Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Optimal Health (Spirit, Mind, and Body): A Feasibility Study Promoting Well-Being for Health Behavior Change

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Faith-based programs have shown beneficial effects for health and behaviors. Few have specifically intervened on the spiritual, mental (i.e., stress), and physical dimensions of well-being combined for health and healthy behaviors (i.e., exercise and diet). The purpose of this report is to describe the feasibility of executing a spirituality-based health behavior change, program founded upon the Spiritual Framework of Coping. This study was a quasi-experimental one group pretest–posttest design. Feasibility objectives were assessed, and limited efficacy of pretest and posttest measures was analyzed using paired t test (p < .05). Acceptance of the program was positive, and modest demand was shown with initial interest and an average attendance of 78.7 %. The program was successfully implemented as shown by meeting session objectives and 88 % homework completion. The program was practical for the intended participants and was successfully integrated within the existing environment. Limited efficacy measures showed no pre–post changes. This study provided preliminary support for the design and further testing of the theoretical components of the Spiritual Framework of Coping that informed the program.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychological Association. (2010). Stress in America findings. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/national-report.pdf.

  • Bopp, M., Lattimore, D., Wilcox, S., Laken, M., McClorin, L., Swinton, R., et al. (2007). Understanding physical activity participation in members of an African American church: A qualitative study. Health Education Research, 22(6), 815–826.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bopp, M., Peterson, J. A., & Webb, B. L. (2012). A comprehensive review of faith-based physical activity interventions. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 6(6), 460–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bopp, M., Wilcox, S., Laken, M., Hooker, S. P., Parra-Medina, D., Saunders, R., et al. (2009). 8 Steps to Fitness: A faith-based, behavior change physical activity intervention for African Americans. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6(5), 568–577.

  • Bovier, P. A., Chamot, E., & Perneger, T. V. (2004). Perceived stress, internal resources, and social support as determinants of mental health among young adults. Quality of Life Research, 13(1), 161–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, D. J., Kreuter, M., Spring, B., Cofta-Woerpel, L., Linnan, L., Weiner, D., et al. (2009). How we design feasibility studies. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(5), 452–457.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Questionnaire. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • Chandler, C. K., Holden, J. M., & Kolander, C. A. (1992). Counseling for spiritual wellness: Theory and practice. Journal of Counseling & Development, 71(2), 168–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396.

  • Cohen, S., & Williamson, G. M. (1998). Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States. In S. Spacapan & S. Oskamp (Eds.), The social psychology of health (pp. 31–67). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, J. P., & Pargament, K. I. (2010). Medicine for the spirit: Religious coping in individuals with medical conditions. Religions, 1(1), 28–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeHaven, M. J., Hunter, I. B., Wilder, L., Walton, J. W., & Berry, J. (2004). Health programs in faith-based organizations: Are they effective? Journal Information, 94(6), 1030.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derose, K. P., Fox, S. A., Reigadas, E., & Hawes-Dawson, J. (2000). Church-based telephone mammography counseling with peer counselors. Journal of Health Communication, 5(2), 175–188.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freedson, P. S., Melanson, E., & Sirard, J. (1998). Calibration of the Computer Science and Applications, Inc. accelerometer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 30(5), 777.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gall, T. L., Charbonneau, C., Clarke, N. H., Grant, K., Joseph, A., & Shouldice, L. (2005). Understanding the nature and role of spirituality in relation to coping and health: A conceptual framework. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 46(2), 88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haskell, W. L., Lee, I., Pate, R. R., Powell, K. E., Blair, S. N., Franklin, B. A., et al. (2007). Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39(8), 1423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, P. C., & Pargament, K. I. (2008). Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality: Implications for physical and mental health research. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, S(1), 3–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K. H. C., Linnan, L., Campbell, M. K., Brooks, C., Koenig, H. G., & Wiesen, C. (2006). The WORD (wholeness, oneness, righteousness, deliverance): A faith-based weight-loss program utilizing a community-based participatory research approach. Health Education and Behavior, 35(5), 634–650.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knowler, W. C., Fowler, S. E., Hamman, R. F., Christophi, C. A., Hoffman, H. J., Brenneman, A. T., et al. (2009). 10-year follow-up of diabetes incidence and weight loss in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Lancet, 374(9702), 1677.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, B. W. (1997). Community-based hypertension control programs that work. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 8(4), 409–415.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Berlin: Springer Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maton, K. I., & Wells, E. A. (1995). Religion as a community resource for well-being: Prevention, healing, and empowerment pathways. Journal of Social Issues, 51(2), 177–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, C. E., Ainsworth, B. E., Thompson, R. W., & Bassett, D. R. (2002). Sources of variance in daily physical activity levels as measured by an accelerometer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 34(8), 1376–1381.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W. R., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58(1), 24–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. M. (2000). The many methods of religious coping: Development and initial validation of the RCOPE. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(4), 519–543.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., Tarakeshwar, N., & Hahn, J. (2001). Religious struggle as a predictor of mortality among medically ill elderly patients: A 2-year longitudinal study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161(15), 1881.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., Tarakeshwar, N., & Hahn, J. (2004). Religious coping methods as predictors of psychological, physical and spiritual outcomes among medically ill elderly patients: A two-year longitudinal study. Journal of Health Psychology, 9(6), 713–730.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., Smith, B. W., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. (1998). Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 37(4), 710–724.

  • Park, C. L., & Folkman, S. (1997). Meaning in the context of stress and coping. Review of General Psychology, 1(2), 115–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. (2008). Physical activity guidelines advisory committee report, 2008. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/report/pdf/CommitteeReport.pdf. Accessed 28 Mar 2013.

  • Sherman, A. C., Simonton, S., Latif, U., Spohn, R., & Tricot, G. (2005). Religious struggle and religious comfort in response to illness: Health outcomes among stem cell transplant patients. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 28(4), 359–367.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B. J., Tang, K. C., & Nutbeam, D. (2006). WHO health promotion glossary: New terms. Health Promotion International, 21(4), 340–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, F. E., Subar, A. F., Smith, A. F., Midthune, D., Radimer, K. L., Kahle, L. L., et al. (2002). Fruit and vegetable assessment: Performance of 2 new short instruments and a food frequency questionnaire. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(12), 1764–1772.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ware, J. E, Jr, Kosinski, M., & Keller, S. D. (1996). A 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey: Construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Medical Care, 34(3), 220–233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitt-Glover, M. C., Goldmon, M. V., Karanja, N., Heil, D. P., & Gizlice, Z. (2012). Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (LADIES) for a Better Life: A physical activity intervention for black women. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 33(6), 1159–1171.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitt-Glover, M. C., Hogan, P. E., Lang, W., & Heil, D. P. (2008). Pilot study of a faith-based physical activity program among sedentary blacks. Preventing Chronic Disease, 5(2), 1–9.

  • Wilcox, S., Laken, M., Bopp, M., Gethers, O., Huang, P., McClorin, L., et al. (2007). Increasing physical activity among church members: Community-based participatory research. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 32(2), 131–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, S., Laken, M., Parrott, A. W., Condrasky, M., Saunders, R., Addy, C. L., et al. (2010). The faith, activity, and nutrition (FAN) program: Design of a participatory research intervention to increase physical activity and improve dietary habits in African American churches. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 31(4), 323–335.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yanek, L. R., Becker, D. M., Moy, T. F., Gittelsohn, J., & Koffman, D. M. (2001). Project Joy: Faith based cardiovascular health promotion for African American women. Public Health Reports, 116(Suppl 1), 68.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The data for this study were collected with partial support from the Graduate and Professional Student Association, Arizona State University (P, Swan, P.I.). Research assistance for data analysis and manuscript development was supported by training funds from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Nursing Research (NIH/NINR), award T32 1T32NR012718-01—Transdisciplinary Training in Health Disparities Science (C. Keller, P.I.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the NINR.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Jenelle Walker, Barbara Ainsworth, Steven Hooker, Jack Chisum & Pamela Swan

  2. College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Jenelle Walker, Colleen Keller & Julie Fleury

Authors
  1. Jenelle Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara Ainsworth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Steven Hooker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Colleen Keller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Julie Fleury
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jack Chisum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Pamela Swan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jenelle Walker.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Walker, J., Ainsworth, B., Hooker, S. et al. Optimal Health (Spirit, Mind, and Body): A Feasibility Study Promoting Well-Being for Health Behavior Change. J Relig Health 54, 1681–1698 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9890-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9890-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation