Ibadan Journal of the Social Sciences
Volume 5, No. 2, 2007
Pages 131-138
DOI: 10.36108/ijss/7002.50.0250
Psychological Predictors of Women’s Spiritual Help-seeking Behaviour
S. Ekundayo Oladipe
Department of Counselling Psychology
Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State
Abstract
The fact that more women seek help from spiritual houses than the men has been well supported by literature but little is known about the psychological predictors of women’s spiritual seeking behaviour. The objective of this study is to investigate the psychological predictors of women’s spiritual help-seeking behaviour. Using multivariate ex-post facto design and multistage sampling 400 participants were drawn from the population women help-seekers from 12 spiritual houses in Ibadan metropolis. Their age ranged from 20 and 65. Of the total sample of 208 (82.2%) of the respondents were single (never married) 96(24%) were married (living with their husbands) 68 (16.8%) were divorced; while 28 (6.86) were separated (but still legally married). lowest educational qualification of participants was the senior school certificate, while the highest held PhD. Validated scales were used to collect data which were analyzed with stepwise multiple regression analysis. Thereafter, 2×2 ANOVA was used to analyze hypotheses 1-3 while hypothesis 4 was analyzed with a t-test of independence. The results revealed that psychological variables (the neve fur achievement and health locus of control) jointly, significantly predicted women’s spiritual help-seeking behavionr (p <.O5), If all these variables, however, only the need for achievement independently predicted help-seeking behaviour (p <.O5). Therefore, professionals should pay more attention to the development of specific therapeutic measure that would address problem variables identified in this study, with special consideration to spiritual therapy.
Keywords: spiritual houses, informal help centres, help-seekers, women