Journal of Research on Religion and Health
Year:2019 | Volume:5 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

Islamic spirituality along with effects such as connection with God, heeding the world hereafter, loving the good, communicating with God through prayers, and leaving affairs to His discretion leads to spiritual growth while non-divine spirituality does not follow spiritual growth, its main concern being peace and joy in this world. In addition to positive spiritual attitudes and emotions, Islamic spirituality emphasizes the positive religious manners such as prayer, observance of privacy of the non-intimate, and attention to responsibilities. These rituals and moral considerations have a decisive role in spiritual growth. Spiritual growth in Islamic psychology is a given. Based on the premises of Islamic psychology, spiritual growth and approach to God are more important than tranquility and joy, and indeed the goal of life for the Muslim community is the same as spiritual growth (1). Among the effects of spiritual growth, psychological well-being, tranquility, joy, and performance improvement can be pointed out. For example, in case of suffering and hardship, a believer gives them a spiritual dimension, conceiving suffering and tribulations as an opportunity to approach God (2). Therefore, religious spirituality not only leads to spiritual growth through strengthening spiritual attitudes and emotions but also enhances the psychological well-being and compatibility. Nowadays psychological works of spirituality and religiosity have been taken into consideration in a good number of articles. These works include promoting positive attitudes and emotions, flexibility and compatibility, as well as grief and anxiety reduction. It is suggested that future lines of research address the spiritual and religious functions of spirituality and religiosity as well. For instance, what is the effect of raising students’ awareness about the blessings of Paradise on their night prayers and the daily recitation of the Qur'an? What is the effect of reminding death on respecting chastity and privacy in dealing with non-intimates in the university campus? In every sort of science, there must be congruence among the fundamentals, purpose, subject, issues, and the methods of that science. The main objective in Islamic psychology is spiritual growth. Given that, all aspects of this science should be designed accordingly. If part of Islamic psychology seeks to cure psychological injuries, this goal is toward spiritual growth and approaching God. This is because physical-mental harm also causes problems for reaching God and attempts for God, and eliminating such problems will facilitate spiritual growth. It is hoped that this is taken into account in the scientific research so that, considering the spiritual and religious functions of Islamic teachings, the real spiritual growth of individuals is facilitated.

Background and Objective: In spite of the paramount importance of religion in human life, the definition of its domain, concepts, and components is subject to theoretical and methodological uncertainty. The root of many of these ambiguities lies in the absence of appropriate measurement tools. Given that, the main purpose of this research is validating and determining reliability of a local instrument for measuring religiosity. Method: This study aimed at developing an instrument. The participants were provided with researchers' questionnaire developed after studying documents and providing the theoretical framework, preparing question banks and validity. The sample, 500 adult citizens over 18 years old in 22 districts of Tehran selected by using random sampling and classification according to gender, age, and area of residence. The obtained data were utilized for exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha reliability, validity criteria, indicators fitted, and eventually the introduction of religiosity questionnaire. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: Based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA), seven factors accounted for 65. 67% of the religiosity variance. The results of exploratory factor analysis (RMSEA=0. 08, CFI=0. 907, GFI=0. 869) show the 21-item questionnaire has an acceptable fit. The internal consistency (α =0. 83) and consistency over time also indicated that the final questionnaire has acceptable reliability. Conclusion: Results show that the developed questionnaire is acceptable in terms of validity and reliability to be used in Islamic societies for measuring religiosity.

Background and Objective: Universities of medical sciences are the pioneers of improving health and prompting science, and faculty members are considered their most valuable assets. Therefore, spirituality in the university environment can improve general health and reduce occupational stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of organizational spirituality with general health and occupational stress of faculty members of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences. Method: This research is a descriptive-correlation study. The statistical population consisted of all faculty members, 132 of whom were randomly selected. The questionnaire of spirituality in the workplace was occupational stress and general health scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: The organizational spirituality enhances general health and reduces occupational stress (P>0/05). The meaningful factors of work, the sense of correlation and the alignment with organizational values were significantly affected by β =0. 25, β =0. 27, β =0. 26, on general health at the level of 5%, as well as the components of spirituality in the work environment, there is a significant effect on occupational stress with β =-0. 17, β =-0. 18, respectively. The correlation coefficient between organizational spirituality and general health is 0. 60 and in case of job stress is-0. 39. That means with increase of organizational spirituality, general health also increases and subsequent job stress decreases. Conclusion: The results show that the organizational spirituality raises general health and reduces occupational stress. Therefore, it is recommended that directors and faculty members of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences should promote the quality of spirituality at university level by implementing pathology and development programs.

Background and Objective: Mental impairment of a child can have a negative impact on the health of the mother as his primary caregiver. Spiritual health is one of the dimensions of health that has recently been considered by researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of psychological well-being and quality of life with spiritual health in mothers with mentally disabled children in Rasht city. Method: The method of this study was descriptive and correlational. To conduct this research, 150 mothers of mentally retarded children who were studying at a school in Rasht in the academic year of 2017-1018 were selected by available sampling method. After being briefed, they were included in the research and completed Ryff Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWBS), Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36), and Spiritual Health Scale (SWB). The data were analyzed using regression analysis. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: The results of this study indicated that there is a positive and significant relationship between psychological well-being and spiritual well-being (r=. 76, P<. 01). This is also true between dimensions of quality of life and spiritual wellbeing including physical health with health Spirituality (r=. 65, P<. 01), mental health with spiritual health (r=-. 83, P<. 01), social relationships with spiritual health (r=. 57, P<. 01) and environmental health with spiritual health (r=. 77, P<. 01). Based on the results of regression analysis, the spiritual health of mothers of mentally disabled children based on psychological well-being and dimensions of quality of life was predicted. Conclusion: Spiritual well-being is related to psychological well-being and quality of life. Therefore, rise in the level of spiritual health through education and interventions can enhance the quality of life and psychological well-being of mothers and caregivers of mentally disabled children.

Background and Objective: Religion is a contributory factor in health particularly in developmental stages. Yet, few studies have been conducted in this area for teenagers. This study aimed at assessing the correlation between religious attitude and general health among high school girls. Method: Correlation method was employed in this research. The sample included 120 female high school students aged 16. 6± . 52, selected from 4 different schools. Research materials included Golriz and Baraheni’ s questionnaire about religious attitude and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: The results indicate a significant relation between religious attitudes and three subscales including anxiety symptoms and sleep disorder, and social function as well as depression symptoms (p . 01). However, there was no significant relationship between the religious attitude and physical function subscale (p>. 05). Conclusion: The results of the study clearly demonstrate the impact of religious attitudes on the students’ general health. In other words, the general health status in individuals can be predicted by religious attitudes.

Background and Objective: Due to the importance of an Islamic-Iranian scale in the domain of positivism, the present paper aimed to develop an instrument for measuring the positivism based on the Islamic sources and Iranian culture. Method: First, the theoretical underpinnings were collected and studied. Then, positivism was defined as a theoretical and practical approach to the positive values related to God, self, others and nature considering the present, past and future. This leads to the better quality of life or improves the welfare. Next, the views of the scholars and experts were used to determine the subjects of the considered scales. The scale was studied in the first steps of experiments and then the required modifications were applied. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: At the end, the final questionnaire was distributed among 330 undergraduate students and its reliability as well as its validity were measured through Alpha Cronbach tests (. 96) and stochastic factorial analysis (four general factors related to God, self, others and nature). Conclusion: The results of these studies and analyses indicate the desirable reliability and validity of the considered scales as we can use them in the fields of measurement, research and consultation.

Background and Objective: Cancer is the third leading cause of mortality in Iran. Along with other interventions, spiritual experiences, hope and living in present are very important among patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between spiritual experiences and hope with living in the present among men in Tehran in 2016. Method: This descriptive and correlation study was conducted on a sample of 100 men with cancer who were in Tehran by 2016, using available sampling method. The participants completed three questionnaires: Snyder's Hope Questionnaire, Underwood and Tersi's Spiritual Experiences, and Sepahvand and Arab’ s Living in Present. Data analysis was performed using single-variable and multiple regression analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient. In this research, all ethical issues were observed and the researchers declared no conflicts of interests. Results: The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between hope and living in present time (p<. 01) and also between spiritual experiences and living in present time (p<. 05). Conclusion: It seems that therapists need to consider the positive psychological and spiritual role of accepting and improving the treatment of cancer. Spiritual experience which involves communication with God, prayers, and receiving spirituality in life can lead to more congruent behaviors among cancer patients such as finding meaning in life and the experience of living in present. Eventually, these resources can contribute to individual growth and patient empowerment in redefining the disease.

Background and Objective: Spirituality is a variable related to humans’ psychological and physical well-being. It plays an important, positive role in people suffering from chronic pain caused by the diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the role of this variable (i. e. spirituality) in predicting valued life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Method: In this correlative descriptive study, 70 female rheumatoid arthritis patients were selected through the purposive non-random sampling method. They completed the Spirituality Insight Appraisal Questionnaire and Chronic Pain Values Inventory (CPVI). Data was analyzed by conducting Pearson correlation and multiple regression. In this study all ethical issues were observed and the researchers declared no conflict of interests. Results: The findings showed that spiritual ability (a spirituality component) accounted for 22% of the variation in valued life (p<. 0001). Conclusion: When spirituality (i. e. spiritual ability) is manifested in the behavior of a person suffering from chronic pain, it will have a positive impact on their life values. However, if spirituality only remains at the level of ideology, it will not have a profound effect.

Background and Objective: One of the most obvious forms of violence in the contemporary society is the violence against women. Thus, the present study has been conducted and aimed at predicting emotional selfregulation through religious orientation and spiritual intelligence of the women against whom violence has been used. Method: This study was correlational. The statistical population of the study was the entire female victims of violence in Mashhad who referred to the center of social emergency in 2015. Among these women, 70 individuals were picked using convenience sampling. Instruments included the Emotional Self-regulation Scale, Religious Orientation, and Spiritual Intelligence. In this research, all the Ethical issues were observed and authors declared no conflicts of interest. Results: The findings demonstrate that there is a significant relation between religious orientation on the one hand and spiritual intelligence and emotional self-regulation on the other. Conclusion: The higher the level of spiritual intelligence in individuals, the better emotional self-regulation. In addition, the internal religious orientation has a positive influence on emotional self-regulation. According to the findings, it can be concluded that spirituality and emotional regulation can be important factors in individuals’ adaptation against high-pressure factors, and religion is the predictor of decrease in non-desirable emotional self-regulation in individuals.

Background and Objective: Down the centuries, different people and schools have expressed their views about human, commenting on his traits as a healthy personality in written, oral and practical forms. Some of these traits have been provided by humanistic schools and some by divine religions. The underpinnings of humanistic schools are human thoughts, needs analysis, and identifying human limited to their time which lose their applicability over time. However, the underpinnings of divine schools (religions) is recognition of human beyond human imagination by his Creator offered by one of these people, namely the Prophet of the Almighty God, in which the perception of the audiences, i. e. human being has been considered and each individual enjoys it as much as s/he could understand. Therefore, in the present paper as a content analysis based on certain resources, the traits of a healthy individual were studied according to the Holy Qur'an. Method: This study is descriptive, analytical, and inferential by nature carried out using electronic resources, books, and journals. The researchers declared no conflicts of interests. Results: The findings indicated that the Qur’ an regards human as a creature with two dimensions of material and spirit, and thus defines his normal personality paradigm. Conclusion: While considering three areas of cognition, emotion, and behavior for human personality, the Quran conditions realization of his perfectness and transcendence by promotion and growth of three aspects of existentialism in the context of three-dimensional communication (self, God and world) and by the charter designed for human, which is also based on his nature and truth, not by the two-dimensional relationship of self and the world available in most schools of psychology.

Background and Objective: There is a cultural bemusement which leads people to paradoxical decisions that may even be against their beliefs and policies in the society. In this study, the culture and its frameworks, social health, the crisis and how to deal with it using the crisis management method derived from the Quran and the religious pioneers of Islam were examined. Method: A comprehensive search was done by looking up the keywords of culture, cultural crisis, crisis management, and religious pioneers in valid databases and websites (web of science, PubMed, SciVerse Scopus, Google scholar and MEDLINE), and also through library research. Related studies were extracted, critiqued, and analyzed. The authors of the article have not reported any conflicts of interest. Results: Cultural perception and adaptability are essential for emerging crises and emergency management. Culture is not limited to religion, ethnicity, race, sex, or social institutions. Culture includes the whole set of human behavior that includes beliefs, relationships, customs, and values. Cultural differences as well as social health play important roles in controlling and managing crises; directing, organizing, and coordinating all activities towards the goals set. This as a whole can overcome the crisis. The leadership has a major impact on group performance. Our religious leaders followed different strategies in identifying and dealing with the crisis. Conclusion: Using strategies by religious leaders and the Quran in the time of crisis, enhancing public motivation and efforts, reconciliation of religion with patriotism, creating identity for the young, individual freedom, strengthening spirituality and pure and genuine mysticism for moral revival as cultural strategies are suggested.

Background and Objective: Physically and mentally disabled people are a part of community whose lifestyle has its own particular conditions and the quality of the interaction of people with them is of paramount importance. This issue has long been raised in human societies and religious teachings. Exploring verses and narratives to find out the duties of community members in their interaction with mentally and physically disabled people is one of the foundations of the research that helps enhance their quality of life. Therefore, this research is to find the view of the Holy Quran and narrations on how people should interact with mentally and physically disabled people. Method: In this research, verses and narratives related to mentally and physically disabled people have been investigated through materials and thematic analysis. The authors reported no conflicts of interest. Results: The findings show that people should provide mentally and physically disabled people with financial support, spiritual needs like respectful behavior, and no humiliation. Emotional needs such as affection and generosity; and social needs like interaction and assistance and avoiding resentment are the other types of need. Conclusion: People play an important role in satisfying different needs of mentally and physically disabled people mentioned above. Performing these tasks by community members brings about positive features such as self-confidence, community reunification, empowerment and feeling of satisfaction in mentally and physically disabled people.