Abstract
This study examines the associations between frequency of personal prayer, frequency of worship attendance and spiritual wellbeing among 468 students attending fourth, fifth and sixth classes within 18 Church of Ireland schools located in one diocese in the Republic of Ireland. Spiritual wellbeing is measured by a modified form of the Fisher 16-item instrument Feeling Good, Living Life (assessing quality of relationships across four domains: self, family, nature, and God). The data demonstrate that frequency of personal prayer is a much stronger predictor than frequency of worship attendance in respect of spiritual wellbeing. This finding is consistent with the view that personal prayer is a key factor in the formation of individual spirituality.
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Wilkinson, J., Francis, L.J. & McKenna, U. Personal prayer, worship attendance and spiritual wellbeing: a study among fourth, fifth and sixth class students attending Church of Ireland schools in the Republic of Ireland. j. relig. educ. 66, 203–212 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-018-0068-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-018-0068-6