A STUDY OF THE INCLUSION OF SPIRITUAL RITUALS AND MINDFUL BEHAVIORS AS A MEANS OF COPING AND STRESS MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Pettigrew, Jacqueline L., A Study of the Inclusion of Spiritual Rituals and Mindful Behaviors as a Means of Coping and Stress Management. Master of Arts (Psychology), December 2020, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate an unbiased understanding of mindful behaviors and spiritual rituals and their influence if any on the study participants. This research examined 100 random undergraduate college students of a private, urban university located in southern Texas. As a part of the researcher’s introduction to the study, participants completed a Traditional College Student Stress Scale as well as answered pre–interview questions regarding their understanding of stress, stress level, how they feel as well as their current coping strategies. Participants were also given the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, which was used to assess their use and understanding of mindful behaviors. The questionnaire was administered at the beginning as well as at the end of the research. The questionnaire provided the researcher insight on the participants’ level of understanding as it relates to their personal experiences. The participants partook in a five–week intervention that consisted of the inclusion of spiritual rituals and mindfulness practices into their everyday life as a means of developing stress management and coping skills. The participants were also asked to log their personal reflections after each experience and complete the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire weekly to monitor any change post their spiritual and/or mindful experience. At the close of the five–week intervention, participants answered post–interview questions regarding their experience with the spiritual rituals, mindful behaviors, and stress to determine if changes occurred in their questionnaire and/or interview responses. The findings of this study examined the influence of spiritual rituals and mindful behaviors regarding developing stress management, and coping skills. This research also assessed the influence spiritual rituals and mindful behaviors had on participants’ stress levels.