Volume 32, Issue 1 (3-2025)
RJMS 2025, 32(1): 1-17 |
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Research code: 0
Ethics code: IR.IAU.YAZD.REC.1401.061
Clinical trials code: 0
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Aghamohammadi M, Fallah M H, Nazari A, Asi Maznib A. Design and Development of Cognitive and Emotional Components of a Spiritual Lifestyle in Coping with COVID‑19. RJMS 2025; 32 (1) :1-17
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-8956-en.html
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-8956-en.html
1- PhD Student in Counseling, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran ,fallahyazd@iauyazd.ac.ir
3- Professor, Department of Art and Architecture, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
2- Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran ,
3- Professor, Department of Art and Architecture, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran
Abstract: (244 Views)
Background & Aims: The purpose of the present study was to design and formulate the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of a spiritual lifestyle for coping with the COVID‑19 pandemic during the years 2023–2024. This research was an exploratory survey study aimed at identifying and modeling the cognitive and affective structures of a spiritual lifestyle that enable individuals to face public‑health crises with greater psychological stability and emotional balance. The study was conceptualized when the global experience of the COVID‑19 pandemic revealed an increasing human need for spirituality and inner reliance on a transcendent source of meaning. Recognizing constructs that could serve as a “psychological and cognitive shield” against pandemic-related anxiety became an unavoidable necessity.
Methods: The study employed both library and field methods. The first phase involved reviewing theoretical literature on spiritual lifestyle, positive-psychology theories, and faith-based coping models to outline an initial conceptual framework. In the second, field phase, data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews to enrich qualitative data and assess theoretical validity. The population included experts and scholars in ethics, psychology, and spirituality with at least five years of experience in fields such as health psychology or religious studies. Participants were selected purposefully based on expertise, practical experience with spirituality in mental-health contexts, and the ability to articulate spiritual concepts scientifically. Interview questions explored personal spiritual experiences and interpretations of key concepts like trust in God, hope, and the relation between faith and mental well-being during the pandemic. All interviews were transcribed and coded in MAXQDA software for content analysis, utilizing thematic-network analysis to identify main themes and subthemes. Through iterative reading and constant comparison, an integrated conceptual map emerged showing the relations between cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components. To enhance validity, member checking and peer debriefing were applied.
Results: Data analysis revealed that the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of a spiritual lifestyle under crisis conditions are highly multidimensional, originating from the interaction among theological insights, moral beliefs, and personal inner experience. Several key categories were extracted: Awareness of the philosophy of creation, belief in divine forgiveness, reliance and trust in God، contentment and acceptance, avoidance of sin, seeking intercession, recitation of the Qur’an, fasting, and helping the needy.
From the thematic synthesis, the factors clustered into three major dimensions”
A. Cognitive Dimension: This dimension involves spiritual cognition, theological reflection, and belief systems guiding meaning-making. Key aspects include: Awareness of divine philosophy and wisdom in events, belief in divine destiny and providence, deep trust in God, and moral insight regarding one’s deeds. Together, these elements form a structure of faith-based cognition that enables people to interpret crises meaningfully and thus derive inner peace from understanding rather than confusion.
B. Behavioral Dimension: Behavioral components represent the outward, practical manifestations of spirituality. Spiritual behaviors during the pandemic included: Performing individual and collective worship—prayer, supplication, and Qur’an recitation—as emotional stabilizers; fasting and fulfilling vows, reflecting self-control and empathy; helping others and engaging in charity, which express the social and altruistic aspects of spirituality; and avoiding sin and harmful conduct. These practices demonstrate spirituality as embodied in daily action, offering structure and discipline.
C. Emotional (Affective) Dimension: The emotional dimension concerns inner feelings and motivational states generated through faith. Active spirituality was found to regulate negative emotions and rebuild positive ones through processes such as: Inner peace and spiritual assurance, hope for future relief, satisfaction and contentmen, divine love and intimacy with God, and empathy and compassion for fellow humans. These elements play a crucial role in repairing disrupted feelings during crises and lead to greater psychological resilience.
Conclusion: Findings indicate that a spiritual lifestyle is not merely a series of religious rituals but a dynamic system of beliefs, emotions, and ethical conduct that profoundly influence psychological and social well-being. The proposed components provide a robust theoretical foundation for the design of spiritually based counseling and psychological interventions in the post-COVID context. Overall, the study demonstrates that a faithful outlook toward crises not only diminishes emotional distress and anxiety but also consolidates meaning, life purpose, and the sense of connection between humans and their Creator. The conceptual model presented in this research offers a practical and comprehensive framework for applying spirituality to well-being programs amid future public-health crises.
Methods: The study employed both library and field methods. The first phase involved reviewing theoretical literature on spiritual lifestyle, positive-psychology theories, and faith-based coping models to outline an initial conceptual framework. In the second, field phase, data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews to enrich qualitative data and assess theoretical validity. The population included experts and scholars in ethics, psychology, and spirituality with at least five years of experience in fields such as health psychology or religious studies. Participants were selected purposefully based on expertise, practical experience with spirituality in mental-health contexts, and the ability to articulate spiritual concepts scientifically. Interview questions explored personal spiritual experiences and interpretations of key concepts like trust in God, hope, and the relation between faith and mental well-being during the pandemic. All interviews were transcribed and coded in MAXQDA software for content analysis, utilizing thematic-network analysis to identify main themes and subthemes. Through iterative reading and constant comparison, an integrated conceptual map emerged showing the relations between cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components. To enhance validity, member checking and peer debriefing were applied.
Results: Data analysis revealed that the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of a spiritual lifestyle under crisis conditions are highly multidimensional, originating from the interaction among theological insights, moral beliefs, and personal inner experience. Several key categories were extracted: Awareness of the philosophy of creation, belief in divine forgiveness, reliance and trust in God، contentment and acceptance, avoidance of sin, seeking intercession, recitation of the Qur’an, fasting, and helping the needy.
From the thematic synthesis, the factors clustered into three major dimensions”
A. Cognitive Dimension: This dimension involves spiritual cognition, theological reflection, and belief systems guiding meaning-making. Key aspects include: Awareness of divine philosophy and wisdom in events, belief in divine destiny and providence, deep trust in God, and moral insight regarding one’s deeds. Together, these elements form a structure of faith-based cognition that enables people to interpret crises meaningfully and thus derive inner peace from understanding rather than confusion.
B. Behavioral Dimension: Behavioral components represent the outward, practical manifestations of spirituality. Spiritual behaviors during the pandemic included: Performing individual and collective worship—prayer, supplication, and Qur’an recitation—as emotional stabilizers; fasting and fulfilling vows, reflecting self-control and empathy; helping others and engaging in charity, which express the social and altruistic aspects of spirituality; and avoiding sin and harmful conduct. These practices demonstrate spirituality as embodied in daily action, offering structure and discipline.
C. Emotional (Affective) Dimension: The emotional dimension concerns inner feelings and motivational states generated through faith. Active spirituality was found to regulate negative emotions and rebuild positive ones through processes such as: Inner peace and spiritual assurance, hope for future relief, satisfaction and contentmen, divine love and intimacy with God, and empathy and compassion for fellow humans. These elements play a crucial role in repairing disrupted feelings during crises and lead to greater psychological resilience.
Conclusion: Findings indicate that a spiritual lifestyle is not merely a series of religious rituals but a dynamic system of beliefs, emotions, and ethical conduct that profoundly influence psychological and social well-being. The proposed components provide a robust theoretical foundation for the design of spiritually based counseling and psychological interventions in the post-COVID context. Overall, the study demonstrates that a faithful outlook toward crises not only diminishes emotional distress and anxiety but also consolidates meaning, life purpose, and the sense of connection between humans and their Creator. The conceptual model presented in this research offers a practical and comprehensive framework for applying spirituality to well-being programs amid future public-health crises.
Keywords: Design and development, Cognitive and emotional components, Spiritual lifestyle, COVID‑19 period
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Clinical Psychiatry
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