Date of Award

5-12-2012

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. R. Brian Giesler

Abstract

Recent research suggests that spirituality promotes physical well-being. Explaining this relationship proves difficult. This cross-sectional study was conducted to test whether self-regulatory ability acts as a mediator between spirituality and health. It has been proposed that high levels of spirituality are related to strong self-regulation, which in turn should be related to better physical well-being. To address this hypothesis, a questionnaire containing validated measures of the targeted constructs was administered to a sample of 78 Butler students. Additionally, some ancillary data were collected concerning participants' level of religiosity. Regression-based mediational analyses indicated that self-regulatory ability does indeed function as a partial mediator of the spirituality-health relationship. The information resulting from the current study sheds much needed light on the processes that may allow spirituality to promote health.

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