Abstract
The practice of spirituality is believed to be an essential and powerful force in the lives of African American women. Missing from the story of African American female spirituality is a deep understanding of the way that spirituality manifests in daily practices and the corresponding contribution to well-being. This qualitative research reveals the way in which spiritual experience, through the examination of the dynamics between decisions and actions, relates to a perception of well-being.
Primary Author and Speaker: Clarissa Saunders-Newton
The practice of spirituality is believed to be an essential and powerful force in the lives of African American women (Donovan 2002). The breath of its influence in daily life has been observed in nearly every aspect of the African American experience including artistic (Ryan, 2005) and religious expressions (Hendricks, 2012), the promotion of health and well-being (Dalmida, 2012), and the development of healthy social relationships (Lamis, 2014). In effect, spirituality has been attributed in part to the survival of the African American people. It is for this reason that use of spiritual practices can be a powerful modality in OT treatment.
Missing from the story of African American female spirituality is a deep understanding of the way that spiritualty manifests in daily practices and the corresponding contribution to well-being. Prior research has been concerned with the identification, definition and meaning of spirituality within the context of outcomes like academic attainment (Holland, 2016), mental health (Breland-Noble, 2015), and organizational involvement (Giger, 2008). Extending the research that describes the experience of spirituality, the research presented in this poster is concerned with the associated decisions and actions that emerge in the moment, and the associated narrative meaning to the perception of well-being. Understanding the dynamic between spiritual experience, decisions and actions associated with a perception of well-being can support wholistic OT interventions.
This qualitative research explores the nature of the relationship between spirituality and well-being as observed in the daily life of a sample of African American women. Data from interviews and observations were gathered over a six-month period from four African American women. Using narrative analysis, interpretation of the data focuses on plots and story lines that shape spiritual reasoning, decisions and actions. The analysis attends to the ways in which spiritual experience, through the examination of the dynamics between decisions and actions, relates to a perception of well-being.
Several key findings emerge from the data. First, the narrative data reveals as a dominate plot line a relationship between spirituality and well-being. Second, spirituality is fundamentally defined by a relationship with the divine that is experienced as "real" and that affords emotional well-being through the elevation of positive emotion (peace, comfort, assurance, confidence and the like) and the alleviation of negative emotions (fear, pain, and worry). Third, the ability to modify personal theology relate either positively or negatively to well-being. Fourth, the participants describe integrated ways of knowing that guide the perception of choices and possible well-being outcomes. Fifth, the participants evaluate well-being outcomes through a process that reckons with potential loss and gains. Sixth, the interaction of the divine/human relationship with other domains suggest an underlying narrative reasoning that links spirituality to well-being.
The findings from this research benefits OT practice by providing therapists with ways to facilitate the connection between spiritual actions and behaviors and a perception of well being. Understanding the contribution of spirituality to well-being as a dynamic process would lead to more impactful occupation based interventions.
The Information presented in this poster requires prior knowledge of qualitative research methodology. The conference participants will develop a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between spirituality and perceptions of well-being, in addition to understanding how spiritual practice, in terms of decisions and actions, relate to the experience of well-being.
Dalmida, S. G., Holstad, M. M.,Diiorio, C., Laderman, G. (2012). The Meaning and Use of Spirituality Among African American Women Living With HIV/AID. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 36(6), 736 – 765.
Dancy, T.E., (2010). Faith in the Unseen: The Intersection(s) of Spirituality and Identity Among African American Males in College. The Journal of Negro Education, 79(3), 416-432.
Ryan, J. (2005). Spirituality as Ideology in Black Women's Film and Literature, University of Virginia Press.
Giger, J. N., Appel, S.J., Davidhizar, R., Davis, C., (2008). Church and Spirituality in the Lives of the African American Community. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 19(4), 375-383