Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-2005

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Robert J. Pursley

Committee Members

Robert H. Kirk, James Neutens, Kathleen A. Lawler Row

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and the health of college students. Undergraduate students enrolled in Personal Health and Wellness classes at The University of Tennessee were selected to participate in the study. Two-hundred twenty-one students were administered two instruments: The College Student Appraisal of Risks Survey (The CARS) and the Spirituality Scale (SS). The CARS instrument was used to obtain descriptive statistics and specific health risk factors relating to the health of college students. The SS instrument was used to obtain the student’s self-reported level of spirituality. Based upon a thorough literature review, there has been limited research into the relationship of the health of college students and their level of spirituality. This study does two things. First, it reports the development of a valid and reliable instrument to measure spirituality. Secondly, this study investigates the relationship between the self-reported level of spirituality and the health status of college students. The significance of the study is that this research is an important step toward understanding the role that spirituality plays in the various dimensions of health in young adults.

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