A Transcultural Spiritually Based Program to Enhance Caregiving Self-Efficacy: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study examined how training in a nonsectarian toolkit of spiritually based self-management techniques affected the caregiving self-efficacy (confidence) of health professionals, including physicians, nurses, psychologists, and chaplains. Before and after an 8-week, 2-hour per week training in the meditation-based Eight Point Program of Easwaran (1978/1991b), participants ( n = 14) completed a newly developed 32-item caregiving self-efficacy questionnaire. Data were also gathered regarding sociodemographic characteristics, spiritual and religious self-perceptions and practices, and program adherence. Results indicated that mean pre/post self-efficacy increases were large (Cohen's d > 0.80), statistically significant ( p < 0.01), and associated with greater use of specific pro-gram practices. Three participants reported increases in self-perceived spirituality. Self-efficacy increases were largest for participants identifying themselves as least spiritual at pretest ( p < 0.05), or reporting increases in spirituality ( p < 0.05). Although preliminary, these findings support using this already widely crossculturally disseminated toolkit for a variety of purposes in clinical practice, health promotion, and health professional education.