Valerie Michaelson|Fiona Brooks|Ivo Jirásek|Joanna Inchley|Ross Whitehead|Nathan King|Sophie D. Walsh|Colleen Davison|James E. Mazur|William Pickett
Developmental patterns of adolescent spiritual health in six countries
Queen's University|University of Hertfordshire|Palacký University Olomouc|University of St Andrews|University of St Andrews|Queen's University|Bar-Ilan University|Queen's University|Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute|Queen's University
spiritual health adolescents topic emerging contemporary importance limited numbers international studies provide evidence developmental patterns aspect health adolescent years using multidimensional indicators spiritual health adapted use within younger adolescent populations therefore 1 describe aspects perceptions importance spiritual health adolescents developmental stage within genders 2 conduct similar analyses across measures related specific domains adolescent spiritual health 3 relate perceptions spiritual health selfperceived personal health status crosssectional surveys administered adolescent populations school settings 20132014 participants n45967 included eligible consenting students aged 1115 years sampled schools six european north american countries primary measures spiritual health consisted eight questions four domains perceived importance connections self others nature transcendent sociodemographic factors included age gender country origin selfperceived personal health status assessed using simple composite measure selfrated importance spiritual health overall within questions domains declined young people aged declining pattern persisted genders countries notable domains connections nature connections transcendent girls consistently rated perceptions importance spiritual health higher boys spiritual health domains related strongly consistently selfperceived personal health status limited 8item measure perceived spiritual health employed study findings confirm developmental theories proposed qualitative observation provide foundational evidence planning targeting interventions centered adolescent spiritual health practices direction study spiritual health general population health survey context