Volume 8, Issue 4 (December 2021)                   Health Spiritual Med Ethics 2021, 8(4): 209-218 | Back to browse issues page


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Khosravi Z, Shahisadrabadi F, Rahmatinejad P. Exploring the Role of COVID-19 Pandemic on Religious and Spiritual Experiences of Iranian Population: A Phenomenological Study. Health Spiritual Med Ethics 2021; 8 (4) :209-218
URL: http://jhsme.muq.ac.ir/article-1-444-en.html
1- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Consuling, Faculty of Humanities, Branch Fatemeh Alzahra, Yazd Farhangian University, Yazd, Iran.
3- Department of Psychiatry Nekuei Hedayati Forqani Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. , rahmatinejadp@yahoo.com
Abstract:   (1202 Views)
Background and Objectives: The spread of COVID-19 has led to numerous changes in
different domains of life throughout the world, including health habits, jobs, consumption
patterns, lifestyles, and religious ceremonies. Phenomenological questions, religious challenges,
and many questions regarding the cause of the pandemic also resulted from these changes.
Therefore, the goal of the present study was to explore the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on
the religious and spiritual experiences of the Iranian population.
Methods: A qualitative design based on a phenomenological approach was used. The sample
included 18 subjects who were selected using a purposeful sampling method. The data were
collected using semi-structured interviews.
Results: The Colaizzi method was used to analyze the data and member checking, selfmonitoring,
and immersion were used to examine the credibility of the results. The study
findings included 175 primary codes, of which two main categories and 11 subcategories were
extracted. Belief in God and religion was the first category extracted that included the following
subcategories: no change in belief in God, no change in lack of belief in God, reconsidering one’s
own beliefs, amazed by the power of God, amazed by the knowledge of God, Expecting miracles
from God, and Increased sense of spirituality or closeness to God. The second category was
beliefs about existence that included the following subcategories: no change in Beliefs, believing
that human abilities are limited, thinking about existence, and believing in the importance of
changing our behavior towards nature.
Conclusion: According to the study result, the experience of COVID-19 had affected
participants’ attitude towards religion, spirituality, God, nature, and the system of the world; most
of the participants reported improvements in their previous beliefs and attitudes as a result of
these changes. Therefore, some conversations, such as the epidemic of a disease (COVID-19)
can affect the religious attitudes and beliefs of individuals.
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Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: Special
Received: 2021/05/26 | Accepted: 2021/10/27 | Published: 2022/05/31

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