Manning Lydia, Ferris Morgan, Rosario Carla Narvaez, Prues Molly, Bouchard Lauren
Concordia University Chicago, Division of Human Services, USA.
Argosy University Chicago, Chicago, USA.
J Relig Spiritual Aging. 2019;31(2):168-186. doi: 10.1080/15528030.2018.1532859. Epub 2018 Oct 31.
Spirituality is important to a large percentage of the older adult population and serves as a key factor of resilience. Using qualitative research, we conducted and analyzed interviews with 64 participants willing to discuss their experiences with adversity; ranged in age from 52 to 93 with a mean age of 74. For the purposes of this study, we analyzed 46 of the 64 interviews selecting participants who indicated that spirituality was an important resource for managing hardship. The researchers examined the connections between spirituality and resilience. Using in-depth interviews, we explored the interplay between spirituality and resilience and the importance spirituality plays in dealing with adversity and hardship. A grounded theory analysis of the 46 interviews was performed. Major findings include participants' use of spirituality as a tool to promote and maintain resilience in late life in five key domains: reliance on relationships, spiritual transformation, spiritual coping, power of belief, and commitment to spiritual values and practices. Results are presented as an interpretation of the participants' perceptions of their spirituality, and indicate their reliance on spirituality to overcome hardship. In addition, we discuss the connections between spirituality and resilience and how these connections play out in the lives of older adults when considering their generational and cohort status. The roles these two constructs play in the lives of older adults are considered.
精神性对很大一部分老年人群体而言非常重要，并且是恢复力的一个关键因素。我们采用定性研究方法，对64名愿意分享自身逆境经历的参与者进行了访谈并加以分析；这些参与者年龄在52岁至93岁之间，平均年龄为74岁。出于本研究的目的，我们从64次访谈中分析了46次，挑选出那些表示精神性是应对困难的重要资源的参与者。研究人员考察了精神性与恢复力之间的联系。通过深度访谈，我们探究了精神性与恢复力之间的相互作用，以及精神性在应对逆境和困难中所起的重要作用。对这46次访谈进行了扎根理论分析。主要发现包括参与者将精神性作为一种工具，在五个关键领域促进和维持晚年的恢复力：对人际关系的依赖、精神转变、精神应对、信念的力量以及对精神价值观和实践的承诺。研究结果呈现为对参与者精神性认知的一种解读，并表明了他们对精神性的依赖以克服困难。此外，我们讨论了精神性与恢复力之间的联系，以及在考虑老年人的代际和群组状况时，这些联系在他们生活中是如何体现的。还考量了这两个概念在老年人生活中所起的作用。
