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Cigdem Ceylan, Tuba Arpaci, Cigdem Sari, Ebru Kilicarslan Toruner and Naime Altay
Gazi University, Turkey
ScientificTracks Abstracts: J Nurs Res Pract
Introduction: Each individual has social, psychological, and spiritual needs. Spirituality is essential to examine the aim and meaning of life. Spirituality is a crucial structure to balance the individuals physically and emotionally and to increase their well-being. Each person has own ways of spiritual practice and expressions. For this reason, it is important for nurses to be aware of the spiritual dimension of individuals and positive effects of spiritual care on their health and life. To take consideration the spirituality dimension at the early stages of life-span could have positive effects on health promotion of children and adolescents because spirituality motivates the information seeking and decision-making behaviors of individuals. Objective: It is aimed to explore the perceptions of adolescents about spirituality via semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Methods: In this descriptive study, a qualitative research design was performed. The study sample included 17 adolescents in a high school. Interviews were conducted via four open-ended questions. Inductive content analysis was performed to analyze the data. Results: Three main categories and 8 themes emerged from the analysis. In the â??Spirituality Meaningâ? category, it was constituted from five themes as: mental, emotions, mental/emotions, ethical principles and religion. Personal practices and environmental factors as well as mental, emotions, ethical principles and religion themes were in the â??Factors that Increase Spiritualityâ? category. Negative experience theme was in the â??Factors that Reduce Spiritualityâ? category. Most of the adolescents (58.8%) stated that the meaning of spirituality was love, respect and able to think, analyze, and synthesis. All the adolescents (n=17) defined that communication and interaction with loved ones, social activities (music, reading, dancing, writing, sports), and understanding the meaning of life were factors increasing their spirituality. Negative emotions like lovelessness, insecurity, loneliness was expressed as the most important factor decreasing their spirituality by all the adolescents (n=17). Conclusion: Spirituality has multifactorial dimensions. For this reason, it is important to determine and evaluate the perceptions and experiences of children about the spirituality to improve the quality of care in children, adolescents and their families.
Cigdem Ceylan completed Nursing Bachelor Programme in Dokuz Eylul University Nursing Faculty in 2010 and Master’s degree in Gazi University Health Sciences Faculty in Pediatric Nursing field in 2014. She continued her Doctorate in Gazi University Health Sciences Faculty in Pediatric Nursing field since 2014. She has been working as a Research Assistant in Abant Izzet Baysal University Bolu Health School in Pediatric Nursing field since 2012 to 2014. She has been working in Gazi University Health Sciences Faculty in Pediatric Nursing field as a Research Assistant since 2014.
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