Aim: To examine the psychometric properties of a short form version of the Numinous Motivation Inventory (NMI) for use with healthcare providers in measuring their existential engagement with life and to assess its relationship with spiritual coping and emotional dysphoria.
Design: Correlational and psychometric study.
Method: Data were collected from June to December 2022. Participants included 102 physicians, recruited from across the United States. Qualtrics was utilized to collect data, and they were evaluated with the NMI short form, Spiritual Coping Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale (DASS-21).
Results: Obtained fit statistics from structural equation modelling analysis indicated close fit of the NMI short form with the original model. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated the value of the NMI as a predictor of negative affect independent of spiritual coping. The NMI did not interact with Spiritual Coping, which was independent of negative affect.
Conclusions: The Numinous represents an important aspect of physicians' coping. The constructs can be utilized in training and clinical settings as a valuable and easy-to-use metric for promoting and assessing wellness. The implications of these findings and the value of the NMI were discussed.
Impact: An understanding of existential drivers can equip one to cope with the stressors of healthcare. The NMI short form has the capability to explore an individual's existential drivers through the understanding of three domains.
Reporting method: Adhered to proper EQUATOR guidelines (GRRAS).
Public contribution: No patient or public contribution.
Keywords: coping; healthcare workers; numinous; nurse; physicians; psychoanalysis; spirituality.
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