The purpose of this study was to further understand the relationship between spirituality and physical health. Contrary to popular assumption, spirituality and religion do not relate to physical health in the same manner. In this investigation, although religious attendance was significantly related to physical health, spirituality was not significantly associated with physical health. In fact, religious affiliation was found to moderate the relationship between spirituality and physical health. The interaction suggests that there is a positive relationship between spirituality and ill physical health for those with no religious affiliation, but no relationship between spirituality and physical health for those with a religious affiliation. The Multidimensional Measure of Spirituality (MMS) is presented with evidence for its validity and reliability. Three factors were identified on the MMS (Affective, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Relational-Connective). The Relational-Connective factor was significantly associated with poorer levels of physical health. Possible explanations for the findings as well as limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to further understand the relationship between spirituality and physical health. Contrary to popular assumption, spirituality and religion do not relate to physical health in the same manner. In this investigation, although religious attendance was significantly related to physical health, spirituality was not significantly associated with physical health. In fact, religious affiliation was found to moderate the relationship between spirituality and physical health. The interaction suggests that there is a positive relationship between spirituality and ill physical health for those with no religious affiliation, but no relationship between spirituality and physical health for those with a religious affiliation. The Multidimensional Measure of Spirituality (MMS) is presented with evidence for its validity and reliability. Three factors were identified on the MMS (Affective, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Relational-Connective). The Relational-Connective factor was significantly associated with poorer levels of physical health. Possible explanations for the findings as well as limitations and directions for future research are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sennott, Meghanne Reilly"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:16Z","subjects":["Factor Analysis","Parallel Analysis","Physical Health","Spirituality","Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/225","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sennott, Meghanne Reilly"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-31T17:09:13Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Factor Analysis","Parallel Analysis","Physical Health","Spirituality","Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/225"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to further understand the relationship between spirituality and physical health. Contrary to popular assumption, spirituality and religion do not relate to physical health in the same manner. In this investigation, although religious attendance was significantly related to physical health, spirituality was not significantly associated with physical health. In fact, religious affiliation was found to moderate the relationship between spirituality and physical health. The interaction suggests that there is a positive relationship between spirituality and ill physical health for those with no religious affiliation, but no relationship between spirituality and physical health for those with a religious affiliation. The Multidimensional Measure of Spirituality (MMS) is presented with evidence for its validity and reliability. Three factors were identified on the MMS (Affective, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Relational-Connective). The Relational-Connective factor was significantly associated with poorer levels of physical health. Possible explanations for the findings as well as limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Spirituality and Physical Health: Identifying Possible Mediators Utilizing the Quadripartite Framework of Spirituality"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Sennott, Meghanne Reilly"],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-31T17:09:13Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to further understand the relationship between spirituality and physical health. Contrary to popular assumption, spirituality and religion do not relate to physical health in the same manner. In this investigation, although religious attendance was significantly related to physical health, spirituality was not significantly associated with physical health. In fact, religious affiliation was found to moderate the relationship between spirituality and physical health. The interaction suggests that there is a positive relationship between spirituality and ill physical health for those with no religious affiliation, but no relationship between spirituality and physical health for those with a religious affiliation. The Multidimensional Measure of Spirituality (MMS) is presented with evidence for its validity and reliability. Three factors were identified on the MMS (Affective, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Relational-Connective). The Relational-Connective factor was significantly associated with poorer levels of physical health. Possible explanations for the findings as well as limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/225"],"dc:subject":["Factor Analysis","Parallel Analysis","Physical Health","Spirituality","Psychology"],"dc:title":["Spirituality and Physical Health: Identifying Possible Mediators Utilizing the Quadripartite Framework of Spirituality"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:16Z"}