INTERCULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOUS SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING IN COLLEGE STUDENTS

چکیده مقاله

Spirituality is one of the dimensions of human health. Religious spiritual characteristics including forgiveness, hope, transcendence, immanent and sense of integration to surroundings can cause better adjustment and more health and welfare in the life. There is a near relationship between culture and psychology. The aim of the present research was to study cross-cultural aspects of religious spiritual well-being among college students. 603 students (320 Iranian and 283 Austrian college) selected by a multistage stratified cluster sampling. They completed multidimensional inventory for religious spiritual well-being (MI RSWB 48). Data were analyzed by independent t-test. On the MI RSWB 48, Iranian students obtained higher significant scores in subscales of global religiosity, connectedness and component of transcendent. Austrian students obtained higher significant scores in subscales of experiences of sense and meaning, forgiveness, hope transcendent and component of immanent. Female students had higher score in forgiveness component than male students. Quantitative, interview and group focused discussion studies for future research, is recommended. Present findings can be considered in the spiritual religious-oriented interventions in two countries.