THE SPIRITUAL CHILD · 2017. 2. 2. · “Each of us has to figure out how we can pray to [G-d]. Everybody is different. For me, I do not say the usual prayers we learn in church.

THE SPIRITUAL CHILD

Science on Spiritual

Development in Youth and

the Unique Potential of NAIS

Lisa Miller, Ph.D.

Professor & Director of Clinical Psychology

Teachers College Columbia University

[email protected]

WELCOME EDUCATORS TO

TEACHERS COLLEGE!

November 6, 2015: Teachers College, Columbia

University will host a full day conference (free

for educators).

The Science of Spirituality:

Practices for Education & Youth Development

Register starting April 15, 2015.

www.spiritualitymindbody.tc.columbia.edu

NAIS – Already Spiritual Now?!

Relationships between students and faculty,

emphasis on “being seen and known,”

advisement circles

Natural “teleology” of each student, valued

and encouraged to become who they are

Greater Good, Values of Service

Nature and relationship to environment

Opportunity for innovation and national

leadership across fellow schools

Science of Spiritual Development

Science put spirituality into broader stage of

development

Natural spirituality, innate, our birthright

Language and access forms in childhood

Adolescence marks a SURGE of spirituality,

quest, transcendence, questions of

meaning and purpose

Developmental depression in teens in

spiritually oriented and normative

SPIRITUAL INDIVIDUATION IN

ADOLESCENCE IS CENTRAL

TO BROADER INDIVIDUATION

The “me and not me” of testing the

messages of family and community

against the inner self

Identity development

SPIRITUAL HUB

Adolescent Development

Positive Psychology & Spirituality:

A Portrait of Thriving

Spiritual Awakening in

Adolescence

I had a gift — the most beautiful dream.

I went up high stairs into a huge library

full of sunlight. I knew that there were

spiritual teachings in the books and that

I would get to read these books and

gain spiritual wisdom.

—16-year-old girl

Factor Loadings of the Two Factor Modela

Adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey

ITEM

FACTOR

Personal

Devotion

Personal

Conservatism

How important are religious or spiritual beliefs in your daily life? 0.71 0b

How often do you attend religious services? 0.63 0b

When you have problems in your life how often do you seek spiritual

comfort?0.75 0b

When you have decisions to make in your daily life, how often do you ask

yourself what G-d would want you to do?0.81 0b

Have you been “born again” that is had a turning point in your life when

you commit yourself to Jesus?0b 0.65

Do you encourage people to believe in Jesus and accept Him as their

Savior?0b 0.78

The Bible is the actual Word of G-D and is to be taken literally, word for

word.0b 0.34

Note: Confirmatory factory analyses assuming Thurnston simple structure. Correlation between the 2 factors is r=0.77, p<.01.a Kendler et al., 1997 b Fixed at 0.

Miller, L., Davies, M., Greenwald, S. (2000). Religiosity and Substance Use and Abuse

Among Adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey. Journal of the American

Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 39 (9), 1190-1197.

“Each of us has to figure out how we can

pray to [G-d]. Everybody is different. For

me, I do not say the usual prayers we learn

in church. For me, I write. I write and write

and write what is on my mind, and then

[G-d] comes through.”

(Angelina, a 15-year-old minister’s daughter)

Faith Based Youth Group Discussion

Positive Psychology

STRENGTHS: Optimism, Persistence, Personal

Responsibility, Autonomy, Mastery, and

Commitment

PERFORMANCE: Academic Success, Quality

Friendships, and Pro-Social

SELF CONCEPT: Purpose, Meaning, Calling,

and Spiritual Identity

Spirituality and Emotions

The problem is that negative emotions are

all dedicated to individual survival. Negative

emotions are “all about me.” In contrast, positive emotions free the self from the self.

George Valliant, M.D.

Love, Compassion, Hope

Gratitude, Trust, Joy

WHY ADOLESCENTS?

WINDOW OF ONSET FOR

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OFTEN OCCURS

IN ADOLESCENCE

DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD OF

AWAKENING: PSYCHO-SOCIAL and

SPIRITUAL

CONCOMITANT TIMING: NATURE OF

DISORDER?

Substance Abuse & Spirituality Adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey

Note: Logistic regression analyses were conducted controlling for age and sex. The general model for logistic regression was DSM III-R

Diagnosis = dimension of religiosity + age + sex. Odds ratios represent the likelihood of substance dependence or abuse associated with a

standard deviation increase in religiosity. For example, a standard deviation increase in personal devotion is associated with a 67% likelihood

(or a 33% decrease in likelihood) of alcohol dependence or abuse.

† p<0.1 *** p<0.001

DSM- III-R

Diagnosis

Substance

Dependence

or Abuse

Personal Devotion Personal

Conservatism

Institutional

Conservatism

AOR (95% CI) 2 AOR (95% CI) 2 AO

R

(95% CI) 2

Alcohol 0.67 (0.51-0.85) 10.51*** 0.83 (0.65-10.6) 2.20 0.65 (0.51-0.83) 11.99***

Marijuana 0.67 (0.53-0.85) 10.89*** 0.93 (0.74-1.16) 0.43 0.88 (0.71-1.08) 1.46†

Cocaine 0.63 (0.37-1.02) 03.44† 0.86 (0.53-1.39) 0.40 0.65 (0.39-1.07) 2.55†

Any

contraband

drug

0.59 (0.48-0.72) 25.52*** 0.86 (0.71-1.04) 2.27 0.86 (0.72-1.02) 2.76†

Miller, L., Davies, M., Greenwald, S. (2000). Religiosity and Substance Use and Abuse Among Adolescents in the National

Comorbidity Survey. Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 39 (9), 1190-1197.

Opiate addicted

parents, n = 161

Non-opiate

addicted

parents, n = 63

Children of

opiate addicts,

n = 279

Religiosity (%)

Personally important 4.5 11.1 32.3

Frequent attendance 37.3 38.1 45.9

Religious Denomination (%)

Fundamentalist Protestant 11.8 20.7 18.5

Mainline Protestant 18.0 13.8 9.5

Catholic 43.5 39.7 57.1

Other or none 26.7 25.9 14.9

Children of Opiate Addicts Parents with whom the child has daily contact

SCHOOL-BASED SPIRITUAL

SUPPORT FOR YOUTH

In Classroom

* Doing List + Being List

* Mindfulness in Practice

* Interpersonal Awareness & Beholding

* Higher Self Visualization

* Council Visualization, Weaver

SCHOOL BASED SPIRITUAL

SUPPORT FOR YOUTH

By Administration

Heads use language that includes spirituality

Clarification of spiritual language

boundaries, “starting with an I” in first person

experience

Faculty collaboration in identifying what

already is spiritually supportive in culture

Develop NEW supports and experiences

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT;

Spiritual Awakening

Time and Space

Nature

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents or Guide

Social Forum

Personal Space(before bed, while surfing, driving, relaxing, etc.)

Christian (Catholic, age 17) said: “I just kind of leave God out of everything I do except for when I’m alone with myself.”

And, when asked about how to imbue teens with more spirituality, he responded:

“I would say just to make some time for yourself. Just to try to speak it out with yourself, away from everyone else and how everyone else tells you to do it… just set aside a little time every day for you in bed or at some point when you just get some alone time, and just try to talk to yourself then.”

Personal Space, continued

Joey (Catholic, age

17), asked about how

spirituality ‘happens’for him in his daily life:

“Usually when I have a lot of time on my

hands… then I just

relate things, like I’llthink about one thing

and I’ll relate that to

another…”

Zeeshan (Muslim, age

18), asked why nature

is soothing and spiritual

for him: “I guess it’s because you have a

lot of time with your

thoughts, very

undisturbed and

peaceful… seeing how

things are just naturally

occurring around you.”

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT

Time and Space

Nature

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents

Social Forum

Spending Time in Nature

Zeeshan (Muslim, age 18), when asked

about what activities bring him closer to

his faith, said:

“Definitely being out in nature, I suppose. I mean back home I used to

love to go on drives somewhere and

just relax and stuff outside… being out

there does take you away from the

hustle and bustle and allows you to

analyze things, but there’s also an element in nature where everything is

just kind of happening, happening

along a cycle… in the Koran that cycle

is there because it’s God’s intention. So

it’s being able to see God’s work at play is also a big part of it.”

Nature, continued

Alison (Jewish, age 17):

“I think most of the times when I am most

at peace with myself is

when I am outdoors

with nature.”

Peter (Christian, age

18), when asked

what’s most powerful

about camp for him: “I guess being away, by

yourself means you’re in nature. You kind of

see how God works.

How his hand is

everywhere. I mean

you know.”

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT

Time and Space

Nature

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents

Social Forum

Applicable Vocabulary & the

Borrowing of Concepts

Jessica (Catholic, age 15) spoke about a friend who had committed suicide three months prior to the interview.

When asked about what happens after death, she said:

“I think she’s in heaven. I don’t believe in hell, though. I think, if you’ve done something wrong, I think you’re reincarnated… you start over and you try to make it right.”

Jason (Christian,

age 17), when

asked about

afterlife: “It’s living through other

people. It’s part of

the reincarnation.”

Independent Learning

Reading and Discussion

Caitlin discussed her passed

grandmother who influenced these

beliefs:

“She was very very spiritual, and she felt she had connections

through her dreams. So she used to

tell me about them, and that kind

of started my belief in angels and

spirits and stuff. Also, I love to read

about Wicca… It’s more like magic, and the feeling that there is

something beyond the possible… I

don’t want to believe that there is someone who has more control

over my life than I do.”

Caitlin (Catholic, age 17) said: “I do believe in angels and spirits and another world besides this one.”

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT

Time and Space

Nature

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure and Family Practice

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents

Social Forum

Family Identification

Tammy (age 17): “I remember my

grandmother taught

me how to pray. My

mom didn’t teach me how to pray. My mom

did not stay home with

me.”

Gary (Christian, age 17): “We usually have great conversations about different religions, cause some of my family grew up Pentecostal and some is Baptist, so they’re always at each other, like, ‘no, this is what is says in the Bible.’ ‘No this is what it says.’ So, they’re still trying to figure out which is the right religion for our family…”

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT

Time and Space

Nature

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents

Social Forum

Teens Must Have a Personal,

Intrinsic Motivation to Seek Answers to Big Spiritual Questions

Zeeshan (Muslim, age 18) said:

“I guess just on my own, around 7th or 8th grade I started reading

the Koran on my own, and then

after that I just got more and

more involved and interested... I

was just more curious about life,

about why certain things are…

like the human condition, more

explaining why we’re here. It was more like a personal thing with me.

I also found that just learning it on

my own was really all that I

needed.”

Personal, Intrinsic Motivation,

Continued

Independent curiosity often predicts complexity of belief:

Autri (Muslim, age 17) said:

“Most of what I believe in personally I’ve thought a lot about myself. From reading, from finding out a lot about different religions, taking bits and pieces and finding my own faith and what makes a good person… I interpret my own beliefs, you can’t just follow it blindly.”

Elle (Catholic, age 17):

“I take yoga… so a whole bunch of things

that I’ve been open to have kind of shaped

my mind and the things

that I believe.”

Recurring Themes

Time and Space

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents

Social Forum

Love and Trust with a Parent

Jessica (Jewish, age 17):

“My mom trusts me and she lets me be who I want to be. I consider myself to be a good

person and she knows I’m not going to do anything dumb…

we just have a close

relationship because I can talk

to her like a normal person, like

a friend, an adult, and she

treats me like an adult and I

can make my own decisions.”

Perception of Spiritual Model

or Hypocrite

Dongwha (Buddhist, age 15): “My father is definitely very religious and very Buddhist. And sometimes, people make mistakes, and my dad gives us… we have a meeting and he talks to us about how we should have our mindset… like after every time he tells us stuff, I feel renewed. I tell myself I should do better.”

Adam (Christian, 17), describing mom and dad’s faith: “He makes mention of it sometimes, but it’s kind of more pretense or something… he only mentions it around the holidays and stuff, so he’s not someone I can really go to about religious topics and stuff. My mom also; my mom’s a character, it almost seems like she’s just faking religion. She talks about it enough but there’s no conviction. So that’s that.”

Accepting & Open

“I do. I feel completely

comfortable talking with him. They

understand that sometimes I have

the need to be more spiritual and

they’re not angry with me at all,

they’re not trying to stop me. I have a very open relationship with

my parents, so I don’t feel uncomfortable talking with them

about anything… if we have

different beliefs about something

it’s OK to talk about it.”

Zeeshan (Muslim, age 18), when asked about how comfortable he is talking with his father about religious issues, said:

Inaccessible Parent

Adam (Christian, age 17): “My dad, he’s certainly not a religious man and if I asked him that, I think he’d like murder me or something, so I didn’t.”

Developmental Supports

Time & Space

Applicable Vocabulary

Early Exposure

Personal Motivation

Loving and Open Parents or Mentors

Social Forum

Religious Youth Groups

Michelle (Methodist, 15): “I guess my youth pastor has had a really big impact on my life. I usually tell him everything if I’m having any trouble. And he always seems to have, like, not the right answer, but the answer that I’m most satisfied with. He helps me a lot.”

Shafaat (Muslim, 18) describing spiritual role models: “I knew these two kids that are about five years older than me. When they were my age, they were like the definition of a punk… smoking, parties, they didn’t really know anything about their religion. When I saw them two years ago, they were wearing a taub which is Islamic dress. They completely transformed their life. And when I saw that, it just really opened my eyes.”

Religious Youth Groups

Zeeshan (Muslim, age 18):

“I find that particularly among my

Muslim friends, we’re all very open about that. We have a lot of

religious discussions sometimes;

someone might have a question

about something, or an issue… As

we are all discovering more and

more about Islam, we talk about

why did this happen, what is the

intention behind this, etc… I talk

about it less with my American

friends, just because they have

different beliefs, and it’s not that I

feel uncomfortable or anything, it’s

just because I don’t want to seem

like I’m imposing my beliefs on anyone.”

The Response from Teens

Was Extremely Positive

Jeffrey (Christian, age 18) at the end of the interview said:

“Wow these questions were good, like, I couldn’t answer this and I wonder why. And now I want to come up with an answer… It was fun, I enjoyed it. I feel more spiritual… When my brother first told me about this I thought you would try to change my mind about religion, or sex or something, [but] the way I see it it’s just spiritual — not religion.”

INTERVENTION TO SUPPORT

ADOLESCENT SPIRITUALITY

WHO ACTS?

TEACHERS

HEALERS

FAMILY

SPIRITUAL AWARENESS

PEDAGOGY

CHILD CENTEREDBASED UPON CHILD’S OWN

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

Spiritual Awareness Pedagogy

Expression by heads, administrators, and teachers with spiritual language

Reverence and wonder for students’ lived spiritual experience

CHILD CENTERED VIEW of SPIRITUALITY