Description

The Index of Core Spiritual Experiences (INSPIRIT) is a psychometric tool designed to measure individuals’ core spiritual experiences. This scale was developed to assess the intensity and frequency of spiritual experiences people have in their lives, such as the sense of connection with the divine, the experience of sacred presence, and metaphysical experiences.

Goal

The primary goal of INSPIRIT is to provide a reliable and valid means of assessing individuals’ spiritual experiences. This tool helps researchers and clinicians understand how spiritual experiences affect psychological well-being, spiritual development, and interpersonal relationships.

Analysis

INSPIRIT consists of a series of statements that assess various aspects of spiritual experiences. The main dimensions typically examined include:
Sense of Connection with the Divine:
This dimension evaluates the individual’s sense of being connected to the divine or a sacred presence.
Example statements:
“I have felt the presence of God in my life.”
“I feel a deep connection with something divine in my life.”
Experience of Sacred Presence:
This dimension assesses experiences of the sacred presence in different situations.
Example statements:
“I have experienced moments where I felt in contact with something sacred.”
“I feel spiritually connected in significant moments of my life.”
Metaphysical Experiences:
This dimension evaluates experiences that transcend the physical world and have a metaphysical nature.
Example statements:
“I have had experiences that cannot be explained in physical terms.”
“I have experienced moments that felt beyond the natural world.”

Scoring

The scoring of INSPIRIT is done using Likert-type scales, where participants rate each statement on a scale from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). Responses are collected and analyzed to generate overall scores for each dimension of spiritual experience. Higher scores indicate greater intensity and frequency of spiritual experiences.

Bibliography

Kass, J. D., Friedman, R., Leserman, J., Zuttermeister, P. C., & Benson, H. (1991). Health outcomes and a new index of spiritual experience. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 30(2), 203-211.
Underwood, L. G., & Teresi, J. A. (2002). The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale: Development, theoretical description, reliability, exploratory factor analysis, and preliminary construct validity using health-related data. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24(1), 22-33.
Pargament, K. I. (1997). The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice. Guilford Press.
Hill, P. C., & Hood, R. W. Jr. (1999). Measures of Religiosity. Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press.