Introduction: defining spirituality
Abuse or neglect not only impacts a child physically and emotionally (Felitti & Anda, 2010), it can also impact a child spiritually (Russell, 2018). Spirituality has been defined as a “search or quest for the Sacred” or as a “private, personal, affective experience with ‘the Divine’” (Walker, Reid, O’Neill, & Brown, 2009). Religiousness is more commonly thought of as “an institutional set of beliefs and practices” (Walker, et al, 2009). Although academics differentiate between religiosity and spirituality, most laypersons consider them to be interchangeable terms (Walker, et al, 2009).
Research on the spiritual impact of child abuse
However the term is defined, child abuse often impacts a child’s sense of spirituality. For example, in a study of 527 male victims of child maltreatment, researchers found significant spiritual injuries including feelings of guilt, anger, grief, despair, fear of death, and a belief that God is unfair (Lawson, Drebing, Berg, Vincellente, & Penk, 1998).
When the perpetrator is a member of the clergy or otherwise closely connected to the child’s faith tradition, the spiritual impact may be particularly pronounced (Pargament, Murray-Swank, & Mahoney, 2008; McLaughlin, 1994). Researchers have found that “religion-related abuse has significantly more negative implications for its victims' long-term psychological well-being” than similar abuse not inflicted in the name of God (Bottoms, Nielsen, Murray & Filipas, 2004). There also appears to be an age difference with young children being more spiritually impacted than older children—perhaps because their spirituality is still in development (Gall, 2007). There may also be differences among survivors of different faith traditions or denominations (Collines, O’Neill-Arana, Fontes, & Ossege, 2014).
Spirituality as a source of resilience
Although these studies highlight the spiritual harm inflicted as a result of child abuse, there is also a significant body of research that spirituality can be a source of resiliency and may aid an abused child or other victims of violence in coping physically and emotionally (Bryant-Davis, et al, 2012; Walker, et al, 2009). Even without meaningful intervention, child abuse victims maintaining a connection to their faith communities have fewer mental health conditions throughout their life (Reinert, Campbell, Roche, Lee, & Szanton, 2016).
Two scholars provide this summary: The research around religious and spiritual coping shows strong and convincing relationships between psychological adjustment and physical health following trauma. Spirituality provides a belief system and sense of divine connectedness that helps give meaning to the traumatic experience and has been shown over and over to aid in the recovery process (Gwinn & Hellman, 2019).
Responding to the spiritual impact of abuse
In response to this significant and growing body of research, mental health providers should work on three fronts. First, mental health providers need to grow their knowledge of this issue, and where appropriate, permit or even cultivate an exploration of spirituality in therapy. The American Psychological Association has published two treatises that may be of assistance (Walker & Hathaway, 2013; Walker, Courtois, & Aten, 2015).
Second, mental health providers need to take a leadership role in educating the faith community about mental health. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognizes that “people experiencing mental health concerns often turn first to a faith leader.” (American Psychiatric Association, 2016). Accordingly, the APA has developed a guide to assist faith leaders in recognizing signs of mental illness and making an appropriate referral (American Psychiatric Association, 2016). The APA guide as well as other resources for coordinating mental health and spiritual care (Singer, 2018) should be shared widely with community faith leaders.
Third, mental health professionals working as part of a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) or as a member of a multidisciplinary response to child abuse need to develop effective working collaborations with faith leaders (Tishelman & Fontes, 2017). As one promising practice, the Julie Valentine Center, a CAC in Greenville, South Carolina, employs a full-time chaplain who is available to assist when children or adults raise spiritual questions and who can make referrals to other faith leaders who are trauma-informed and willing to coordinate their work with medical and mental health providers.
Conclusion
Martin Luther King said, “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” Although some mental health professionals may feel uncomfortable with the subject of religion, we cannot ignore its importance to many abused children and the critical role it can play in resiliency. When spirituality is important to a client, mental health providers have a moral obligation to respond in a culturally sensitive manner to what, for many survivors, is a source of infinite hope.