Although religion and spirituality (R/S) can be a protective factor for many, R/S can also be maladaptive in the form of R/S abuse and trauma. R/S abuse and trauma can have a significant impact on one's psychological functioning and has been positively associated with anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, and R/S struggles. However, relatively few studies have explored the relationship between R/S abuse and attachment to God. This study helps address this gap in research by exploring the potential associations between R/S abuse and attachment to God in a sample of 308 adults who endorsed a current and/or past R/S identity. The current study found that (a) individuals with marginalized identities reported higher rates of R/S abuse than those with fewer or no marginalized identities, (b) individuals who reported more frequent R/S abuse reported higher levels of R/S struggles, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms, even when controlling for other experiences of trauma and abuse, (c) length of time since one's conversion moderated the association between R/S abuse and God attachment anxiety and avoidance but not R/S deidentification, and (d) God attachment anxiety and avoidance did not moderate the relationship between R/S abuse and trauma-related symptoms or R/S deidentification. I conclude by discussing my findings considering attachment theory and the extant literature on R/S abuse. By better understanding R/S abuse, clinicians will be better equipped to interact with clients of diverse R/S identities, potentially utilizing R/S as a strength in addition to addressing the maladaptive aspects of R/S.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc2356118 |
| Date | 07 1900 |
| Creators | Ellis, Heidi M. |
| Contributors | Jones, Martinque, Watkins, Ed, Hook, Joshua |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | Text |
| Rights | Public, Ellis, Heidi M., Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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