Spirituality in a social work context
Through the voices of South African practitioners
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24147353 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Arthee Budhoo (Durban University of Technology), Raisuyah Bhagwan (0000-0002-1584-9432, Durban University of Technology) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-23 |
| Publication date | 2026-09-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1542-6432 • E-ISSN: 1542-6440 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15426432.2026.2734566 |
| OpenAlex | W7213550018 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 43 |
While social work has had an enduring relationship with spirituality in the Western context, little scholarly work exists in the Global South, particularly in South Africa. This qualitative study was undertaken to explore the views of social work practitioners with regard to how they conceptualize spirituality and their views regarding its salience in a social work context. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews, 45 practitioners were purposively selected for interviews across South Africa. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data which yielded four major themes. The first theme focused on the conceptualization of spirituality, the second on the salience of spirituality in a social work context, the third on the value of spirituality, and the fourth on spirituality within the context of South African social work education.
Conceptualization · Context (archaeology) · Qualitative research · Salience (neuroscience) · Spirituality · Thematic analysis · Theme (computing) · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |