Thirteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Roman Catholic sisters have committed their lives to serving God through religious vows that require them to relinquish their former lives and work towards promoting education, health, love, and charity in local communities. However, misconceptions about their way of life and mental well-being abound, warranting a deeper understanding of the challenges they face. The present study examines the relationship between spiritual intelligence, burnout, and loneliness among Roman Catholic sisters. The study included 50 sisters from Hyderabad, India, divided into two sub-groups based on their years of consecration and occupation. The Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and a semi-structured interview were used to collect data, which was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, t-tests, and thematic analysis. The findings of the study indicated that spiritual intelligence was negatively related to both burnout and loneliness. No significant differences were found between sisters consecrated for less than 15 years and those consecrated for more than 15 years, or between those in teaching occupations and those in non-teaching occupations. Qualitative analysis identified promotive, protective, and dogmatic factors as well as factors impeding psychological well-being of the sisters. The study recommends spiritual intelligence training as a mechanism to buffer burnout and loneliness among Roman Catholic sisters. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Roman Catholic sisters and underscore the importance of addressing their mental health needs.