The relationship between perception of religious people and spiritual well-being in young adults

This study aims to examine the effect of young adults' perceptions of religiosity on their spiritual well-being. For this purpose, correlational research model, one of the quantitative research methods, was applied. Personal Information Form, Three-Factor Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) and Perception of Religious People Scale (DIPS) were used to collect data. The sample of the study consisted of 390 individuals (303 women and 87 men) between the ages of 18-40 living in Turkey. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between quantitative variables. When the results of the analysis were analyzed, a positive and moderately significant relationship was found between young adults' spiritual well-being and their perceptions of religious people. When compared by gender, it is seen that women have higher levels of spiritual well-being than men. When the findings are analyzed according to age groups, it is seen that the participants in the 36-40 age group have a higher level of harmony with nature and the environment than the participants in the 18-24 age group. The sub-dimension scores of the Perception of Religious People scale do not show a statistically significant difference according to gender and age groups. When the sub-dimensions are analyzed according to marital status, according to the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, it is seen that single participants have higher levels of devotion to a divine power (transcendence) and harmony with nature sub-dimension scores compared to married participants. In the anomie sub-dimension, it was found that single participants showed a significant difference at a higher level than married participants. While the scores of the Perception of Religious People Scale do not show a significant difference according to marital status in the intellectual and ascetic religious sub-dimensions, there is a statistically significant difference in the social sub-dimension scores according to marital status. Accordingly, the social sub-dimension score of married participants was higher than single participants. The data obtained as a result of the research were interpreted within the framework of the relevant literature.