Religious and spiritual struggles among adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse: Associations with trauma symptoms.

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that adolescents' struggles over their relationship with God (i.e., divine struggles) in the aftermath of sexual abuse is linked to their mental health. However, other types of religious and spiritual (R/S) struggles identified among adults have not been examined among adolescents who have been sexually abused.

OBJECTIVE

The current study sought to extend knowledge on R/S struggles among adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse by investigating 1) whether multiple types of R/S struggles emerge and, more specifically, if divine struggles emerge as a separate factor from other types of R/S struggles, and 2) if R/S struggles relate to adolescent trauma symptoms after accounting for other known correlates of trauma symptoms.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

Participants were adolescents who reported experiences of sexual abuse and who presented for services at a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) in the United States (N = 641, Mage = 13.46 years; 93.4 % female; 61.9 % Hispanic/Latino/a).

METHODS

Adolescents reported on R/S struggles, trauma symptoms, emotional stability, negative responses from others, and characteristics of the abuse (coercion, physical harm).

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis yielded multiple types of R/S struggles. Additionally, ultimate-meaning struggles, divine struggles, and demonic reappraisal were associated with trauma symptoms after controlling for emotional stability and other correlates of trauma symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

R/S struggles should be considered in efforts to help adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse. Additional research on the measurement of R/S struggles among adolescents is needed.