Spiritual Well-Being and Spiritual Practices in Elderly Depressed Psychiatric Inpatients
Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling: Advancing theory and professional practice through scholarly and reflective publicati | May 18, 2015 | Volume: 65 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 1-11
This study's aims were to describe the spirituality of depressed elderly psychiatric inpatients and to examine associations among spirituality, depression, and quality of life (QOL). Forty-five persons participated. Most reported frequent, stable spiritual practices and experiencing spiritual comfort and guidance. Some reported spiritual distress and changes in spirituality. During hospitalization, participants demonstrated increased spiritual well-being (SWB) and peacefulness, and reduced hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt. Positive associations were found between SWB and QOL and negative associations between SWB and depression.