Towards a Psycho-Spiritual Understanding of Gossip and Interpersonal Relationships among Adult Christians in Selected Parishes of Lokoja Diocese, Kogi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Gossip is characterized by the exchange of negative or private information about others, which has been a pervasive issue within human interactions, affecting interpersonal relationships in various contexts. This study investigated the relationship between gossip and interpersonal relationships among adults in St. Matthew’s Catholic Parish Felele and St. Theresa’s Catholic Parish Ganaja, in Lokoja Diocese. The research objective found Psycho-Spiritual approaches to gossip and interpersonal relationship among adults in St. Matthew’s Parish Felele and St. Theresa’s Parish Ganaja Lokoja. The study was grounded in Robin Dunbar's Gossip Theory and used a descriptive research design; the research instruments used for the collection of data was interview guides. The sample size was 10 participants by purposive sampling. The objective was analyzed using thematic analysis. The participant highlighted the need for parishioners to become more aware of the danger of gossip, using psycho-spiritual approaches to help improve their interpersonal relationship. The Bishop and The Parish Priests should organize seminars and workshops to highlight the detrimental influence of gossip on interpersonal relationship and to provide avenues for seeking support and guidance when dealing with gossip related conflict.