Spiritual Assessment Guidelines
by Marcia A. Schnorr, R.N., Ed.D.

1. Source of Spiritual Strength

a. Who or what is your source of spiritual strength?

b. If your source of spiritual strength is God, how do you describe God? What does God mean to you?

c. If your source of spiritual strength is someone or something other than God, how do you describe this
source? What does this source mean to you?

d. What objects and/or activities do you use to maintain your relationship with your source of spiritual
strength?

e. Are there other objects and/or activities that you could use to improve your relationship with your
source of spiritual strength?

2. Meaning and Purpose

a. What do you believe is the meaning and purpose for your life?

b. What activities help you to accomplish your purpose in life?

c. What purpose, if any, do you believe is served by suffering?

d. What do you believe is the meaning of death?

3. Love and Relatedness

a. What is (are) your most significant relationship(s)?

b. How would you describe these relationships?

c. How do you perceive that you are loved by others?

d. What are your main support systems?

e. Do you have a significant relationship with God? If so, consider the following questions. If not, would
you like to have a relationship with God? (If a relationship is desired, serve as a resource and/or make
an appropriate referral).

f. How has your relationship with God been a source of help or hindrance in your life?

g. How do you feel abut your relationship with God?

h. Has your relationship with God changed over the years?

i. Does your relationship with God have any effect on the quality of your life?

j. What person(s) has (have) had the most influence in helping you establish (maintain) your relationship
with God?

k. What activities do you participate in to help you maintain (grow) in your relationship with God?

l. What effect, if any, does your relationship with God have on your relationship with others?

4. Forgiveness

a. Have you ever experienced feelings of guilt, anger, resentment, and/or bitterness?

b. If so, what effect do these feelings have on your sense of wellness?

c. How do you handle these feelings?

d. Is there a difference between your feelings when you are forgiving others vs. when you are forgiven?

e. Do you have more difficulty in experiencing the forgiveness from God, forgiveness from others or
forgiveness from yourself?

f. What resources do you use to help you accept forgiveness?

g. What other resources might be available for you to experience forgiveness?

h. What prompts you to forgive others?

5. Hope

a. Would you describe yourself as hopeful?

b. Is your "hope" realistic? Or, is it more like "wishful thinking?"

c. Does your relationship with God have an effect on your sense of hopefulness?

d. Have you ever felt hopeless? If so, describe the situation.

e. What resources do you use to obtain (maintain) a sense of hope?

f. Are there other resources that you could use to obtain (maintain) a sense of hope?

6. Effects of Illness

a. Would being sick (injured) make any difference in the perception you have of yourself and God?

b. In what way, if any, do you perceive that your relationship to God is related to your present state of
disease or dis-ease?

c. What resources do you use to relieve any spiritual distress related to your disease or dis-ease?

d. What other resources, if any, could you use to relieve your spiritual distress?

7. Religious Affiliation

a. Are you affiliated with a particular religion? If so, which one?

b. What was the main factor in your choice of religious affiliation?

c. Is there any part of your religious life that may be influencing your feelings of wellness (distress)? (The
interviewer may need to make an objective appraisal after further interactions and observations.)

d. What individual(s) has (have) had the most influence In your present religious practice (or lack of
religious practice)?

e. Has any religious experience had an influence (positive or negative)on your present religious attitudes
and practices?

f. What Bible character (story) do you most identify with at the present time?

g. What activities are most meaningful to you in your present religious life?

h. Are there any religious activities that you used find meaningful? Would you like to resume these activities?

i. How would you describe your sense of religious well-being?

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