Religious/Spiritual Abuse, Meaning-Making, and Posttraumatic Growth
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3551935 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sarah Perry (0009-0002-6196-0745, Lakehead University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 824 |
| Publication date | 2024-07-08 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel15070824 |
| OpenAlex | W4400407281 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 23 |
While religion and spirituality (R/S) have been broadly studied for their positive mental health impacts, instances of abuse within religious or spiritual contexts remain under-researched. This scoping review aims to elucidate how individuals experiencing such abuse navigate their trauma, find meaning, and foster posttraumatic growth (PTG). The research was conducted using a scoping review methodology as a guide, and 10 articles were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Synthesizing these articles revealed the following three central themes: recognizing abuse, relaying one's story, and redefining spirituality. Survivors often face disbelief and stigma, hindering their ability to process their experiences. However, narrative sharing enables many to reclaim agency and healing through validation and the integration of the narrative into one's life story. Additionally, survivors often transform spirituality, shifting from rigid frameworks to more nuanced and flexible understandings of the Divine and self. These findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed, spiritually sensitive clinical approaches that validate survivors' experiences, facilitate narrative sharing, and support spiritual redefining. Future research must address knowledge gaps, including the development of improved assessment tools, exploration of effective treatment strategies, and the unifying of terms to better support survivors' healing journeys and promote meaning-making and PTG in the aftermath of R/S abuse
Meaning-making · Posttraumatic growth · Psychotherapist · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology
Daily religious coping buffers the stress–affect relationship and benefits overall metabolic health in older adults
Narrating and Remembrance in the Face of Abuse in the Church
Posttraumatic Growth and Spirituality in Mothers of Children with Pediatric Cancer
Spirituality and Transcendent Meaning Making
Integrating religion/spirituality into professional social work practice
Faith to move mountains
The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice
The Spiritual Trauma Experienced by Victims of Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy
Pulled from the Shoreline in Search of Spacious Spirituality
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |