

found that individuals with both low levels of perceived stress and high degrees of intrinsic

spirituality were more likely to experience growth following a highly stressful experience. The Faith

Maturity Scale (Benson et al., 1993) was used to evaluate intrinsic spirituality and the instrument

used to measure stress was the same (Hodge, 2003). The Werdel et al. (2014) study does not

contradict the current findings outright, because the relationship between intrinsic spirituality and

perceived stress was not explicitly examined, but, unlike the current study, these findings do suggest

al., 2009). One’s perception of stress, to some degree, affects his or her ability to cope with it

favorably (Ruetter & Bigatti, 2014). In the field of mental health, understanding the variables that

influence perceived stress has important implications for practitioners seeking to promote resiliency

in the populations with whom they work. Given that intrinsic spirituality is generally associated with

positive outcomes (Schwalm et al., 2021), the current study aimed to demonstrate a relationship

between high levels of intrinsic spirituality and low levels of perceived stress. Because the analysis

did not reveal a significant relationship, further investigation is needed to understand both the role

of intrinsic spirituality in coping with stress and the factors that contribute to one’s perception of

stress.

The current study provides ample implications for future studies that could build on these

results. Including participants with more extreme perceived stress scores (>40 and <10), as well as

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 7

participants with lower intrinsic spirituality scores (<5), both of which this study lacked, could yield a

more informative set of data. Furthermore, the addition of a valid and reliable assessment used to

measure general psychological health and well-being, at the onset of the study, with follow-up

testing at 3, 6, and 12 months, could offer insight into the role of intrinsic spirituality throughout the

life of a stressor, from onset to resolution. The findings of such a study could better equip

practitioners to support their clients in leveraging, developing, and strengthening their resources,

including spirituality, to more effectively cope with stress. j j j

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 8

References

measurement, and empirical validation. Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 5,

1-26.

Boyce, W.T., & Ellis, B.J. (2005). An evolutionary-developmental theory of the origins and

functions of stress reactivity. Developmental Psychopathology, 17(2), 271-301.

https://doi.org.10.1017/s0954579405050145.PMID:16761546

Hodge, D.R. (2003). The Intrinsic Spirituality Scale: A new six-item instrument for assessing the

salience of spirituality as a motivational construct. Journal of Social Service Research, 30(1),

41-61. https://doi.org.10.1300/J079v30n01_03

Lorenz, L., Doherty, A., & Casey, P., (2019). The role of religion in buffering the impact of

stressful life events on depressive symptoms in patients with depressive episodes or

adjustment disorder. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,

16(7), 1-13. https://doi.org.10.3390/ijerph16071238

Louangrath, P. (2018). Reliability and validity of survey scales. International Journal of Research &

Methodology in Social Science, 4(1), 50-62. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1322695

Lupien, S.J., McEwen, B.S., Gunnar, M.R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the

lifespan on the brain, behavior, and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10, 434-445.

https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2639

INTRINSIC SPIRITUALITY & PERCEIVED STRESS j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j

j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j 9

Reutter, K.K, & Bigatti, S.M. (2014). Religiosity and spirituality as resiliency resources: Moderation,

mediation, or moderated mediation? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 53(1), 56-72.

https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1111/jssr.12081

Schwalm, F.B., Zandavalli, R.B., de Castro Filho, E.D., & Lucchetti, G. (2021). Is there a relationship

between spirituality/religiosity and resilience? A systematic review and meta-analysis of

observational studies. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(5), 1218-1232. https://doi-

org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1177/1359105320984537

Underwood, L.G. (2011). The daily spiritual experiences scale: Overview and results. Religions, 2(1),

29-