Title:
Spirituality in individuality and togetherness: a quantitative analysis based in Bowen theory
Author:
Barbara P. Laymon
Thesis Advisor:
Joseph A. Stewart-Sicking
Committee Member:
Gina M. Magyar-Russell
Committee Member:
Thomas E. Rodgerson
Committee Member:
D. Scott Hargrove
Committee Member:
L. Mickey Fenzel
Committee Member:
Stephen Fowl
Degree Granting Institution:
Loyola University Maryland--College of Arts and Sciences
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Loyola University Maryland
Date Created:
2018
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
This study examined individuality and togetherness and the influence of spirituality on these constructs from a Bowen Family Systems Theory perspective. Data for 160 adults ages 18-65 were included in the sample, originally collected for a study of spirituality and religiosity in work recovery. Individuality was operationalized through approximations of the concept of solid self with measures of personal control, a subset of autonomy, and mastery, a subset of competency. Togetherness was operationalized through a summary score of items from a social network index, which provided an approximation of the degree of cutoff or closeness from family members, and separately, from friends. Spirituality was measured through a spiritual transcendence scale, with subscales of prayer fulfillment, universality, and connectedness. Demographic data were also gathered. Subjective well-being measures comprised the outcome variables, which included life satisfaction, work engagement, and work exhaustion. Correlational and ordinary least squares regression analyses were employed. A weak and non-significant correlation between individuality and togetherness was found. Togetherness predicted improved outcomes, with friend togetherness predicting a stronger relationship than originally hypothesized. Individuality also predicted improved outcomes, with a moderating effect on togetherness for work engagement. Both individuality and family togetherness mediated the effect of spirituality, with distinct effects on outcome variables in all mediation models. Implications for pastoral counseling and Bowen Family Systems Theory, and for clinicians and counselor educators, are discussed.
Subject:
Electronic dissertations
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Pastoral Counseling
Restrictions on Access:
Author has given permission to make this work available online.
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Identifier:
LaymonBP-18
