Spirituality in a social work context

Through the voices of South African practitioners

Datos Bibliográficos

ID24147353
AutoresArthee Budhoo (Durban University of Technology), Raisuyah Bhagwan (0000-0002-1584-9432, Durban University of Technology)
Año2026
Páginas1-23
Fecha de publicación2026-09-18
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1542-6432 • E-ISSN: 1542-6440
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/15426432.2026.2734566
OpenAlexW7213550018
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas43

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