Bridges and Barriers in the Development of Faith, Identity, Vocation, and Life Purpose in College Students Katie Byron, Whitney Guthrie, Cindy Miller-Perrin, and Don Thompson Pepperdine University ACSD Annual Conference June 8, 2006 : Bridges and Barriers in the Development of Faith, Identity, Vocation, and Life Purpose in College Students Katie Byron, Whitney Guthrie, Cindy Miller-Perrin, and Don Thompson Pepperdine University ACSD Annual Conference June 8, 2006
The Pepperdine Research Team : The Pepperdine Research Team Katie Byron
2006 Psychology Graduate
Whitney Guthrie
2006 Psychology Graduate
Dr. Cindy Miller-Perrin
Professor of Psychology
Dr. Don Thompson
Associate Vice President
Presentation Overview : Presentation Overview
Development of faith, identity, and vocation across the undergraduate years
College seniors: Bridges and barriers to life purpose
Opportunities for influence and impact in the college environment
Lilly Endowment Sponsored Research at Pepperdine 2002-2006 Summary : Lilly Endowment Sponsored Research at Pepperdine 2002-2006 Summary Student Development
Faith, Vocation, Identity Surveys & Interviews
Autobiographical Writings
Vocation Discussion Groups
Faculty Development
Vocation Survey
Vocation Workshops
Autobiographical Writings
Vocation Discussion Groups
Mission Fulfillment
Life Purpose, Service, Leadership
Development of Faith, Identity, and Vocation Across the Undergraduate Years : Development of Faith, Identity, and Vocation Across the Undergraduate Years
College years are “critical years” in development
College years marked by change in individual self and religious self
Vocational Development : Vocational Development College students consider issues associated with personal identity, faith beliefs, and career options
Higher education should help students discover and pursue their vocational callings
Little empirical work examines the nature and development of vocational calling
Research Hypotheses : Research Hypotheses Vocation is “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet”
Vocational development is the intersection of faith development and identity development
Faith, identity, and vocational development are not uniform across the college years
Method : Method Participants (and Response Rates) from initial sample of 300
Baseline – 113 (38%)
First-Year – 191 (68%)
Sophomore – 111 (64%)
Junior – 132 (83%)
Senior – 114 (70%)
Overall Demographics
61% female; 39% male
Age range 18-22 years (X= 20.64)
70% White; 7% Latino; 5% Asian; 3% Black; 15% Other
Measures : Measures
Faith Attitudes and Behaviors
Vocational Discernment and Action
Barriers to Life Purpose
Faith Attitudes and Behaviors : Faith Attitudes and Behaviors
Vocational Discernment and Action : Vocational Discernment and Action
Vocational Barriers : Vocational Barriers
Results : Results Faith Development
Identity Development
Vocation Discernment and Action
Development of Life Purpose Barriers
Strength of Belief, Faith Behavior, and Application of Faith : Strength of Belief, Faith Behavior, and Application of Faith Strength of Belief varied significantly over time
Faith Behavior varied significantly over time
Application of Faith did not vary significantly over time
I believe in God. : I believe in God.
My faith/religion is NOT very important to me. : My faith/religion is NOT very important to me.
I continually look for ways to strengthen my faith. : I continually look for ways to strengthen my faith.
Identity Development - Achievement : Identity Development - Achievement Achieved Identity status varied significantly over time
Identity Development – Moratorium : Identity Development – Moratorium Moratorium Identity status varied over time, marginally
Identity Development - Foreclosure : Identity Development - Foreclosure Foreclosure Identity status varied significantly over time
Identity Development - Diffused : Identity Development - Diffused Diffused Identity status did not vary significantly over time
Vocational Discernment and Action : Vocational Discernment and Action Vocational Discernment did not vary significantly over time
Vocational Action, as service, did not vary significantly over time
I have a good sense of God’s purpose for my life. : I have a good sense of God’s purpose for my life.
I am unsure about what God is specifically calling me to do. : I am unsure about what God is specifically calling me to do.
I am motivated to choose a career that will provide/fulfill… : I am motivated to choose a career that will provide/fulfill…
Barriers to Life Purpose : Barriers to Life Purpose Total Personal Barriers scores varied over time, marginally
Emotional problems prevent me from fulfilling my life purpose : Emotional problems prevent me from fulfilling my life purpose
Selfishness prevents me from fulfilling my life purpose : Selfishness prevents me from fulfilling my life purpose
Need for personal control prevents me from fulfilling my life purpose : Need for personal control prevents me from fulfilling my life purpose
Barriers to Life Purpose : Barriers to Life Purpose Total Interpersonal Barriers scores did not vary significantly over time
Barriers to Life Purpose : Barriers to Life Purpose Total Social and Cultural Barriers scores did not vary significantly over time
Conclusions : Conclusions College students experience significant developmental variation over time
Strength of faith belief
Faith behavior
Identity development
Foreclosure, Moratorium, Achievement
Personal Barriers
Bridges and Barriers in the Development of Faith, Identity, and Life Purpose in College Seniors : Bridges and Barriers in the Development of Faith, Identity, and Life Purpose in College Seniors
Emergence of Positive Psychology : Emergence of Positive Psychology Traditionally, the field of psychology has focused on individuals’ maladaptive traits and pathologies
Positive Psychology explores individual health and well-being
Life Purpose : Life Purpose
Life purpose is a popular area of research within Positive Psychology
Life purpose is linked to well-being
Life purpose is a core element in many university mission statements
What Contributes to Life Purpose? : What Contributes to Life Purpose? Faith
Religion is one context in which we encounter commitment to an ultimate concern or purpose
Identity
Our ongoing life narratives allow us to understand who we are and where we belong – i.e. our life purpose
Faith and Life Purpose Bridges : Faith and Life Purpose Bridges Religious conversion
Life purpose evolves following conversion: euphoria, doubt, renewed strength and stability
Core experiences
Experiences of feeling close with God, including the perception that God dwells within, engender a sense of life purpose
Spiritual strivings
Sacred goals that aim for meaningful life objectives, pertaining to a person’s imago dei, contribute to life purpose
Mysticism
Strong emotional religious experience accompanies a strong sense of life purpose
God Control
The degree to which individuals perceive God as being in control of their life can impact life direction or purpose
Identity and Life Purpose Bridges : Identity and Life Purpose Bridges Developing a sense of identity out of life stories and experiences leads to life meaning and purpose
Identity confusion – caused by lack of goals, based on lack of direction – negatively impacts life purpose
Development of life purpose helps to resolve identity crises
Life Purpose Barriers : Life Purpose Barriers To date, no studies have addressed factors that inhibit one’s understanding of life purpose
For those who experience discrimination, minority status is negatively related to personal growth
There are many other potential barriers to life purpose such as anxiety, financial circumstances, personality, etc.
Hypotheses – Bridges & Barriers to Life Purpose : Hypotheses – Bridges & Barriers to Life Purpose Faith development and identity achievement positively predict life purpose
Specific barriers examined in the current study negatively predict life purpose
Personality or personal emotions
Views and opinions of others
Social pressures or personal circumstances
Participants : Participants 89 undergraduates (mean age = 21.53)
60% female, 40% male
67% White, 6% Asian, 6% Latino, 10% Multiracial/Other
64% Protestant, 14% Catholic, 2% Jewish, 1% Hindu, 18% Other/None
All participants were seniors at a Christian university
Students were selected from the 2002 entering class to participate in a longitudinal survey on faith, identity, and vocation. This study included 89 of these participants who responded to two separate surveys given during their senior year
Measures & Scales : Measures & Scales General Life Purpose Scale
Life Purpose Barriers Scale
Identity Scale
Ego-Identity Status
Faith Scales
Faith Maturity
Spiritual Transcendence
General Life Purpose Scale : General Life Purpose Scale Designed to measure overall sense of life purpose
Sample items
I have a good sense of purpose in life
I have no sense of direction in life
My life is valuable and worthwhile
I am making a contribution to society
General Life Purpose Responses : General Life Purpose Responses
Life Purpose Barriers Scale : Life Purpose Barriers Scale Measures factors that can prevent individuals from fulfilling their life purpose
Yields scores on three subscales:
Personality or personal emotions
Lack of motivation, fear, being uncertain of what God wants
Views and opinions of others
Parents, boyfriend or girlfriend, teachers
Social pressures or personal circumstances
Financial debt, feeling limited by gender stereotypes
Life Purpose Barriers Responses : Life Purpose Barriers Responses
Life Purpose Barriers Responses : Life Purpose Barriers Responses
Ego-Identity Status Survey : Ego-Identity Status Survey Classifies subjects into one of four identity groups:
Achievement: exploration and commitment
“It took me a while to figure it out, but now I really know what I want for a career.”
Moratorium: exploration without commitment
“Religion is confusing to me right now. I keep changing my views on what is right and wrong for me.”
Foreclosure: no exploration, but commitment
“My parents decided a long time ago what I should go into for employment and I’m following through with their plans.”
Diffusion: no exploration or commitment
“I haven’t really considered politics. It just doesn’t excite me much.”
Ego-Identity Status Responses : Ego-Identity Status Responses
Faith Maturity Scale : Faith Maturity Scale Measures values and behavioral manifestations of faith
Sample items
My life is filled with meaning and purpose
I have a real sense that God is guiding me
My faith shapes how I think and act each and every day
I devote time to reading and studying the Bible
Faith Maturity Responses : Faith Maturity Responses
Faith Maturity Responses : Faith Maturity Responses
Faith Maturity Responses : Faith Maturity Responses
Spiritual Transcendence Scale : Spiritual Transcendence Scale Measures ability to step outside of oneself and immediate surroundings to view life on large scale, yielding three subscales:
Connectedness: assesses participants’ sense of community and relationships with others
I am concerned about those who will come after me in life
Prayer Fulfillment: assesses participants’ prayer or meditation experience
I have experienced deep fulfillment and bliss through my prayers or meditations
Universality: assesses participants’ sense of a greater meaning in life
I believe that death is a doorway to another plane of existence
Spiritual Transcendence Responses : Spiritual Transcendence Responses
Additional Results : Additional Results Barrier Gender Differences
Faith Gender Differences
Predictors of Life Purpose
Gender Differences: Personal Barriers : Gender Differences: Personal Barriers Females perceive personal barriers to life purpose at higher levels than males
Gender Differences: Social Pressure Barriers : Gender Differences: Social Pressure Barriers Females perceive social pressure barriers to life purpose at higher levels than males
Gender Differences: Faith Variables : Gender Differences: Faith Variables Females scored significantly higher on Faith Maturity & Spiritual Transcendence
Best Predictors of Life Purpose : Best Predictors of Life Purpose Faith Maturity Achieved Identity Status Personal Barriers Life Purpose
Conclusions : Conclusions College students experience significant variation in identity, faith, and life purpose development over time
The sophomore year is a particularly critical milestone
Barriers to development differ significantly by gender
Females demonstrate greater faith maturity and spirituality than males
Faith maturity, achieved identity, and personal barriers are optimal predictors of life purpose
Lessons & Opportunities for Nurturing Student Development at Christian Universities : Lessons & Opportunities for Nurturing Student Development at Christian Universities Engender faith growth – mentoring, spiritual nourishment, challenges
Promote self-discovery – leading to achieved identity – reflective experiences – summation as well as formation
Respect the barriers
Understand dynamics of gender
Capitalize on opportunities for impact in the sophomore year