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Retaining the meaning of the words religiousness and spirituality: a commentary on the WHOQOL SRPB group's "a cross-cultural study of spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs as components of quality of life" (62: 6, 2005, 1486-1497).

Publication ,  Journal Article
Moreira-Almeida, A; Koenig, HG
Published in: Soc Sci Med
August 2006

Recent years have seen increasing recognition paid to the relation of religiousness/spirituality (R/S) to health care and research. This has led to the development of more inclusive and trans-culturally validated measurements of R/S. This paper comments on the WHOQOL SRPB Group's "A cross-cultural study of spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs as components of quality of life" (62: 6, 2005, 1486-1497), a recently published paper in Social Science & Medicine, and illustrates a possible problem in the measurement of R/S, especially as related to the study of mental health outcomes. Some scales have included questions about psychological well-being, satisfaction, connectedness with others, hopefulness, meaning and purpose in life, or altruistic values as part of their measure of R/S. These questions are really tapping indicators of mental health, and should not be included in the definition of R/S itself. Otherwise, tautology is the result, and it should not be surprising that such measures of R/S (defined by questions tapping mental health) are related to mental health outcomes.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Soc Sci Med

DOI

ISSN

0277-9536

Publication Date

August 2006

Volume

63

Issue

4

Start / End Page

843 / 845

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • World Health Organization
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Sex Factors
  • Religion
  • Quality of Life
  • Public Health
  • Psychometrics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

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Journal cover image

Published In

Soc Sci Med

DOI

ISSN

0277-9536

Publication Date

August 2006

Volume

63

Issue

4

Start / End Page

843 / 845

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • World Health Organization
  • Spirituality
  • Social Support
  • Sex Factors
  • Religion
  • Quality of Life
  • Public Health
  • Psychometrics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male