Here you’ll find a growing selection of features on the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of parents in the realm of spiritual development. We begin with an analysis of the parent focus groups conducted as part of our qualitative research.
Exploring Understandings of Young People’s Spiritual Development Around the World: Parent Perspectives
Angela Hackel, M.A., Research Assistant, Search Institute
Lisa Kimball, Ph.D., Coordinator, Youth Development Leadership Program,
University of Minnesota
Marc Mannes, Ph.D., Director of Applied Research, Search Institute
In order to understand how young people worldwide develop spiritually, Search Institute has conducted 81 focus groups on six continents with youth, parents, and youth workers. Here we discuss the findings of the 22 focus groups that were conducted with parents. Participants (necessarily parents of the youth who were involved in the youth focus groups) were from Australia, America, Canada, China, England, India, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, and Syria. Parents represented diverse religious and nonreligious traditions such as: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Sikhism.
Methods
The goal of this qualitative study was to give participants the opportunity to address the spiritual development of their children in focus groups that would allow mutual learning and reflection on the experiences of other parents. The focus group used a series of semi-structured in-depth questions in all sites to ensure consistency. The guiding principle for the focus groups was that parents were viewed as the “experts,” and moderators were present to facilitate the discussion.
Parents were recruited to be involved in our study through Search Institute’s international research partners, thus our sample was a convenience sample. In total there were 22 parent focus groups with 133 parents. Each group had between 3 and 9 participants, and the average conversation lasted for about 90 minutes.
Data Analysis
After focus groups were translated (in some cases), the resulting transcripts were analyzed using a grounded-theory approach, in which codes are developed on the basis of the text being analyzed. The first round of code development is based upon words taken directly from the text itself and is called line coding. In the second round these line codes are merged around a common idea to form focused codes. These focused codes are then integrated with other similar focused codes to construct consolidated codes or categories or themes. In the final step of grounded theory, the consolidated codes are used to formulate theoretical ideas based upon and derived from the original transcription.
Findings
After all the coding was completed, the following themes emerged from the data:
- Expressions of spirituality are not uniform. Spirituality is demonstrated in a variety of ways.
- Spirituality is distinct from religion but is informed by religious experiences and teachings.
- Spiritual development is shaped by intentional acts in the home and social environment.
- Doubts that emerged during times of hardship and difficulty present opportunities for engagement.
- Spiritual development benefits most from clear boundaries and compassionate guidance.
- Spiritual development influences other dimensions of young people’s lives.
- Contradictions and complexities of contemporary life challenge spiritual development.
- Spirituality serves as a moral compass for doing good and bringing people together.
- Choice is essential to spiritual development.
Limitations of the Study
Participants were chosen to be in this study with help from the Center for Spiritual Development’s international networks. Thus, given the fact that this was a convenience sample, the sample tended to be highly representative of those who are on the middle to upper class spectrum of income. Future studies would need to involve the restructuring of the selection methodology to ensure that participants were from a variety of economic backgrounds. Also, it is important that future studies address the language barrier which exists when conducting focus groups in the international context. For the most part, focus groups were conducted in English, although a number of groups were conducted in the native language of the country. However, in order to get a more representative sample, future studies would need to be more inclusive of population groups who do not speak English.
Although, some parents spoke about some of the negatives associated with spirituality, for the most part parents, as well as youth, tended to speak to the positives of spirituality. In order to fully understand spiritual development in youth it is essential that respondents are encouraged to speak about the positives and negatives of spirituality.
Conclusion
Parent participants of the focus groups came from different countries, practiced different religions or no religion at all, and held different view points. Despite all of these differences, they were united on the importance of their children developing spiritually. Spiritual development was deemed important because parents felt that being spiritual helps their children thrive in other aspects of their lives. Spirituality was defined as being a protective force from some of the harsh realities that exist in today’s society. But at the same time parents realized that these realities make it difficult for children to develop spiritually. Parents believed overwhelmingly it was their role to help educate and provide guidance to their children, so that they have the opportunity to flourish spiritually.
