Posttraumatic growth and spiritual change in women’s substance use recovery

A trauma-informed positive psychological perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID22426324
AuthorsShannon K Johnson (0000-0001-8979-9346, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, corresponding author), M Wren Lichlyter-Klein (0000-0001-8066-1033, University of Colorado Colorado Springs)
Year2026
Pages1-20
Publication date2026-07-14
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1542-6432 • E-ISSN: 1542-6440
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/15426432.2026.2700724
OpenAlexW7168288209
LanguageEN
References cited38

Guided by posttraumatic growth (PTG) frameworks, this study examines spiritual change as a dimension of women’s substance use recovery in the context of interpersonal violence. Among women in residential substance use treatment with self-reported histories of interpersonal trauma (N = 51), spiritual growth was found to be positively associated with PTG and inversely related to spiritual decline. Spiritual struggle was linked to psychological distress. Findings highlight spiritual growth as a pathway for meaning reconstruction and growth while supporting conceptualizations of recovery that include engagement of existential meaning-making. Implications underscore the importance of spiritually competent, gender-responsive substance use treatment approaches.

Perspective (graphical) · Posttraumatic growth · Spiritual development · Spirituality · Substance use · Forgiveness and Related Behaviors · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Tools

Open DOI