Description

The Faith Development Scale (FDS) is a psychometric tool developed to measure the development of an individual’s faith at various stages of life. The scale is based on the theory of faith development, which involves the evolution of religious belief and spirituality through different developmental stages.

Goal

The primary goal of the FDS is to provide a reliable and valid means of assessing the development of faith and spirituality. This tool helps researchers and clinicians understand how faith evolves over the course of life, how it is influenced by various factors, and how it relates to mental health and well-being.

Analysis

The FDS consists of a series of statements that assess the development of faith across several dimensions. These dimensions typically include:
Personal Faith: Refers to the individual’s relationship with the divine and their spiritual experiences.
Doctrinal Beliefs: Assesses the acceptance of core religious teachings and doctrines.
Spiritual Growth: Examines the development of spirituality and an increased understanding of religious and spiritual values.
Social Dimension: Evaluates the involvement and interaction with religious communities and groups.

Scoring

The scoring of the FDS is done using Likert scales, where participants rate each statement on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The responses are then collected and analyzed to generate overall scores for each dimension of faith. Higher scores indicate greater development and evolution of faith.

References

Fowler, J. W. (1981). Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. HarperCollins.
Parks, S. D. (2000). Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith. Jossey-Bass.
Fowler, J. W., & Dell, M. L. (2004). Stages of Faith and Identity: Birth to Teens. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 13(1), 17-33.
Streib, H. (2005). Faith Development Research at Twenty Years. In R. R. Osmer & F. Schweitzer (Eds.), Developing a Public Faith: New Directions in Practical Theology (pp. 15-42). Chalice Press.