University of Groningen
Experiencing God in a foreign land
Counted, Victor
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Publication date: 2019
Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database
Citation for published version (APA):
Counted, V. (2019). Experiencing God in a foreign land: Theoretical and empirical explorations on the psychological links between religion and place among dispersed people. University of Groningen.
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Place and God Attachment
A study of the African diaspora in the Netherlands
Survey Questionnaire
─
Victor Counted
1
Project Overview
The goal of this research project is to look at the intersection of religion and place through the lens of attachment. Specifically, to investigate how an attachment connection to a place can contribute to the understanding of religious experience/spirituality, and shape certain attributes of place identity and place dependence.
Directions
● Please answer each question as accurately as possible by circling the correct answer or filling in the space provided. There are no right or wrong responses.
● In any case where you do not feel comfortable about any question/statement please leave the response space blank
● If you have any comments or questions about any part of the survey, please feel free to write them on the back of this sheet.
Specifications
You have been invited to participate in this study because of the following reasons: ● You are of African descent and part of the African diaspora in the Netherlands ● Your country in Africa is part of the sub-saharan African region
● You are above 18 years of age
● You can read and understand English language ● You currently live in the Netherlands
● You have lived in the Netherlands for more than six months
● You have agreed to participate in a follow-up interview if called upon to do so
Contact Information
Name (optional): _____________________________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________ Mobile: ______________________________
Appendix 1: Background
1. How long have you lived in the Netherlands?_________________________
2. City of residence in the Netherlands? ________________________________________________ 3. What is your Nationality? ____________________________________________________________ 4. What is your age category? (Check only one)
❏
18 - 25❏
26 - 35❏
36 - 45❏
45 - 55❏
56 - 65❏
66 - 1105. I identify my gender as... (Check only one)
❏
Female❏
Male❏
Trans*6. Do you speak Dutch? (Check only one)
❏
Yes❏
No❏
A little7. I am currently... (Check only one)
❏
Married ❏
Single ❏
Separated❏
Divorced ❏
Widowed8. What is your highest level of education? (Check only one)
3
9. Do you consider yourself religious or do you believe in God? (Check only one)
❏
Yes, I do❏
No, I don’t❏
Sometimes10. What is your religious affiliation, if any? (Check only one)
❏
Christian❏
Muslim❏
African Traditionalist❏
______________________ (fill in the blank)11. Do you currently hold a (valid) residence permit for the Netherlands? (Check only one)
❏
Yes❏
No❏
I do not wish to disclose this information12. Are you uncertain or anxious about your future in the Netherlands? (Check only one)
❏
Yes❏
No13. Have you experienced any form of marginalisation, racism or violence because you are an African living in the Netherlands? (Check only one)
❏
Yes❏
No14. Do you feel safe whenever you are in the Netherlands? (Check only one)
❏
Yes❏
No
Please proceed to the next page.
Appendix 2: Sense of Place Scale
1Instructions: Each of the twelve statements on this page refer to how you experience the Netherlands as the place where you currently live and perhaps consider to be your home. Respond to each statement by indicating how much you agree or disagree with it. Write the number in the space provided, using the following rating scale:
Disagree Strongly Disagree Neutral/
Mixed Agree Agree Strongly
1 2 3 4 5
____1. Everything about this place is a reflection of me. [PI] ____2. This place says very little about who I am. [PI]
____3. I feel that I can really be myself in this place. [PI] ____4. This place reflects the type of person I am. [PI] ____5. I feel relaxed when I’m in the Netherlands. [PA] ____6. I feel happiest when I’m in the Netherlands. [PA] ____7. This place is my favorite place to be. [PA]
____8. I really miss the Netherlands when I’m away for too long. [PA]
____9. Netherlands is the best place for doing the things that I enjoy most. [PD]
____10. For doing the things that I enjoy most, no other place can compare to this place. [PD] ____11. Netherlands is not a good place to do the things I most like to do. [PD]
____12. As far as I am concerned, there are better places to be than in the Netherlands. [PD]
5
Appendix 3: Attachment to God Scale
2Instructions: The following statements concern how you feel about your relationship with
God. Respond to each statement by indicating how much you agree or disagree with it. Write the number in the space provided, using the following rating scale:
Disagree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Slightly Agree Slightly Agree Strongly Agree
1 2 3 4 5 6
____ 1. I seek to be close to God.
____ 2. My relationship with God gives me the courage to face new challenges. ____ 3. When I am afraid or anxious, I know that God is there for me.
____ 4. I feel the need to stay close to God.
____ 5. It would distress me greatly if I lose my relationship with God. ____ 6. When I face difficulties, I turn to God.
____ 7. My relationship with God provides me the confidence to explore things around me ____ 8. I do things that help me feel close to God.
____ 9. I would feel upset if I sense that God is far from me.
____ 10. Knowing that God is there for me helps me live my daily life. ____ 11. I feel safe whenever I feel close to God.
____ 12. I cannot bear to think of life without God.
____ 13. I feel most at ease when I have a close relationship with God. ____ 14. God is someone I cannot afford to lose.
____ 15. I am willing to try or learn new things because I know God will support or help me. ____ 16. God is always available whenever I am in need.
2 Your God experience will be assessed using the 16 statements drawn from Sim & Loh’s (2003) Attachment to
God Scale. This instrument is used to measure your “Experience of God as a Safe Haven”, “Experience of God as a Secure Base”, “Need to Seek and Maintain Closeness with God”, and “Response to Feeling Separation/
Distance from God”.
Appendix 4: Attitudes toward God Scale
(ATSG-9)
3Instructions: On the following rating scale, indicate to what extent you currently do or feel
the following about God (or whatever you call the sacred).
Not at all Extremely
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1. Trust God to protect and care for you (P) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. Feel angry at God (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. Feel that God has let you down (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. View God as unkind (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. View God as all-powerful and
all-knowing (P) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
6. Feel loved by God (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
7. Feel supported by God (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8. Feel nurtured or cared for by God (N) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9. Feel abandoned by God (P) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
7
Appendix 5: Attachment to God Scale
4Instructions: The following statements concern how you generally think and feel in your
relationship with God (or any other supernatural force you believe in). Using the following scale, respond to each statement by indicating how characteristic it is of you.
Not at all characteristic of me Very characteristic of me 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. God seems impersonal to me. (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. God seems to have little or no interest in my personal
problems. (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. God seems to have little or no interest in my personal
affairs. (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. I have a warm relationship with God.* (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. God knows when I need support.* (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. I feel that God is generally responsive to me.* (DA-AVD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7. God sometimes seems responsive to my needs, but
sometimes not. (DA-ANX) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. God’s reactions to me seem to be inconsistent. (DA-ANX) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9. God sometimes seems very warm and other times very
cold to me. (DA-ANX) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4 This instrument was originally developed by: Rowatt, W. C., & Kirkpatrick, L. A. (2002). Two dimensions of
attachment to God and their relation to affect, religiosity, and personality constructs. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 41, 637-651. It contains two subscales measuring the Divine-Attachment Avoidance (DA-AVD) and Divine-Attachment Anxiety (DA-ANX). Items 4-6 are to be reverse-scored.
