Context: Researches in the field of spirituality are relatively recent. Spirituality can be a real personal resource to adjust to difficult life events. As quantitative measures of spirituality highlight a positive relation with health, it seems interesting to assess that relation among University students, as a specific life stage with major changes and possibly stressful.
Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the effects of spirituality on health outcomes among students.
Method: Following a cross-sectional design, data are collected in November 2010. Recruited in auditoriums, 219 students in psychology are included. The following scales were administered: DSES (Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale), HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), SWBS (Spiritual Well-Being Scale) and WHOQOL.
Results: show correlations between psychological health, religious well-being (p<.01) and daily spiritual experiences (p<.05). Existential well-being is highly correlated with the dimensions of quality of life (p<.01). the group “high level of spirituality” shows a better psychological health.
Discussion: Results confirm a relation between spirituality and quality of life. With mental health, they determine 55% of quality of psychological health. Thanks to its belief system, spirituality can be a protective factor and reinforces the person in a secure system, and so be a real resource.