Religious Coping and Depression Among Blacks and Whites After Sexual Abuse

According to the theory of Fundamental Assumptions, childhood sexual abuse survivors have more depressive symptoms as a consequence of disrupted assumptions relating to optimism and mastery (Janoff-Bulman, 1992). This study tested whether positive religious coping preserves the fundamental assumptions to decrease depressive symptoms. In contrast, negative religious coping was posited to challenge assumptions. These hypotheses were tested in 2949 women from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health study of which 246 reported childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with no childhood physical abuse and no adult sexual assault. Across all participants, positive religious coping (benevolent God reappraisal, collaborative religious coping, and spiritual connection) positively predicted optimism, and collaborative religious coping positively predicted mastery. Negative religious coping (punishing God reappraisal, passive deferral, and anger at God) was inversely associated with both optimism and mastery. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that CSA participants reported marginally lower levels of mastery, higher punishing God reappraisal and depressive symptoms compared to nonCSA participants. Blacks reported higher benevolent God reappraisal, spiritual connection and punishing God reappraisal. Among Whites, collaborative religious coping decreased risk for depression, while anger at God increased risk for depression after CSA. Among Blacks, punishing God reappraisal increased risk for depression after CSA. Janoff-Bulman's theory of child sexual abuse disrupting fundamental assumptions was partially supported; religious coping demonstrated a pathway to repair assumptions and improve depression outcomes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2011

Author dc:creator

• Dye, Richelin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Morton, Kelly R.

• Clinical Psychology
• Child Abuse, Sexual -- Psychology; Depression; African Americans; Caucasians
• Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Religious coping
• Benevolent God Reappraisal
• Punishing God Reappraisal
• Collaborative Religious Coping

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/28

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1027