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Self-transcendence as a measure of spirituality in a sample of older Australian twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Katherine M Kirk ,
Lindon J Eaves  and
Nicholas G Martin
Katherine M Kirk*
Affiliation:
Queensland Institute of Medical Research and Joint Genetics Program, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. kathE@qimr.edu.au
Lindon J Eaves
Affiliation:
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavior Genetics, Richmond, USA.
Nicholas G Martin
Affiliation:
Queensland Institute of Medical Research and Joint Genetics Program, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
*
*Correspondence: Dr KM Kirk, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Post Office, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane QLD 4029, Queensland, Australia. Tel: + 61 7 3362 0272; Fax: + 61 7 3362 0101;

Abstract

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Measures of self-transcendence, physical health and psychological well-being were included in a self-report Health and Lifestyle questionnaire administered to Australian twins aged over 50 between 1993 and 1995. Self-transcendence appears to be higher among older Australian women than men, and was significantly associated with religious affiliation, marital status (in women) and age (in men). No strong correlations were observed between self-transcendence and any measure of psychological or physical health. Additive genetic effects were found to be important in influencing self-transcendence, with heritability estimates of 0.37 and 0.41 for men and women respectively, whilst shared environment effects were not found to be significant. Multivariate modelling of self-transcendence scores and self-reported church attendance behavior indicated substantially different etiologies for these variables, with implications for methods of investigation of religiosity and spirituality.

Keywords

self-transcendencechurch attendancespiritualitytwinstemperamentcharacter inventory
Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , 01 April 1999 , pp. 81 - 87
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999