Noel Maturlu

Published in Issue 1.0 // The LaB

http://doi.org/10.63994/5q5dlt

KEYWORDS: LOVE, LAT, Spirituality, Bliss, Flourishing, Adversity

Abstract

This study explores the role of adversity and suffering, specifically operationalised as stress, in the relationship between spirituality and flourishing. The investigation focuses on both the mediating and moderating effects of stress in this context. The sample comprises 468 participants aged 17 to 34 years (mean age = 21.55, SD = 1.99), predominantly Christian (n = 314) and Muslim (n = 152). Gender distribution includes 213 females and 271 males. Most participants (n = 409) reported similarity to their religious group, with varied educational backgrounds for their parents and themselves. Descriptive statistics provided an overview of central tendencies and dispersions of the key variables. The mediation analysis demonstrated that stress partially mediates the relationship between spirituality and flourishing. Higher levels of spirituality were associated with lower stress, which in turn was linked to higher flourishing. Moderation analysis indicated that stress does not significantly moderate the overall relationship between spirituality and flourishing. However, subgroup analysis showed a significant and positive interaction between spirituality and stress on flourishing in the high-spirituality, high-stress subgroup. This finding implies that for individuals with high spirituality, increased stress levels may enhance their sense of flourishing. These nuanced effects were further substantiated by 3D visualisation and robust bootstrapping estimates. The results suggest that while spirituality generally reduces suffering and promotes flourishing, highly spiritual individuals might derive additional flourishing benefits under intense suffering. These insights have practical implications for integrating spiritual practices into stress management and therapeutic interventions, and they underscore the need for future research to explore these dynamics in diverse populations and longitudinal studies.

About the Author

Dr. Noel Maturlu Lecturer in Psychology, Health Sciences, and Business at Global Banking School and Arden University in the UK.