Identification and Explanation of the Causal, Contextual, and Intervening Factors in Promoting Spiritual Vitality in the School Context

Abstract

This study aimed to identify and explain the causal, contextual, and intervening factors affecting the promotion of spiritual vitality in the school context based on experts’ perspectives. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach based on grounded theory. The participants included experts in education, educational management, educational psychology, and spirituality-related educational studies. They were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and the interview process continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. After recording and verbatim transcription, the interviews were analyzed line by line. Data analysis was performed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. To enhance the trustworthiness of the findings, member checking, peer review, documentation of the analytic process, and research memo writing were used. Data analysis indicated that the causal conditions for promoting spiritual vitality in schools consisted of five axial categories: spiritual and ethical ecosystem, behavioral modeling by educators, respectful relational networking, purposeful program orientation, and emotional elevation. The contextual conditions included the school cultural-educational context, family and social context, structural and physical context, macro-social context, and economic-supportive context. The intervening conditions consisted of technological barriers and motivators, economic intervening factors, family and educational factors, human factors and behavioral models, and micro-cultural and social factors. The findings showed that spiritual vitality in schools is a multidimensional, relational, and context-dependent phenomenon shaped by the interaction of individual, organizational, familial, and social factors. The results suggest that promoting spiritual vitality in schools requires the creation of an ethical, emotional, supportive, and meaningful educational environment. This can be achieved through strengthening teachers’ role modeling, improving human relationships, designing purposeful educational programs, aligning family and school values, managing the effects of virtual space, and addressing students’ emotional and spiritual needs.