Egocentrism and Spirituality in Adolescence

This dissertation explores how adolescents understand
and relate to God by looking empirically
at the developing spirituality of teenage boys and
their relationship with God through the prayers they
write, and through their thinking about themselves,
their world, their parents, and God. With a thorough
review of the literature, various assessments as well
as over 10,000 petitionary prayers written by 980
students in grades 9-12, adolescent spiritual
development is approached and operationalized through
the construct of Adolescent Egocentrism. Integrating
theories of adolescent development from Piaget,
Elkind, Lapsley and Blos with faith development
theories of Elkind, Fowler, Oser, and Rizzuto, the
construct of Spiritual Egocentrism is proposed,
defined and operationalized as a fruitful way to
conceptualize and empirically measure spiritual
development. This book is an invaluable resource for
academics in psychology, theology, religious
education, spirituality and pastoral counseling -
indeed anyone from educators to pastors to campus
ministers to counselors seeking to better understand
adolescents and their evolving relationship with God.

Autorentext

John Mojzisek earned a PhD in Pastoral Counseling and an MA inSchool Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. He is currently the Director of Counseling at The Gilman School, aCatholic Coordinator of Youth Ministry, an Adjunct Professor ofSchool Counseling, and a DMin candidate in Christian Spiritualityat the Washington Theological Union.

Klappentext

This dissertation explores how adolescents understandand relate to God by looking empiricallyat the developing spirituality of teenage boys andtheir relationship with God through the prayers theywrite, and through their thinking about themselves,their world, their parents, and God. With a thoroughreview of the literature, various assessments as wellas over 10,000 petitionary prayers written by 980students in grades 9-12, adolescent spiritualdevelopment is approached and operationalized throughthe construct of Adolescent Egocentrism. Integratingtheories of adolescent development from Piaget,Elkind, Lapsley and Blos with faith developmenttheories of Elkind, Fowler, Oser, and Rizzuto, theconstruct of Spiritual Egocentrism is proposed,defined and operationalized as a fruitful way toconceptualize and empirically measure spiritualdevelopment. This book is an invaluable resource foracademics in psychology, theology, religiouseducation, spirituality and pastoral counseling -indeed anyone from educators to pastors to campusministers to counselors seeking to better understandadolescents and their evolving relationship with God.