Using pre-test and post-test data to understand spirituality programs: opportunities and limitations

• Main Author: Trinidad, Jose Eos R
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2018
• Subjects: Quantitative analysis; evaluation; analysis of variance; Catholic school; Catholic Studies; Religion; Religious Education
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/is-faculty-pubs/3; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1364436X.2018.1538044
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Quantitatively studying spirituality and spirituality programs poses a challenge because of the imprecision of data and limitations of data analysis techniques. In this research using data from Ignatius University, I show practical methods for analysing pre-test and post-test data, and conceptual opportunities and limitations when using these datasets. For the practical part, I find that the university’s sophomore spirituality programs have substantial positive effects in helping students with Christian discernment and ministry. For the conceptual part, I show opportunities that include analysis of variance for mean scores and percentages, and analysis technique that further improve spirituality programs. Limitations include non-causal assumptions, ceiling effect, and the problem of too many ‘outcome’ variables.