The spiritual state of children with academic mothers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Children who spend quality time with their mothers are able to have positive spiritual development However, mothers who work are often unable to spend enough quality time with their children. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to examine the spirituality of children with academic mothers in Turkey. The children were asked how their mothers’ academic careers affected their spiritual states. The data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews and evaluated using content analysis. A total of 21 children participated in the study.  Three main themes and five subthemes were determined in the analysis. These themes were (1) the negative effects of mothers’ academic careers on the spiritual statuses of their children (negative emotions, decreased communication in their families, and disruption of home routines), (2) the positive effects of mothers’ academic careers on the spiritual statuses of their children (positive emotions and financial independence), and (3) the children’s expectations of their mothers.