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Religious and Spiritual Coping: A Component of Post Traumatic Growth Among Female Young Adults with an Experience of Child Sexual Abuse


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1 Department of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
     

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Spiritual and religious coping seemed to have a positive impact on well-being and have predominant role in empowering one to cope with life stress. Though spirituality and religion may be associated with guilt and neurosis, it can also stimulate peace, optimism, meaning in suffering, forgiveness, and reconciliation to oneself and others. This study examined the buffering influence of religious and spiritual coping in attaining post-traumatic growth among female young adult victims of child sexual abuse. The study utilized focus group methodology to elicit the participant's perceptions of the prompting role of religion and spirituality as a psychological factor contributing to their post-traumatic growth. Two themes emerged from this process, namely: source of empowerment and source of meaning, the psychological resources, which led to positive changes in their lives. Moreover, this study engendered interesting conceptualizations that demonstrated religious and spiritual coping as an influencing factor for posttraumatic growth.

Keywords

Religious And Spiritual Coping, Post-Traumatic Growth, Female Young Adults.
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  • Religious and Spiritual Coping: A Component of Post Traumatic Growth Among Female Young Adults with an Experience of Child Sexual Abuse

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Authors

Nancy George
Department of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Lucila O. Bance
Department of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

Abstract


Spiritual and religious coping seemed to have a positive impact on well-being and have predominant role in empowering one to cope with life stress. Though spirituality and religion may be associated with guilt and neurosis, it can also stimulate peace, optimism, meaning in suffering, forgiveness, and reconciliation to oneself and others. This study examined the buffering influence of religious and spiritual coping in attaining post-traumatic growth among female young adult victims of child sexual abuse. The study utilized focus group methodology to elicit the participant's perceptions of the prompting role of religion and spirituality as a psychological factor contributing to their post-traumatic growth. Two themes emerged from this process, namely: source of empowerment and source of meaning, the psychological resources, which led to positive changes in their lives. Moreover, this study engendered interesting conceptualizations that demonstrated religious and spiritual coping as an influencing factor for posttraumatic growth.

Keywords


Religious And Spiritual Coping, Post-Traumatic Growth, Female Young Adults.

References