Generativity, Relational Spirituality, Gratitude, and Mental Health: Relationships and Pathways

In this study, the authors investigated generativity strivings or commitments in relation to spirituality, spiritual transformation (ST), gratitude, and mental health in the educational training context of graduate-level students (N = 194) at a university-based theological seminary in North America. Relational spirituality was operationalized based on a relational theoretical model (Shults Sandage, 2006) that (a) defines spirituality as ways of relating to the sacred, including religious ways of relating, and (b) views spirituality as often involving a dialectic of dwelling and seeking (Wuthnow, 1998). Intrinsic religiosity was positively and quest negatively related to generativity strivings over and above age. The self-report of a recent ST moderated the relationship between generativity strivings and quest with those reporting an ST showing a quadratic relationship and those not reporting an ST showing a negative relationship. Gratitude mediated the relationship between generativity strivings and mental health, although this effect did not hold in a post hoc analysis controlling for spiritual impression management.