Parental Absence Experience and Psycho-Spiritual Well-Being of Boarding Students in Catholic Secondary Schools in Osogbo Diocese

Abstract

This study evaluated the level of psycho-spiritual well-being among students staying in Catholic secondary school boarding within the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo. The study was firmly fastened on the Psycho-Spiritual Theory of Pius Joyzy Egunjobi and Attachment Theory (Bowlby, 1969), which underscore the importance of spiritual development and emotional bonding in well-being of human. Convergent parallel mixed-method research design was adopted in this study. Data were collected from 67 boarding students across four Catholic secondary schools using the Psycho-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (P-SWBS). Additionally, a purposive sample of five students participated in semi-structured interviews which provided deeper insights. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics with SPSS, while qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings of this study revealed that boarding students displayed a moderate level of psycho-spiritual well-being across key dimensions such as self-awareness, connectedness, meaningfulness, compassion, and self-transcendence. Findings from qualitative analysis showed that students experienced emotional challenges, such as loneliness, sadness, and difficulty adjusting to boarding life. In the face of these challenges, students adopted different coping strategies, with spiritual practices such as prayer, participation in Mass, and confession emerging as the most dominant. Social support from peers, teachers, and school chaplains also played important role in helping students manage emotional distress. The study concluded that psycho-spiritual well-being among boarding students is sustained by strong coping mechanisms and support systems. Based on these findings, the study recommended that school-based counselling services should be strengthened, spiritual and pastoral care programs enhanced, peer support systems promoted, and further longitudinal research conducted to better understand long-term effects.