Spiritual Decline as a Predictor of Posttraumatic Stress

Bibliographic Data

ID3318890
AuthorsAbigail Crete (0000-0001-6973-3307, Columbia University, corresponding author), Mary R Anderson (0000-0002-4140-2626, Columbia University), Suza Scalora, Suza C Scalora (0000-0002-5524-7049, Columbia University), Elisabeth Mistur, Elisabeth J Mistur (0000-0002-3850-3979, Columbia University), Olivia Fuller (0000-0001-9137-198X, Columbia University), Lisa Miller (0000-0002-9271-5331, Columbia University)
Year2020
Volume11
Issue11
Pages575
Publication date2020-11-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel11110575
OpenAlexW3097722559
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited45

Many college students in the United States arrive on campus with exposure to both traumatic events and typical negative life events, as well as varying levels of emotional wellness. One way that students may seek out help is through spiritually supportive wellness programming. The current study examines the prevalence of and relationship between traumatic life events, typical negative life events, and spiritual growth and decline as predictors of posttraumatic stress in a sample of undergraduates (N = 88) seeking spiritually supportive wellness. Traumatic and typical negative life events and spiritual decline were predictive of posttraumatic stress. Furthermore, a moderation effect was found such that while participants with high trauma exposure and high spiritual decline reported the highest posttraumatic stress, those with high trauma exposure and low spiritual decline reported lower posttraumatic stress, similar to those with low trauma exposure. These results have implications for the role of spiritual decline in the etiology of PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) within emerging adult populations who identify as spiritual that warrant further study

Etiology · Moderation · Posttraumatic growth · Posttraumatic stress · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology