The Relationship between Self-Alienation, Spiritual Well-Being, Economic Situation and Satisfaction of life: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Objective: We mainly sought to understand the relationship among college students' spiritual well-being, life satisfaction, economic status, and alienation.
Methods: A sample of 292 undergraduate students (187 females and 105 males) between the ages of 18 and 26 years were selected using the cluster sampling method. Then, they completed measurement questionnaires of alienation, satisfaction with life and spiritual well-being scales.
Results: Correlation coefficient indicted that each subtype of spiritual well-being (religious and feeling meaning and purpose in life) were inversely related to alienation. Life satisfaction had positive correlation with spiritual well-being, but had negative correlation with alienation. On the other hand, home and family income level was associated negatively with alienation and positively with spiritual well-being and life satisfaction.
Conclusion: In conclusion, use of Structural equation modeling (SEM) method showed that meaning and purpose in life and alienation were more related to life satisfaction than to the spiritual well-being. It is also demonstrated that SEM is a feasible technique for modeling the relation between spirituality, life satisfaction and alienation.
Declaration of Interest: None.
Citation: Vahedi Sh, Nazari MA. The relationship between self-alienation, spiritual well-being, economic situation and satisfaction of life: A structural equation modeling approach. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences 2011; 5(1): 64-73.