Religious/Spiritual Abuse and Psychological and Spiritual Functioning

Religious and spiritual (R/S) abuse has been associated with a wide range of negative psychological and spiritual outcomes. However, few studies consider the potential impact of other experiences of trauma and abuse that individuals may have experienced in addition to R/S abuse. The present study examined the extent to which R/S abuse is associated with R/S struggles and trauma-related symptoms when controlling for other experiences of trauma and abuse. Participants were 308 adults who reported a current or prior R/S identity. Results suggest that R/S abuse was significantly associated with psychological and spiritual functioning over and above other experiences of trauma participants. We conclude by discussing the limitations of the present study, areas for future research, and clinical implications.