Title

Generativity, relational spirituality, gratitude, and mental health: relationships and pathways.

School/Department

Rosemead School of Psychology

Publication Date

1-2011

Abstract

In this study, the authors investigated generativity strivings or commitments in relation to spirituality, spiritual transformation (ST), gratitude, and mental health in the educational training context of graduate-level students (N = 194) at a university-based theological seminary in North America. Relational spirituality was operationalized based on a relational theoretical model (Shults & Sandage, 2006) that (a) defines spirituality as ways of relating to the sacred, including religious ways of relating, and (b) views spirituality as often involving a dialectic of dwelling and seeking (Wuthnow, 1998). Intrinsic religiosity was positively and quest negatively related to generativity strivings over and above age. The self-report of a recent ST moderated the relationship between generativity strivings and quest with those reporting an ST showing a quadratic relationship and those not reporting an ST showing a negative relationship. Gratitude mediated the relationship between generativity strivings and mental health, although this effect did not hold in a post hoc analysis controlling for spiritual impression management.

Keywords

Seminarians--Psychological testing;

Publication Title

The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion

Volume

21

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

16

DOI of Published Version

10.1080/10508619.2011.532439

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