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Spirituality
Introduction
Spirituality relates to a family's capacity for transcending self-interest, living with a positive purpose, and reverencing life. When considering the characteristics of strong families, several family researchers have included an aspect of spirituality. Increasingly, family researchers and practitioners are recognizing the significant role played by a family's sense of spirituality, as well as their religious framework in facilitating positive emotional, psychological and social change.
Krysan, Moore and Zill (1990) define "religious orientation" as one of the essential characteristics of strong families. Most researchers emphasize that a family's religious orientation or sense of spirituality is not contingent on church attendance or formal membership in a particular denomination. Rather, this construct is more often defined in terms of a family's sense that they are guided by a shared sense of an underlying moral or value system.
In studying strong Black families, Hill (1971) noted the importance of having a strong religious orientation. Thomas (1990) and Abbott et al. (1990) point to the positive functions of spirituality and religious practice. Stinnett and DeFrain(1985) consider "spiritual wellness" as one of the secrets of strong families. In their study of the personal resources that may be used by the family to adapt to change and deal with stress, McCubbin, et al (1996) found eight categories of resources contributing to physical, spiritual and emotional health of family members.
Rituals and traditions gain meaning and emphasis in the context of family interaction and participation in community. In fact, research has demonstrated that the family is really the context in which religious or cultural values are played out (Friedman, 1990). A family's ability to understand and communicate shared meanings has always been important in terms of facilitating positive change. In Thomas and Cornwall's (1990) review of family, religion, sociology, psychology, and therapy research, they concluded that in terms of understanding adult well-being, personal spiritual devotion was the single most important variable. They also noted that personal spiritual devotion has a strong and consistent impact upon both marital and parental satisfaction, which in turn influence adult well-being.
Definition
Families who exhibit "spirituality" share a belief in something greater than themselves. They hold and live by similar values. (Krysan, Moore & Zill, 1990)
The following parent behaviors serve as examples for developing more specific outcome objectives based on the critical component elements of Spirituality:
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Families who exhibit spirituality share a belief in something greater than themselves. |
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Families who exhibit spirituality hold similar beliefs. |
Brief summary with application to State Strengthening Projects
Families at-risk cannot ignore the crisis situations that they face. To deal with these problems, their spiritual beliefs and practices may provide meaning and support. Programs need to be sensitized to this important dimension of family life and find ways to help families rely on their innate sense of spirituality in order to facilitate long term, sustainable change in other important areas of their lives.
References
Hill,
Robert B.(1971) The strengths of black families. New York: Independent
Publishers Group.
Krysan,
M., Moore, K. A., & Zill, N. (1990) Identifying successful families:
An overview of constructs and selected measures. Washington, DC: Child
Trends, Inc.
McCubbin,
Hamilton I., Thompson, Anne I. & McCubbin, Marilyn A. (1996) Family
assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation, Madison, Wisconsin:
University of Wisconsin Publishers.
Stinnett,
N. & DeFrain, J.(1985) Secrets of strong families. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co.
Thomas,
Darwin L. & Cornwall, Marie. (1990) Religion and family in the
1980's: Discovery and development. Journal of Marriage and the Family,
52(November), 983-992.
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