Abstract:
While spirituality has increasingly been recognized as a vital component of holistic health, the scientific measurement of its neurobiological underpinnings remains underdeveloped. This study aims to test the construct validity of an innovative instrument measuring both Conventional Executive Function (CEF) and Transcendental Executive Function (TEF) using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Data were collected from 795 ethnically and religiously diverse participants across five Indonesian cities. Results revealed strong construct validity, with 88% of items demonstrating adequate factor loadings (≥0.4). The TEF dimensions had better measurement qualities, showing excellent fit with the model (RMSEA=0.020, CFI=0.999, TLI=0.999, SRMR=0.010) than the CEF dimensions. The Transcendence (0.315-0.925), Decision Making (0.642-0.857), and Meaning of Life (0.596-0.948) dimensions showed very strong relationships, which supports the idea that spiritual and transcendent thinking is linked to measurable brain activity. These findings question the usual separation between rationality and spirituality, indicating that both are connected parts of how the brain works, which affects mental health treatments, psychospiritual evaluations, and our understanding of the connections between mind, brain, and spirit.
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