Exploring Relationships among Strengths Use, Spirituality, Religion and Positive Mental Health of College-Attending Emerging Adults.
Year: 2015
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This exploratory study examined the relationships among strengths use, spirituality, religion, and positive mental health of 109 traditional undergraduate, collegeattending emerging adults in a public university in the southern region of the United States, often referred to as the Bible-Belt.Constructs of the study were guided by a student program for strengths development and engagement, the idea that spirituality is fundamental to students' lives while commitment to a specific religion decreases (Astin, Astin, & Lindholm, 2011), and prior research indicating strengths use contributed to well-being (Govindji & Linley, 2007; Proctor, Maltby, & Linley, 2009).Participants completed the Strengths Use Scale (SUS; Govindji & Linley, 2007), the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES; Underwood, 2006), the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSORF; Plante & Boccaccini, 1997a) and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF; Keyes, 2002, 2009).Seven research questions were generated from study variables and data were analyzed using Pearson's productmoment correlations and multiple regressions.Positive correlations were found among strengths use, spirituality, and positive mental health.Multiple regression analyses showed that strengths use contributed to 18.1% of the variance of positive mental health.Positive mental health could be predicted My deepest gratitude goes first to my advisor, Dr. Christine Suniti Bhat; without her persistence, patience, guidance, and wisdom, this journey would never have been completed.I greatly appreciate the assistance of my doctoral committee members: Dr. Dianne Gut, Dr. Peter Mather, and Dr. Connie Patterson.I also want to thank all of you for your understanding and patience during one of the most difficult times in my life.To say I have been blessed with a supportive family is an understatement-
Author: Wendy M. Rankin
Institution: Ohio University
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2589391130