Showing papers by "Salesian Pontifical University published in 2019"

The Purpose-in-Life Scale (PILS): internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity and construct validity among Catholic priests in Italy

Abstract: The Purpose in Life Scale was designed to provide a 12-item unidimensional measure of purpose in life employing a five-point Likert rating for each item. The present study supports the psychometric...

Personality and Vocational Motivation: A Study Among Catholic Seminarians in Italy Employing the Big Five and the NIRO

Abstract: This paper tests the hypothesis that vocational motivation (as assessed by religious orientation theory) among Catholic seminarians is significantly correlated with their personality profile (as assessed by the Big Five Factor model). Data provided by 170 seminarians in Italy who completed the New Indices of Religious Orientation and the Big Five Questionnaire demonstrated that: the intrinsic orientation is high among seminarians and positively correlated with conscientiousness; the extrinsic motivation is low among seminarians and negatively correlated with emotional stability; and that the quest orientation is quite high among seminarians, positively correlated with openness and negatively correlated with conscientiousness and friendliness. Attention is given to the distinctive strengths and weaknesses of the quest orientation within the context of formation for priesthood.

The Impact of Religion on Attitudes Towards Abortion and Euthanasia. An Empirical Study Among Italian Students

Abstract: Among the sensitive topics of the current public debate in Italy, bioethical questions are certainly to be found, more specifically those questions about the issues surrounding the beginning and the end of life, namely the ethical legitimacy and the legal boundaries of abortive and euthanasian practices. In this study we seek to explore the role of religion in this debate, not only at the level of church doctrine but also at the level of personal convictions and ideas of a Italian young people, which may shape the future of this debate. The empirical findings of this study, on a sample of secondary school students (N = 1087), show that religious beliefs and practices do have a significant impact on the students’ attitudes on abortion and euthanasia and highlight a relevant role of religion in the current public debate on bioethical issues.

Alternative activity as a method of empowerment and motivation of сlient to the change

Abstract: The article considers the method of alternative activity as a way of empowerment and of increasing the client`s motivation to change a problem behavior in the technology of secondary or tertiary prevention. In particular, the authors highlight the main principles of the method; describe the algorithm of its implementation, its main characteristics and its impact on the growth of the client`s motivation to change the problem behavior through engagement in the alternative activities. In addition, three examples of the method application in preventive projects with different target groups are presented. Thus, the article argues the relevance of the method of alternative activity in preventive social work with different groups of clients.

Religion and the right to (dispose of) life: A study of the attitude of Christian, Muslim and Hindu students in India concerning death penalty, euthanasia and abortion

Abstract: The debate over death penalty, euthanasia and abortion reached a climax during the second half of the twentieth century. It brings into focus the underlying contrasting currents of right to life and right to dispose of life. The pluralistic Indian context in its turn can add to the ambivalent relationship between religion and the (non-)disposability of life. Hence, the question that we address in this paper concerns the role religions play in soliciting and legitimizing the (non-)disposability of life. Our empirical research, among 1215 Christian, Muslim and Hindu college students in Tamil Nadu, focuses on the possible impact of personal religious attitude, contextual religious attitude, and the value of human dignity, on the perception of right to life in the face of death penalty, euthanasia, and abortion. Overall, we find that the three religious groups manifest opposition to disposal of life by death penalty, and an uncertain openness to disposal of life by euthanasia and abortion for victim’s sake. However, as regards euthanasia, while Christians and Hindus tend to be open to disposal of life, Muslims tend to be uncertain. As regards abortion for psycho-economic reasons, the tendency among Christians is non-disposal of life and the tendency among Hindus and Muslims is an uncertain openness to disposal of life. In dealing with the complex issue of (non-)disposal of life, our findings related to personal and contextual religious attitude suggest that religions can provide a meta-ethical basis for both ‘sacredness’ and ‘quality’ human life.

Two-Faced Janus: The Role of Peers in Adolescence

Abstract: The aim of this chapter is to examine the role of peers in adolescence. Specifically, our focus will be on their twofold influence on the individual, since the peer group may, on one hand, promote wellbeing and social adjustment, and, on the other, affect the development of unhealthy risk behaviors.

Les fondements métaphysiques des cosmo-théosophies africaines: une lecture à partir des textes

Abstract: Cette etude examine les fondements metaphysiques de la pensee africaine classique et traditionnelle. Elle s’appuie en particulier sur une hermeneutique de textes «cosmo-theosophiques» egyptiens, dogon, fang, ciluba. Les questions traitees a partir de l’etude des textes sont les suivantes: l’ontogenese ou l’origine des choses, l’existence, l’essence et le mouvement, l’union et la parente des elements, la diversite et la distinction des etants. Il ressort de l’analyse que les cosmo-theosophies africaines se fondent sur une metaphysique qu’on pourrait qualifier de «realisme significationnel».