Abstract

      This study provides the first detailed data on the importance of spiritual values in the daily life and work of Canadian parents. When asked to what extent spiritual values give strength to face daily difficulties, 32% of Canadians say "a lot," including 33% of parents, 39% mothers, and 26% fathers. Another 22% of parents report "some" help, 9% "a little," and 36%, "none at all". Only those agreeing that spiritual values play an important role in their life were asked this question, implying that Canada in 2002 is far more spiritual than most would think.

      But does spiritual imply religious? Most of the "spiritual" parents worship regularly, though a sizable minority do not; most are very or somewhat religious, though many less and even non-religious people find spiritual values important; most who pray in order to deal with stress are spiritual; and most affiliated with faith communities are spiritual, though there is a wide variation by faith community or religious denomination.

      Are people who rely on spiritual values less educated or mentally ill, as asserted by many social scientists? The evidence suggests the contrary is true for both mothers and fathers. Spiritual values would appear to become more important in the lives of parents with physical ailments, although this may reflect the age of the mother or father.

      The results of estimates for several subpopulations of parents, and the total population, reveal that, when other effects are held constant, the reliance on spiritual help is stronger for females than males, for persons who have not smoked marijuana in their life compared with those who have, and increases with age and education. The degree of reliance on daily spiritual help is higher among non-French Roman Catholics, most groups of French Roman Catholics, conservative Christians and non-Christians than liberal Christians, and lower for the religiously unaffiliated than liberal Christians. Hours of sleep is unrelated to reliance on spiritual help except among all men and fathers. When compared with residents of Ontario, all subpopulations of Albertans are not significantly different, while all residents and parents of Manitoba/Saskatchewan, women and mothers not in the labour force in Atlantic Canada are more reliant on spiritual help. British Columbians in total, and parents, women, the employed and employed parents in that province are less reliant on daily spiritual help than their counterparts in Ontario.