Digital spirituality : an interpretative phenomenological analysis of user experiences of spiritual mobile application “The Beacon by Soul 33” : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Spirituality is associated with a wide range of benefits including reduced stress and improved mental and emotional wellbeing. Due to rapid advancements in technology spirituality is now accessed through digital devices and mobile applications (apps). This research was designed to investigate digital spirituality by exploring user experiences with the spiritual mobile app The Beacon by Soul 33. The design of this study was qualitative and utilised semi-structured interviews. Five participants from around Aotearoa New Zealand were interviewed via Zoom and contributed to this research. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). IPA was chosen due to its methodology for analysing subjective experiences and its underlying theoretical principles of phenomenology, hermeneutics, and idiography. Three Group Experiential Themes (GETs) and nine subthemes emerged from the data: (1) spiritual mentorship - subthemes (a) using the app for guidance and support, (b) belonging and reassurance, (c) sharing spiritual knowledge; (2) achieving remarkable growth - subthemes (a) advancing emotionally, (b) developing spiritually, (c) improved relationships; and (3) attitudes towards spirituality - subthemes (a) positive feelings about meditations, affirmations, and journalling, (b) spirituality an important aspect of life, and (c) spirituality and mental health. The results of this study indicated that using a spiritual mobile app can provide meaningful guidance, support, and connection. Participants described various benefits, including personal development and enhanced mental and emotional wellbeing. The results highlight potential implications for mental health practitioners, who may wish to incorporate or recommend spiritual based apps as a means of supporting wellbeing. Future research should include longitudinal studies to examine the long-term effects of using spiritual mobile apps. Research on specific demographic groups and user experiences with AI-generated spirituality could also provide valuable insights.