Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Spirituality and Family Well-Being


Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, S.R. Government College for Women, Amritsar, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Spirituality refers to the search for and experiential elements of the sacred, ultimate meaning, higher-consciousness, and transcendence (Friedman & MacDonald, 2002). Emmons (2000) argued that spirituality can be viewed as a form of intelligence because it predicts functioning and offers capabilities that enable people to solve problems and attain valuable goals. In other words, spirituality is based on abilities that produce valuable outcomes. Research suggests a positive relationship between spirituality, life purpose and satisfaction, health, and family well-being. Family life is supposed to be about forming persons– parents and children growing together, learning from each other, supporting one another, in living out a shared mission and goals – all of which has to do with spirituality. Without a strong sense of spiritual well-being, families too easily become mere collections of individuals living under the same roof. Fostering our family's spiritual well-being is what enables us to be more than a bunch of people sharing a room but feeling lonely just the same. It is what enables us to celebrate the love that comes from God's own heart, and discover–as a family–all the ways that life is a gift, and to help each other become everything God created us to be. The present article earnestly attempts to explore how spirituality enhances physical and mental health of the family members, thereby promoting family well-being.

Keywords

Family Wellbeing, Positive Relationship, Spirituality.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Agor, W. (1989). Intuitive ability of executives: Findings from field research. In W. Agor (Ed.), Intuition in organizations: Leading and managing productively (pp. 145-156). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

  • Boyd-Wilson, B., Walkey, F., & McClure, J. (2004). Serenity: Much more than just feeling calm. In R. S. Shohov (Ed.), Advances in psychology research (Vol. 29, pp. 35-55). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science.

  • Brown, K., & Ryan, R. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822-848.

  • Cassell, E. (2002). Compassion. In C. Snyder and S. Lopez (Eds.), The handbook of Positive Psychology (pp. 434-445). New York: Oxford University Press.

  • Elfstrom, M., & Kreuter, M. (2006). Relationships between locus of control, coping strategies and emotional well-being in persons with spinal cord lesion. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 13(1), 93-103.

  • Elmer, L., MacDonald, D., & Friedman, H. (2003). Transpersonal psychology, physical health, and mental health: Theory, research and practice. Humanistic Psychologist, 31, 159-181.

  • Emmons, R. (1999). The psychology of ultimate concerns: Motivation and spirituality in personality. New York: Guilford.

  • Emmons, R. (2000). Is spirituality an intelligence? Motivation, cognition and the psychology of the ultimate concern. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 3-26.

  • Emmons, R., & McCullough, M. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.

  • Erikson, E. (1997). The life cycle completed: Extended version with new chapters on the ninth stage of development. New York: W. W. Norton.

  • Fiese, B. H., & Tomcho, T. J. (2001). Finding meaning in religious practices: The relation between holiday rituals and marital satisfaction. Journal of Family Psychology, 15(4), 597–609.

  • Friedman, H., & MacDonald, D. (2002). Using transpersonal tests in humanistic psychological assessment. Humanistic Psychologist, 30(3), 223-236.

  • Fry, P. (2000). Religious involvement, spirituality and personal meaning for life: Existential predictors of psychological well-being in community-residing and institutional care elders. Aging and Mental Health, 4(4), 375-387.

  • George, L., Larson, D., Koening, H., & McCullough, M. (2000). Spirituality and health: What we know, what we need to know. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 102-116.

  • Ingersoll, E. (1998). Refining dimensions of spiritual wellness: A cross-traditional approach. Counseling and Values, 42(3), 156-165.

  • Kamya, H. (2009). Healing from refugee trauma. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Spiritual resources in family therapy (2nd ed., pp. 286–300). New York: Guilford Press.

  • Kass, J., Friedman, R., Leserman, J., Zuttermeister, P., & Benson, H. (1991). Health outcomes and new index of spiritual experience. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 30(2), 203-211.

  • Koenig, H. (2005). Faith and mental health: Resources for healing. Conshohacken, PA: Templeton Press.

  • Krause, N., & Ellison, C. (2003). Forgiveness by god, forgiveness of others, and psychological well-being in late life. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 42(1), 77-79.

  • Leung, B., Moneta, G. B., & Mcbride-Chang, C. (2005). Think positively and feel positively: Optimism and life satisfaction in later life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 61(4), 335-365.

  • Luskin, F. (1999). The effect of forgiveness training on psychosocial factors in college-age adults. Dissertation Abstracts International, Stanford University: Stanford, CA.

  • Maclnnes, D. (2006). Self-esteem and self-acceptance: An examination into their relationship and their effect on psychological health. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 13(5), 483-489.

  • McCutcheon, H., & Pincombe, J. (2001). Intuition: An important tool in the practice of nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 35(3), 342-348.

  • Neff, K., Rude, S., & Kirkpatrick, K. (2007). An examination of self-compassion in relation to positive psychological functioning and personality traits. Journal of Research in Personality, 41(4), 908-916.

  • Omodei, M., & McLennan, J. (2000). Conceptualizing and measuring global interpersonal mistrust-trust. The Journal of Social Psychology, 140(3), 279-294.

  • Shanafelt, T., West, C., Zhao, X., Novotny, P., Kolars, J., & Habermann, T. et al. (2005). Relationship between increased personal well-being and enhanced empathy among internal medicine residents. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 20(7), 559-564.

  • Tangney, J. (2002). Humility. In C. Snyder and S. Lopez (Eds.), The handbook of positive psychology (pp. 411-419). New York: Oxford University Press.

  • Valle, M., Huebner, S., & Suldo, S. (2006). An analysis of hope as psychological strength. Journal of School Psychology, 44(5), 393-406.

  • Walsh, F. (2009a). Human–animal bonds I: The relational significance of companion animals. Family Process, 48, 462–480.

  • Walsh, F. (2009b). Integrating spirituality in family therapy. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Spiritual resources in family therapy (2nd ed., pp. 31–61). New York: Guilford Press.

  • Walsh, R. (1999). Essential spirituality: The 7 central practices to awaken heart and mind. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

  • Wendel, R. (2003). Lived religion and family therapy: What does spirituality have to do with it? Family Process, 42(1), 165–179.


Abstract Views: 344

PDF Views: 0




  • Spirituality and Family Well-Being

Abstract Views: 344  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Prarthna Swani
Department of Psychology, S.R. Government College for Women, Amritsar, India

Abstract


Spirituality refers to the search for and experiential elements of the sacred, ultimate meaning, higher-consciousness, and transcendence (Friedman & MacDonald, 2002). Emmons (2000) argued that spirituality can be viewed as a form of intelligence because it predicts functioning and offers capabilities that enable people to solve problems and attain valuable goals. In other words, spirituality is based on abilities that produce valuable outcomes. Research suggests a positive relationship between spirituality, life purpose and satisfaction, health, and family well-being. Family life is supposed to be about forming persons– parents and children growing together, learning from each other, supporting one another, in living out a shared mission and goals – all of which has to do with spirituality. Without a strong sense of spiritual well-being, families too easily become mere collections of individuals living under the same roof. Fostering our family's spiritual well-being is what enables us to be more than a bunch of people sharing a room but feeling lonely just the same. It is what enables us to celebrate the love that comes from God's own heart, and discover–as a family–all the ways that life is a gift, and to help each other become everything God created us to be. The present article earnestly attempts to explore how spirituality enhances physical and mental health of the family members, thereby promoting family well-being.

Keywords


Family Wellbeing, Positive Relationship, Spirituality.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.15614/ijpp%2F2018%2Fv9i1%2F173743