Effects of Spiritual Intelligence
Effects of Spiritual Intelligence
Effects of Spiritual Intelligence
com
Original Article
Abstract
Background and aim: The role of happiness and its sustained positive outcomes is evident in various
aspects of life. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors affecting happiness. The purpose of this
study is to investigate the role of spiritual intelligence and creativity in happiness of students.
Methods: This was a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population of this study is all second-
grade high school students in Karaj city in the academic year of 2017-2018. 414 students were selected by
multistage cluster sampling. Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHI), King's Spiritual Intelligence
Questionnaire (SISRI), and Abedi's Creativity Questionnaire (TC) were used for collecting data.
Results: The results showed that there is a significant correlation between spiritual intelligence and
happiness (r = 0.43), between creativity and happiness (r = 0.40), between spiritual intelligence and
creativity (r = 0.53). The results of regression analysis showed that spiritual intelligence and creativity
predict 22% of happiness variance.
Conclusion: The production of personal meaning (the component of spiritual intelligence) and fluidity
and innovation (the components of creativity) are strong predictors for happiness.
between positive and negative emotions (4, compatibility mechanism that helps people
5). Happiness has three basic components: to control the stressors better (14).
positive emotions, life satisfaction and a lack
One of the new concepts of intelligence is
of negative emotions (4). The emotion
spiritual intelligence, which includes a type
component is the domination of positive-to-
of adaptation and problem-solving behavior
negative feelings and the focus on the
that incorporates the highest levels of
emotional dimension of positive situations
growth in different cognitive, ethical and
of life (4, 6) and the wide range of emotional
emotional areas, and it is defined as an
actions from relaxation to feeling of pleasure
ability to approach spiritual powers, a source
and contemplation (2). Emotional responses
for better understanding, discover the
are an important part of human
meaning, spiritual existential analysis, and
physiological interactions that affect their
practical behaviors (15, 16). This
ability to survive and maintain health against
intelligence gives people an overview of the
various diseases. Happiness has benefits for
experiences and experiences of life and
the quality of couples' relationships, income,
enables them to reframe their experiences
productivity, socialization and creativity (7)
and deepen their knowledge and
and has positive effects for different people,
understanding (17). Spiritual intelligence
such as increasing feeling of altruism, doing
involves different ways that can coordinate
the job better and having more power of
inner life and soul with outer life and lead to
problem solving (3). The person is happy,
happiness (18). Spirituality creates the
healthy, educated, outspoken and optimist,
power that affects physical situations,
and has strong, friendly and stable
feelings, thoughts and communications.
relationships and religious attitudes (5,6).
People with spiritual experience and
Accordingly, it can be said that happiness as
religious beliefs can confront stress and their
a positive concept, is essential for staying
spiritual problems. In fact, spirituality has a
healthy (8, 9). For this reason, many
protective effect, which results in achieving
researches has been done about what makes
physical and mental health, the purpose and
happiness (10, 11). Should we seek
meaning of life, hope, optimism and
happiness in wealth, education, and other
improvement of the individual's mental
material factors, or in family and
condition. (18). Spiritual attitude helps
community? Happiness has roots in
people to make sense over life problems, be
environment or inheritance? (9). Some
hopeful and optimistic about the future. In
theorists believe that it is possible to achieve
this situation, a person has a spiritual
lasting happiness by paying attention to
assessment of the situation in dealing with
spiritual values and goals, meaningfulness of
problems, and trying to make every event
life and love of God (12). Spirituality is the
meaningful causes the initial stress of a
foundation of knowledge (13). which affects
person to be reduced (19). A person with
the overall satisfaction of life. In fact,
high spiritual intelligence makes
personal spirituality predicts more
inconveniences of psychological pressures
satisfaction of life, and it is assessed as a
and inevitable deprivations that occur in the
Int J Med Invest 2019; Volume 8; Number 2; 91-107 http://www.intjmi.com
life cycle, meaningful and consider them not religious response with high scores of
as disasters but as challenges for the growth Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The
human. Therefore, the events do not results of Alex and colleagues (27) indicate
disappoint him/her and he/she is able to the role of spiritual intelligence in marital
maintain his positive mood or recover it satisfaction.
quickly (20, 21). Spiritual intelligence has
Ellison (1991) states that people with a high
an impact on the physical and mental health
religious inclination are happier and have
of people and helps them to maintain their
more pleasure in life, and exhibit less
own stability; reduce their anxiety and
negative psychosocial responses in
communicate more deeply with others (22).
confrontation of life-threatening events (28).
Praying and spiritual communication with
People who have spiritual tendencies
God and being in spiritual life is one of the
respond better to situations when they deal
important factors in creating happiness (23).
with the damages, and they manage
Individuals with a religious attitudes can
positions of pressure producing better and
increase their happiness with the belief that
their depression is lower (29). Spiritual
there is a great destination in the world (23).
health, with an internal tendency toward
According to Rice (2001), value-based
religion and serious commitment to religion,
happiness is a result of a meaningful life,
can be regarded as the ultimate goal, and
and one of the most important and most
having a purpose in life is positively
effective ways to meet the desires is
correlated with joy (29). However, Hassan
approaching to spirituality that can meets the
Doust et al. (2016) showed that there is a
desire to honor and respect. This value-
significant weak relationship between
based way leads to greater happiness (24).
spiritual intelligence and happiness. In the
Spiritual Happiness is the only happiness
analysis of the subscales of happiness and
that is endless and imperishable. This feeling
spiritual intelligence there is a significant
of happiness is desirable coexistence with
relationship between satisfaction dimensions
the hardships and psychological pressures of
of life, self-respect, well-being and consent.
life (25).
Mohammadi and Mazidi (30) showed that
The relationship between spiritual religiosity can lead to cognitive setting
intelligence and happiness has been studied strategies of emotion and consequently to
in some researches. Muckergie and Brown's provide mental health and happiness. Rajabi
(2005) study showed that people living in (31) showed that spiritual intelligence and
religious countries are happier. Based on this its components (perception and
research, low levels of religious behavior communication with the existence and
reduce happiness. Maselko & Kubzansky spiritual life with the inner core) have a
(26) showed that religious activities are positive and significant correlation with
more related to health and well-being. Lewis happiness. Ebrahimi Koohbanaei et al. (32)
et al. (12) showed that there is a significant showed that life satisfaction (one of the
relationship between high scores of high happiness component) and emotional
internal religious orientation and positive intelligence have a significant relationship
Int J Med Invest 2019; Volume 8; Number 2; 91-107 http://www.intjmi.com
with spiritual intelligence. Soleimani et al. providing a creative and effective idea can
(33) found that the training of spiritual be effective in self-acceptance, personal
intelligence increases the quality of life and growth, and sense of having a goal in life,
happiness of students. Raeisi (2013), dominance on environment, autonomy, and
Bagheri (2011), Azerbaijani (2010) and positive relationships with others. People
Yaghoubi (2) also found that increasing the who suffer from depression and anxiety and
spiritual intelligence of students increases are in difficulty in dealing with everyday
their happiness(25,26). Naderi et al. (34) life, use less creative methods in
showed the relations,hip between spiritual encountering issues of life (38). In
intelligence and life satisfaction in the adolescence, spirituality is an important
elderly. source of hope, ideals, worldviews and role
models that affect the development of
Creativity is another factor that can affect
identity (39). Smart use of spiritual
happiness (28). Some studies confirm the
intelligence can lead to positive lives,
positive and significant relationship between
including emotional well-being, positive
creativity and happiness (29). Eisenck (35)
social functioning and increased quality of
regards creativity as a psychological process
life (40). Adolescents who have a high level
that leads to problem solving, idea making,
of happiness and well-being are more active
conceptualization, making artistic forms,
in their academic life and have high
theories and productions that are novel and
educational achievement (41). Spiritual
fresh. Silva (36) sees creativity as a state of
experiences create a profound insight that
mind in which multiple human intelligences
opens up new perspectives to life, this
are used integrated; from his point of view,
insight and vision enables a person to work
creativity is an extreme ability, which has
well and innovatively choose solutions to
cognitive aspect and can accurately and
life and education issues (9).
effectively gather together all power to the
goal of innovation and initiative. Given the The relationship between happiness and
fact that there is a mutual relationship creativity has been studied in some
between creativity and cognition, it can be researches (Kioslosky). Damian and
said that as the formation of emotional states Robbins (42) have shown the relationship
plays a role in our thinking manner, between happiness and creative thinking in a
cognitive processes also affect mood and research. A research by Dianaros (43)
emotional states (37). Human faces showed that positive emotions lead people to
problems in life and tries to find effective play, discover, enjoy, and share in the cycle
and useful ways to solve them. On this basis, of these experiences as long as they
he/she sometimes uses the experiences of experience a safe environment. Then, people
others and sometimes he is thinking of increase their personal and social resources
creating new ways of solving problems (28). through new experiences, inventions and
Creativity enables the person to use learning, and create an innovative mindset
innovative ways to deal with the problems of throughout life. He found that self-efficacy
everyday life and solve them. Accordingly, subscale has a positive correlation among
Int J Med Invest 2019; Volume 8; Number 2; 91-107 http://www.intjmi.com
with the aim of explaining happiness based the person to control his/her anger from the
on spiritual intelligence and creativity. The physiological, cognitive and emotional
results of this study showed that there is a dimensions and helps to take responsibility
significant positive correlation between for him/her actions in the conflicts.
spiritual intelligence and happiness in Interpersonally, religious practices create a
students. This finding is consistent with the situation in which a person pays attention to
research results of Amini Javid, Zandipour God at anger and provides support for both
and Karami (53), Hassan Doost, et al (54), couples to avoid conflicting. Relationship
Charkhabi et al. (55), Yaghoubi et al. (2). with God has an interactive and
Research of Reiss et al. (56) showed a compensatory role in relation to marital
significant negative relationship between relationships (58). Spirituality is an
spiritual intelligence and depression and a organized system of beliefs that includes
positive and significant relationship between moral values, customs, participating in the
spiritual intelligence and happiness and religious community for a more
concluded that by promoting spiritual conscientious belief in God or a supreme
intelligence through education, students' power. Religious beliefs are an effective
depression was decreased and happiness was way to deal with the problems and painful
increased. Finds. Charkhebi et al. (55) experiences, and on this basis, affects human
showed that spiritual intelligence relationships at times of trouble and
intervention significantly reduced the discomfort. The research results of Rahimi
interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive Pardanjani et al (16), Leach and Lark
compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, (2004), and Lawler- Row (59) have shown
invasion, phobia, paranoid thoughts, and that people with higher spiritual intelligence
psychosis. They point out that promoting are more forgiveness and those who are
spiritual intelligence helps to improve affected by their religious beliefs are
mental health. Yaghoobi et al. (54) also forgiving. These findings of researchers is
stated that the level of depression in people consistent with the findings of the present
with higher spirituality is lower. Yaghoobi et study based on the role of the component of
al. (57) and Hossein Dokht et al. (29) found the personal meaning production (one of the
that individuals with high spiritual components of spiritual intelligence) in
intelligence have a greater chance of gaining predicting the happiness of students.
knowledge and understanding, which
Another result of this study was that there is
provides the basis for achieving perfection
a significant positive correlation between
and progress in life, meaning that happiness
creativity and happiness in students. This
is beneficial in the improvement and
finding is consistent with the results of
satisfaction of life and the spirit of higher
Herzog (29), Kerr (60), Rydeen (61), Ai-Girl
participation. Spirituality plays an important
and Dianaros (62), Damian and Robins (42),
role in marital satisfaction and of course the
Farokhi et al. (2015), Jafari and Talebzadeh
happiness of the spouses, so that religious
(46) Menati et al. (38), Amirpour (2012),
beliefs and intercourses, internally, enable
Soleimani and Tabiyanian (25). In a research
Int J Med Invest 2019; Volume 8; Number 2; 91-107 http://www.intjmi.com
that creativity education directly increases of this research to other educational levels
happiness and the effect of creativity should be done with cautious. Also, the
education on happiness in the process of findings of this study are obtained with self-
pursuing stage is stable. Soleimani and report tools that the obtained information
Tabiyanian (25) achieved a positive and may be distant from reality. It is
significant relationship between the fields of recommended that similar research be
creativity and happiness in their research. As carried out in other educational levels.
mentioned earlier, creativity is being novel Doing this research with different tests and
and fresh in the first place, and secondly, tools for measuring variables of research can
creativity needs usefulness; it means that in add value to the results. It is possible that in
the intended field, solves part of the the relationship between the three
constraints and requirements and increases components of spiritual intelligence,
activities (63). On the other hand, the happiness and creativity, the main role
happiness is "the people’s judgment of the relates to spiritual intelligence. Therefore,
degree or amount of quality desirability of studies based on structural equation will be
his/her entire life" (64), as well as the stable, more useful for clarifying this.
happy and positive moods for interpretation
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Tables
Table 1: Correlation coefficients of spiritual intelligence, creativity and happiness
Int J Med Invest 2019; Volume 8; Number 2; 91-107 http://www.intjmi.com
Variables 1 2 3
1.Spiritual Intelligence 1
2. Creativity 0/53** 1
3. Happiness 0/43** 0/40** 1
Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1. Critical
1
Thinking
2. Production of
-0/52** 1
personal meaning
3. Transcendental
-0/52** 0/59** 1
consciousness
4. Expanded state
0/033** 0/42** 0/52** 1
of consciousness
Table 3. Regression analysis results to predict happiness based on spiritual intelligence and creativity
R2 R2 Significant
Steps Predictor Variables B Β t R R2
Modified Changes level
R2 R2 Significant
step Predictor Variable B β t R R2
Modified Changes level
Production of
1/95 0/51 13/16 0/001
1 personal meanings 0/51 0/26 0/26 0/26
fixed value 27/841 13/16 0/001
R2 R2 Significant
Steps Predictor Variable B β t R R2
Modified Changes level