ABSTRACT
The last 30 years have seen a shift in the social work profession from a dissociation of the religious/spiritual to an embracement of spirituality as an important human condition. The spiritual lives of children and adolescents have historically been neglected in the research literature. This is in part the result of the long-held belief that children and younger adolescents do not have the ability for abstract thought needed to contemplate spiritual issues. Spirituality has also been found to moderate the development of mental health problems. Children and adolescents of distinct cultures and/or faiths express their spirituality in diverse ways. For children and adolescents who express their spirituality through traditional religious expressions, attending services, participating in youth activities, praying/meditating and/or celebrating religious holidays can provide the means by which they are able to continue to grow and express their spiritual selves.
