Temporal Trends in Spirituality Research: A Meta-Analysis of Journal Abstracts between 1944 and 2003

摘要

This study examined all journal abstracts published in the PsycInfo and Ageline databases between 1944 and 2003 using “spirituality” as a key word for a subject heading search. The content analysis yielded six themes concerning the nature of these studies: conceptual analysis, measurement, spirituality education, spiritual intervention, discussion of community projects, and review articles. For the historical trends, it was found that a sheer number of published articles increased dramatically from one in 1944 to 283 in 2003. Further, the results also revealed recurring patterns of research interests in which periods concerning a theory-oriented approach to studying spirituality are followed by brief periods concerning more pragmatic approaches. These results may suggest a recursive learning process in that knowledge gained by the theoretical exploration of spirituality is followed by the practical application of that knowledge.