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“There for The Right Reasons”: New Zealand Early Childhood Professionals’ Sense of Calling, Life Goals, Personal and Spiritual Values

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Abstract

Using a mixed-method approach, this present study examined the roles of calling and the relation between life goals and spiritual values among early childhood professionals in New Zealand. Among the 102 participants who completed the surveys, 24 participated in the follow-up individual interviews. In line with previous research, results showed that the five spiritual values—conformity, universalism, tradition, benevolence, and security—positively correlated with at least three intrinsic life goals, but showed a negative correlation with at least three of the four extrinsic goals. In addition, all non-spiritual values—self-direction, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, and power—correlated negatively with at least three of the intrinsic life goals. A similar pattern was found between the correlation between all non-spiritual values and extrinsic life goals. Interview data showed that participants who self-identified as having experienced a call to work with young children actively engaged with their calling. They also affirmed that their calling was experienced at a deeply personal and emotional level. Participants also recognized the important impact of life goals, personal and spiritual values on their work. This paper concludes with implications for future research and practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Kaili C. Zhang

  2. Lumen Research Institute, Excelsia College and Indiana Wesleyan University, Sydney, Australia

    Kaili C. Zhang

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  1. Kaili C. Zhang
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Correspondence to Kaili C. Zhang.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in the study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Zhang, K.C. “There for The Right Reasons”: New Zealand Early Childhood Professionals’ Sense of Calling, Life Goals, Personal and Spiritual Values. J Relig Health 63, 309–328 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01642-1

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