Exploring the association of sense of coherence, and spiritual and religious beliefs in a rural population group on the Island of Crete, Greece

Ioanna Stefanaki, Sue Shea, Manolis Linardakis, Emmanouil Symvoulakis, Robin Wynyard, Christos Lionis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objectives/Aim: This article reports the results of an observation study, aimed at exploring an association between spirituality, religiousness, and sense of coherence in a population group residing in a rural area of Crete, Greece. Study Design and Methods: The study was conducted during the period 2007-2009. Subjects aged 65 years and older (n = 118) living in two remote and rural villages in the Heraklion county (Crete) were eligible. Eighty-nine people (51 women and 38 men) participated. Demographic data were obtained, and all participants were asked to complete the Greek version of the self-reported Royal Free Interview for Spiritual and Religious Beliefs, and the Sense of Coherence Scale. Results: Most participants reported strong religious beliefs and this was found to be related with increased age. Widowed participants expressed greater religiousness and spirituality (p = 0.029). The total score for Sense of Coherence was negatively correlated with gender (women have lower scores, p < 0.05), marital status (widows presented lower scores, p < 0.001), and increased age. A strong positive correlation of the Sense of Coherence score with the Spiritual Scale as measured by three questions of the Royal Free Interview was also identified (p = 0.039). Conclusions: The impact of gender and marital status seem to be emerging determinants in defining sense of coherence among inhabitants of rural Crete. The positive association between religious/spiritual beliefs and sense of coherence deserves further attention to promote a multidimensional approach in its study.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)207-230
Number of pages24
JournalInternational Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
Volume47
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • coherence
  • elderly
  • health determinants
  • religiosity
  • spirituality
  • stress

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