Satisfaction with Spirituality, Satisfaction with Religion and Personal Well-Being among Spanish Adolescents and Young University Students

Abstract

Young people in Catalonia are studied in order to better understand differences between satisfaction with spirituality and satisfaction with religion. Results suggest a reactive position on the part of most Spanish youngsters towards traditional religion; they consider it not very important either for their well-being or to give a sense of meaning to their own lives. While the importance given to spirituality is clearly higher, the concept seems to have several very different interpretations among young people. The discussion underlines the importance of discovering young people’s own points of view in order to understand the meaning they give to religion and spirituality in the context of an ever more rapidly changing society. The implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Appendix

▪ Existential Sense of Meaning Scale (ESMS) single item scale:

Some thinkers, for example existentialist philosophers, consider that as people we are freely able to give a global sense of meaning and purpose to our overall life, from birth to death. If you consider such a statement to be acceptable, to what extent do you agree that up to now you have been able to give an overall sense of meaning and purpose to your own life, on a scale from empty to full?

Until now my life has been more...

Empty of a sense of meaning and purpose						Full of a sense of meaning and purpose
0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

▪ List of items of purposes in life considered to have importance for an Existential Sense of Meaning:

Among possible facets that may fill your life with a sense of meaning and purpose, what degree of importance do you give to each of the following:

	0 = No importance						Very high importance = 10
The practice of my own religion	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
The achievement of ideals I fight for	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
The things I create or produce	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To love deeply	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To be happy	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To feel I make other people happy	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To feel I am a fair and honest person	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To enjoy myself	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To own what I want	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To do everything I want	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To have a rich spiritual life	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To have a family	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To feel I am useful to others	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To have power over other people	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To make sure I do things well	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To have a lot of people who appreciate me	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
To leave something of myself behind	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Other things (say what):.............................. ........................................................................	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10