CLINICAL RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
THURSDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Moritz S, Kelly M, Angen M, Rickhi B, Quan H, Toews
J.
A home-based spirituality education programme: qualitative
exploration of participants' experiences.
Canadian Institute of Natural and Integrative
Medicine s.moritz@cinim.org
PURPOSE: Findings from a recently completed
randomized trial indicate that a home-based, 8-week Spirituality Education
Program lowers mood disturbance and increases mental health related
quality of life. In this qualitative exploration we set out to understand
how the program impacted mood.
METHODS: This study employed face-to-face, in-depth
interviews with twelve individuals from Calgary, Canada. Interviewees
were sampled from the study population of the previously conducted trial
with self-referred individuals suffering from emotional distress. Interviews
consisted of open-ended questions that focused on how the teachings
of the program were applied in daily life and how this may have affected
mood.
RESULTS: Five thematic categories were identified
that describe how the clients' mood and life changed throughout and
following the workshop in spirituality. 1. Calmness: Participants reported
feeling calmer in their daily lives and/or learning how to calm down
when experiencing stressful conditions; 2. New Perspectives: Participants
stated that they developed a new perspective on life and that it imparted
new ways to cope with stressful situations; 3. Improved Relationships:
Participants reported positive changes in their interpersonal relationships,
specifically they observed better abilities to verbalize feelings, to
not overreact to others' challenging behaviors, to listen and communicate
more deeply, to be more attentive, to forgive, to be more flexible with
others, and to include the values and needs of self, as well as others,
in personal decisions. 4. Expansion of Spiritual Beliefs: Participants
described the program as an experience that expanded, broadened and/or
deepened the religious or spiritual beliefs they held at entry into
the program.
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the spirituality
education programme impacts mood by shifting perspectives of life situations,
oneself and others and by expanding spiritual beliefs.
Back