The Relationship between Spiritual Well-Being and Student Adjustment to College at a Faith-Based Institution in Thailand

Alvina Kullu Sulankey; Prasanthi Kotikalapudi; Bejoy Kumar Sulankey

doi:10.34293/sijash.v13i2.9220

Alvina Kullu Sulankey Instructor, Asia-Pacific International University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7329-8061
Prasanthi Kotikalapudi Instructor, Asia-Pacific International University, Thailand
Bejoy Kumar Sulankey Independent Researcher https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7168-3386

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34293/sijash.v13i2.9220

Keywords: Spiritual Well-Being, Student Adjustment, Religious Well-Being, Existential Well-Being, College Adaptation, Thai Higher Education

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between Spiritual Well-Being (SWB) and four key domains of student adjustment: academic, social, emotional, and institutional, within a Christian faith-based university in Thailand. Using a cross-sectional correlational design, data were collected from 204 undergraduate students using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) and Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). The results showed a small but statistically significant positive relationship between SWB and academic adjustment (r = .172, p = .014), suggesting that students with higher spiritual well-being were modestly better equipped to cope with academic demands. However, no significant associations were found between SWB and the other three domains of social, emotional, and institutional adjustment, indicating that the influence of spirituality may be domain-specific rather than holistic. These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that spirituality uniformly supports student adaptation and highlight the complex and multidimensional nature of college adjustment. Moderate intercorrelations between academic and social adjustment, and between emotional adjustment and institutional attachment, further reinforce the importance of integrated support frameworks. This study fills a critical gap in Southeast Asian faith-based education research by examining domain-specific contributions of SWB to student adaptation. It underscores the need for educational institutions to design complex support systems that address students’ cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Practical strategies such as spiritual counselling, orientation programs, and faculty training in spiritual sensitivity are recommended. Future research should explore how SWB evolves across academic years using longitudinal or mixed-method designs and examine comparative outcomes in secular and non-Christian institutions to contextualize these findings across diverse educational landscapes.