Posters
Friday, May 13, 14:00 - 15:30
Here you find PDF files of the poster presentations.
1. Psychosocial and Spiritual Needs of Mothers of Sick New Born or Preterms
Arndt Büssing, Undine Wassermann, Michael Thiel, Alfred Längler
Background: Spirituality is part of the basic needs of all humans, yet often ignored in hospitals because it is regarded as beyond professional duties of health professionals. Meanwhile there is an increasing body of evidence that even in secular societies, patients with chronic diseases may have specific spiritual needs. Less is known about the spiritual needs of mothers of preterm or sick new born children.
Aim: We intended to identify and quantify unmet needs of these mothers, and to relate these needs to their perceived stress and affections of life concerns.
Methods: Anonym cross-sectional survey with standardized instruments (SpNQ, FACIT-Sp, BMLSS, PSS etc.) among 124 mothers of two pediatric departments.
Results: Religious Needs (0.6 ± 0.8) and Existentialistic Needs (0.4 ± 0.5) scored lowest, while Giving/Generativity Needs (1.0 ± 0.8) were of some and Inner Peace Needs (1.4 ± 0.7) of strongest relevance. Mothers´ spiritual well-being scored high, particularly the Meaning (3.2 ± 0.6) and Peace (2.4 ± 0.8) components, but not Faith (1.5 ± 1.1). Mothers did perceive affections of daily life concerns (57 ± 22) and felt “under pressure” (53 ± 26), but had only moderate stress scores (23 ± 6), and their life satisfaction was nevertheless very high (82 ± 13). In fact, they felt highly supported by their partner (5.6 ± 0.9) and hospital staff (5.1 ± 1.1). Talking with hospital staff assured 82% of them that they must not worry about the prognosis of their child. Thus, with respect to the prognosis of their child (preterm - sick with good - sick with unclear/poor prognosis), there were no significant differences between their spiritual needs scores, only a trend for higher religious needs (F=2.8; p=.065). However, the spiritual well-being component Peace was higher in mothers of children with poor or unclear prognosis (F=5.5; p=.005), and their positive mood states scored lowest (F=7.8; p=.001) and they felt more “under pressure” (F=4.4; p=.014).
Particularly Inner Peace Needs correlated weakly with stress perception (r=.25), affections of life concerns (r=.25) and grief (r=.23), and only marginally with the Peace component of spiritual wellbeing (r=- .19). Mothers´ spiritual well-being was moderately negative related to stress perception (r=-.44) and life satisfaction (r=.36). Both dimensions obviously cover different aspects of inner peace.
Conclusions: Mothers of sick born / premature children felt supported by the hospital team and their partner, but nevertheless do experience stress and daily life affections, and had unmet Inner Peace needs. Addressing these specific needs in hospitals may help to support them in their struggle with their difficult situation and to promote healthy binding to their child.
2. Spiritual Dryness in Catholic Priests: Experiences and Reactions
Arndt Büssing, Klaus Baumann, Christoph Jacobs, Eckhard Frick
Background: During their professional life with increasing job demands, pastoral workers may experience phases of psychological and spiritual crises. Albeit in most cases transient, such phases may recur. The underlying causes are probably multifaceted, stemming from external factors (i.e., work overload, structural changes in the work processes, conflict with colleagues, low credit by superiors), but also from internal factors (i.e., psychological traits and capacities, own resources to rely on).
Aim: We aimed to analyze (1) the prevalence of spiritual dryness as a measure of spiritual crisis in a large sample of Catholic priests, (2) to identify predictors associated with spiritual dryness, and (3) their reactions towards these phases.
Methods: Cross-sectional survey (as part of the German Pastoral Worker Study) among 3,824 Catholic priests from 22 of 27 dioceses using standardized questionnaires (i.e., Spiritual Dryness Scale, DSES-6, MBI, PSS, BSI-18, SOC-13, etc.).
Results: Feelings of spiritual dryness were experienced occasionally by 46%, often or regularly by 12%, while 36% experience it seldom and 6% not at all. Best predictors of this form of spiritual crisis were the (lack of) perception of the transcendent, (low) sense of coherence, depressive and burnout symptoms. These variables explain 43% of variance. Loneliness, anxiety and stress perception would add further 0.6% explained variance, and are thus of low relevance in the regression model.
In a subgroup of 657 priests we analyzed their reactions towards phases of spiritual dryness. Most had found strategies to cope with these phases of spiritual dryness (yet 19% only rarely and 12% not at all). These feelings stimulated 37% (fairly often or even regularly) to help others, 31% either not or only rarely, and 33% occasionally; 34% experienced deeper spiritual clarity and depth, 24% either not at all or rarely, and 41% occasionally.
Conclusions: Catholic priests may experience phases of spiritual dryness which are associated with depressive symptoms. Because this spiritual struggle can either lead to spiritual desolation or spiritual growth, it is important to adequately support priests and other pastoral workers. Particularly low perception of the transcendent and low sense of coherence is of relevance because they are resources for which suitable support might be offered.
3. Self-Attributed Importance of Spiritual Practices in Catholic Pastoral Workers and their Association with Life Satisfaction
Arndt Büssing, Eckhard Frick, Christoph Jacobs, Klaus Baumann
Background: While much more is known about the frequency of spiritual activities of pastoral workers, less is know how important specific spiritual and existential practices are to them personally or existentially.
Aim: As part of the German Pastoral Ministry Study, we intended to analyze 1) which forms of spiritual activities were regarded as important, 2) how they relate to the frequency of engagement / spiritual practices, and 3) how these practices contribute to the life satisfaction of ordained priests and non-ordained pastoral workers, respectively.
Methods: Cross-sectional survey among 1,826 Catholic pastoral workers, i.e., 65% priests and 35% (non-ordained) pastoral assistants and parish expert workers using standardized questionnaires.
Results: The importance of Prosocial-humanistic practices scored highest, followed by Gratitude/ Awe, Existentialistic practices, and Religious practices; Spiritual mind-body practices (“Eastern forms”) were not relevant. Frequency and ascribed importance of spiritual practices differs between ordained and non-ordained pastoral workers. Moreover, there was a surprising lack of connection between religious practices and proclaimed importance particularly of Prosocial-humanistic practices and Gratitude/Awe.
For priests, particularly Perception of the Transcendent, Spiritual Dryness (inversely), and importance of Gratitude/Awe were the best spiritual predictors of their life satisfaction (31% explained variance), followed by four further variables (i.e., Frequency Liturgy of Hours, Age, low Private Prayer and low importance of Existentialistic practices) which would add 5% of additional variance explanation. For non-ordained pastoral workers five variables would explain 17% of variance in their life satisfaction scores, particularly Spiritual Dryness and importance of Gratitude / Awe, followed by importance of Existentialistic practices, Frequency of Sacramental Confession, and frequency of Eucharist.
Conclusions: These findings may stimulate further research looking for the underlying causes of these differences between priests and other pastoral workers, and of the gaps between frequency and importance of spiritual practices in all groups which in our opinion indicate challenging inconsistencies with regard to the ideals of religious vocations. Moreover, the contributors of pastoral worker´s life satisfaction have differential impact which remains to be analysed.
4. The Human Aggression and Destructiveness in the Works of Erich Fromm's
Nataliia Buriak
How can we explain man's lust for cruelty? In a world in which violence in every form seems to be increasing, Erich Fromm-the author of numerous books-has treated this haunting question with depth and scope in the most original and far-reaching work of his brilliant career.
The thesis is devoted to the problem of human aggression in the interpretation of the famous philosopher and sociologist Erich Fromm. Reveals the philosophical and methodological Erich Fromm's approach to the analysis of aggressiveness and destructiveness. In particular, the analysis of personality of Adolf Hitler is brightly pronounced in the work of Erich Fromm's "Anatomy of the human destructiveness".
5. Dynamics of Religious Consciousness of the Ukrainian Society in the Context of the Revolution of Dignity
Diana Chuvashova, Yevgen Kharkovshchenko
We became the witnesses of that Revolution of Dignity between years 2013–2014, of annexation of the Republic of Crimea and of the military aggression of Russia in Donbas region. All these events last until nowadays and produce deep changes in religious consciousness of Ukrainian society.
The object of this research is to analyse the dynamics of religious consciousness of the Ukrainian society during the Revolution of Dignity and to outline the direction of religious tendencies in consciousness of society in future. Those events that took place on Maidan are not casual. They became embodiment of aspiration of Ukrainian society to declare about the unity with European cultural traditions and to claim against the old pro-Russian regime. All revolutionary events concern all the spheres of public existence, however first of all they concern the identification of self-determination of both individual and nation in complete. Due to the fact that Ukraine is traditionally the Orthodox country and religion became to renovate with enormous force after receiving the independence, the revolution could not concern religion sphere.
In opinion of researchers, traditional Ukrainian religious consciousness that was folded historically is marked by deep traditionalism of faith, from the one side, and by the necessity of renunciation of politically-spiritual dependence - from the other side. Thus, after the Revolution of Dignity, looking after, as far as the orthodoxy church of Russia stepped back from the christian persuasions, Ukrainian community the opportunity to behave more critically to development of Ukrainian Christianity, rethinking the role and the mission of church or society. However extraordinary traditional Ukrainian religious consciousness tries to put on the brakes of this process. Yes, we can observe how the religious consciousness of Ukrainian society feels an internal conflict, trying to dissociate new tendencies from traditional, to evaluate them and create conditions and terms for their coexistence.
Such situation is natural and will have the both positive and negative consequences that are needed for society for the further rethinking of values, for understanding that personality and its behavior should not depend on a concrete social situation, but should be determined by the generally accepted principles in the civilized world.
However, in our opinion, Ukrainian religious consciousness is unique and original, that appears in its extraordinarily traditional world view, where the church and personal faith play a considerable role. Exactly this thing will not allow to Ukrainians to replace a requirement in religion by other values, to replace the requirements in religion. This is the evidence that nowadays we have the opportunity to observe the original and regular stage of transformation of Ukrainian religious consciousness, the essence of that consists in combination of national tradition, personal faith and active civil position.
6. Place Attachment, Spirituality, and Mental Health: A Study of the African Diaspora in Europe
Victor Counted
Attachment theory is a fascinating point of inquiry for understanding human experiences. This framework equally provides a common language for understanding the function of emotional bonds to places in influencing certain attributes of religious experience and spirituality, describing in detail the special characteristics and the process of interaction that facilitate affectionate links between an individual, a divine attachment figure, and a place. We present a study that establishes how a knowledge of attachment bonds to certain places and specific divine figures ought to incorporate advances in mental health practices. This paper discusses how the knowledge of attachment phenomena in certain places and in spirituality can be useful strategies for producing therapeutic change and more productive client functioning in mental health practice. A case example is provided to focus, integrate, and elaborate the elements presented.
7. Holistic Care to Patients with Chronic Pain: A Literature Review
Joseph Gauci
Background: Chronic pain is a very subjective experience that is difficult to localise, define and measure in terms of severity. The role of the healthcare professional is crucial in understanding the patients’ definition of pain and to adequately provide holistic care. This is vital in the management and prognosis of their condition.
It has now been recognised that multiple factors play a role in the aetiology of chronic pain. Recent evidence suggests a shift from a biomedical to a biopsychosocial model, taking into account biological, psychological and social factor. It is now increasingly evident that the concepts of spirituality and religiosity also play a role in the management of such chronic conditions. The implementation of such concepts has led to the identification and development of novel holistic biopsychosocial-spiritual approaches which were found effective in coping with chronic pain. This has been documented in a number of studies aimed to investigate biopsychosocial-spiritual approaches to care. Despite the available literature, there is a lack of understanding of the role and definition of spirituality in the context of chronic pain care. This review therefore seeks to analyse the existing research on the topic, focusing on the holistic management of patients with chronic and persisting pain.
Methods: Available literature was critically analysed to find consistent and contrasting views on the aspect of chronic pain management, biopsychosocial-spiritual model, spirituality and religion, and the role of healthcare professional in holistic pain management.
Findings: Despite several definitions of spirituality and religiosity, there is a consensus on the role of the biopsychosocial-spiritual model in the treatment of chronic pain. It is evident that spirituality and religion may be a source of support, comfort and love; decrease pain intensity; reduce stress; increase patient coping; accompanied by an enhanced overall prognosis. Coping strategies may be influenced by various factors, such as personal characteristics, attitudes, culture and beliefs. Nevertheless, multiple beneficial effects on chronic pain support the addition of the spiritual dimension to the biopsychosocial model of care, to embrace the whole person. Thus this merits further research to ameliorate patient care.
8. ‚It's Sort of a Calling’ - A Qualitative Study of Volunteers’ Motivation to Work with Substance Abusers
Siw-Anita Lien
The aim for my research was to explore how motivation and actions are expressed amongst a group of Christian volunteers engaged in low-threshold activity directed towards drug addicts.
The majority of Norwegian institutions concerned with treatment and care for substance addicts are run by Christian denominations, in contrasts to other parts of Norwegian health and social services. These Christian denominations are not only concerned with treatment and aftercare, but also take a major part in other initiatives like outreach programs and low-threshold activities. The motivation behind this widespread activity has not been examined with regards to religious motivation as a key component. Through interviews with 9 men and women, all of whom are volunteers or employed at a Christian outreach program, I have examined what motivates their effort and how their faith expresses itself through the activities they are part of.
The most prominent motivation was found among those who claim to have received a calling to help people in need, especially those with a drug problem. Their sense of duty is strongly connected to their experience of a calling and influences all of their actions. Another feature was how their actions, like handing out meals or coffee, also have a religious significance, where the aim is to portray the Christian message through the way they treat the addicts. Third, their action had a profound symbolism, where their actions embodied a symbolic resemblance to the stories of the Bible.
These components show how motivation can be explained within Ninian Smarts theory of worldview, where the informants act within a Christian worldview. This provides an insight into how the informants explain their motivation, their emphasis on religious meaning, and how their Christian faith expresses itself. It also shows how they embody the Christian message, and how this is reflected as part of their worldview. This gives an insight to why Christian denominations and individuals find meaning and purpose in participating in low-threshold activities for substance addicts, and how their effort can explain their considerable presence in this part of the health and social services.
9. The Images of God: Roots and Fruits of their Different Variants
Klara Malinakova MSc, Peter Tavel
There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and their role in physical and mental health. Most studies note the protective influence of both constructs (R/S), however a few studies do exist which reach different conclusions. Though the discrepancy could be partly explained e.g. by different approaches to the measurement of R/S, cultural context and various groups of respondents, there are abundant reasons for other factors to be at work. In monotheistic religions for example, the image of God is at the core of R/S. This poster aims to summarise it’s development, most common variants and possible multiple connections with health.
There are three significant factors that could contribute to the development of an individual image of God: 1) religious education, 2) religious practice (prayer, service attendance etc.), 3) the relational experiences with primary caregivers. While the first and partly the second factor contribute to the so called God concept (an individual’s cognitive understanding of God), the third and possibly part of the second gives foundation to God image (a subjective emotional experience of God). This fact could explain the discrepancy between the „rational“ and „emotional“ image of God, that can often be observed in practice.
The commonly mentioned pathways through whitch R/S (the image of God) might influence health are psychological pathway (better coping, greater sense of meaning etc.), greater social support and health behaviors, as summarised e.g. by Koenig et al. (2012) and Aldwin et al. (2014). However, also the physiological reaction during spiritual practices could possibly play it’s role by altering the neurochemistry of the brain, leading to a sense of peace, happiness and security, and by this, decreasing the harmful effect of stress (Newberg, 2009). Positive or negative God image could influence these pathways to a different degree. Some could be relatively less affected while for the others (e.g. physiological reaction, psychological mechanisms) a more dramatic difference could be expected.
Therefore, the aim of this work is to show in a plastic way the complexity of the combination of three images of God and their influence on health. It will include a brief overwiew of research on associations with health behaviors, social support and psychological mechanisms and proposed association with physiological reaction, specified by the levels of selected hormons and neurotransmitters.
10. Styles of Religious Thinking, Religious Anxiety and Belief in Miraculous Healing
Jakub Pawlikowski, Michal Wiechetek, Marek Jarosz
Background: According to Wulff (1991), approaches to religion can be inserted in an orthogonal bipolar dimension. Vertical dimension specifies to what extent people accept the real existence of God or other transcendent reality. The horizontal dimension indicates whether religious content is interpreted literally or symbolically (Hutsebaut, 2000). Cognitive styles of approach to religion can be influenced by sociocultural conditions such as secularisation/laicization connected with religious anxiety, feeling of God’s abandonment or despondency which in turn may lead to the negation of God’s existence or action (Spilka, Hood, Hunsberger, Gorsuch, 2003).
The aim of research was to analyse the relationship between religious styles of thinking, religious anxiety and the interpretation of miraculous healings.
Material and method: A survey was conducted on a group of 162 respondents (72,2% woman) aged from 18 to 26 (M = 21,03; SD = 1,6). Participants completed a short version of Post-Critical Belief Scales (PCBS, Duriez et al. 2005), Miraculous Healings Scale (BMHS, Pawlikowski, Wiechetek, 2012) and anxiety dimension derived from Multidimensional Quest Orientation Scale (Beck and Jessup, 2004).
Results and conclusions: Results indicate that the styles of religious thinking and religious anxiety are connected with specific beliefs on the cause of miraculous healings. Respondents who accepted the existence of a transcendent reality perceived miraculous healing as a result of God’s act, but not as an effect of undefined possibilities of the human nature or medical bias. People who rejected a transcendent reality or experienced religious anxiety explained miraculous healing as an effect of undefined possibilities of the human nature, medical bias, and (less often) an action of an indefinite supernatural powers.
11. Unveiling the Sacred In Health Care Encounters
Davina Gabriela
The central goal of this paper is to increase the reader’s knowledge of an integrative approach to the healthcare encounter by explaining the ‘theoretical’ and demonstrating the ‘clinical’ utility of selectively incorporating all dimensions of the patient’s reality into the healthcare setting. This involves moving beyond the biopsychosocial paradigm (as originally proposed by Engel, 1977, 1979, 1980) and includes awakening the practitioner to the ease with which the spiritual, mystical, or religious (SMR) dimension of human experience may be seamlessly integrated into any healthcare environment. Two spiritual mnemonics are introduced to facilitate recall of the verbal and non-verbal approaches proposed in this paper to rapidly identify and clinically utilize a patient’s SMR resources in the medical encounter. These suggested approaches allow for leveraging an individual’s SMR affiliations onto healthcare issues in order to maximize efficacy and efficiency in the healthcare arena. Additionally, they offer hermeneutical illumination of an applied and practical approach to selectively integrate the spiritual domain when working with the spiritually attuned, religiously affiliated, or mystically sensitive (SARAMS) patient. By recognizing, understanding, and selectively utilizing all dimensions of the patient’s reality; that is, all dimensions of human experience, the healthcare provider maximizes the opportunity to more thoroughly and efficaciously disrupt and desensitize the dynamic forces that impede recovery; thereby facilitating the patient’s natural, innate, multidimensional pathways of healing to recursively unfold.
12. Activities Papacy in Health
Serhii Stefanov
The role of the papacy in the health security sector is currently very actual subject in recent years because of the last years of Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers work, the following challenging modern issues were reviewed : autism, AIDS, culture of health and other. The Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers shows the concern of the Church for the sick by helping those who serve the sick and suffering. The Council shall distribute the teaching of the Church in the spiritual and moral aspects of illness as well as the value of human suffering. Its tasks also include coordinating the activities of various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as they relate to health. Pontifical Council explains and defends the teaching of the Church on health issues. The Council also follows and examines the programs and initiatives of health policy at international and national levels, in order to derive its relevance and importance for the pastoral care of the Church.
13. Convictions Concerning the Nature-Nurture Determinants of Human Condition and Interpretations of Miraculous Healings Among Medical Students
Michal Wiechetek, Jakub Pawlikowski, Jaroslaw Sak
Background: Various interpretations of miraculous healings have been offered throughout centuries. The diverse approaches to miracles originated from the differences in understanding of the causative factors, concepts of nature and the relationship between God and nature. Many interpretations concerning the nature-nurture determinants of human condition were offered in philosophical, psychological, medical and biological publications (Plomin et all. 2001; Tabery J. 2014, Frire et all. 2011) and it is possible to distinguish 3 ways of interpreting these determinants: 1) domination of natural determinants (e.g. biological, hereditary, genes), 2) nurture determinants (e.g. culture, teaching, social interactions) and 3) nature-nurture interactions. Previous studies suggest that convictions concerned human condition are connected with different psychosocial factors such as: religiosity, thinking styles, political orientation, stability of human nature and engagement in teaching processes (Furnham et all., 1985; Zmuda- Trzebiatowska et. all, 2008).
The aim of this research was to describe interplays between convictions concerning the nature-nurture determinants of human conditions and the interpretation of miraculous healings among medical students.
Material and method: A survey was conducted on a group of 132 medical students aged 19 to 25 (M = 20.72; SD = 1.12). Respondents completed two research tools and short demographics. In order to determine the perception of miraculous healings the Beliefs about Miraculous Healings Scale (BMHS) was applied (it includes four dimensions of miraculous healings interpretations: Act of God, Undefined possibilities of human nature, Supernatural powers and Medical bias) (Wiechetek, Pawlikowski, 2012). Convictions concerning determinants of human conditions were measure using the N-K Questionnaire (it includes three dimensions: nature, nurture and nature-nurture interactions) (Zmuda-Trzebiatowska, 2008).
Results and conclusions: The obtained results reveal that 63% of medical students believed in miracles. Majority of them perceived miraculous healings as a result of undefined possibilities of the human nature. A positive correlation was also observed between convictions emphasizing natural determinants of human conditions and the belief in miracles as the effect of supernatural causes (act of God or supernatural powers). Results also reveal that the perception of miraculous healings as undefined possibilities of the human organism is connected with convictions emphasizing nurture determinants and nature-nurture determinants interactions of human conditions.
14. The Picture of Spirituality and its Relationship to Well-being Among Doctors with Different Specializations
Katarzyna Skrzypinska, Ilona Chudzik
As many scientific sources report spirituality can be relevant predictor of well-being. This fact can be supportive for medical world, where special relationship between patient and doctor is indispenasable. Medical staff often suffers from stress and difficult conditions of their work. So psychologists’ task is discovering triggers of well-being in this case.
The main aim of this research was a verification of relationship between personality and spirituality, and between spirituality and well-being among doctors/physicians with different specializations (internists, pediatrists, neurologists, operating surgeons and physicians of emergency medicine) (N = 100, control group N = 93). According to scientific literature (c.f. Levin, Chatters, Ellison, & Taylor, 1996; Emmons, 1999; Piedmont, 1999; MacDonald, 2000; Koenig, McCullough, & Larson, 2001; Saroglou, 2011; Paloutzian & Park, 2013; Skrzypinska, 2014) four hypotheses were formulated: group of doctors differ from control one according to personality traits and level of spirituality (H1); specific personality traits are predictors of level of every component of spirituality (H2); spirituality is related to well-being among doctors (H3); considering various doctors’ specializations, and their spirituality – these variables will diversify this group in relation to well-being (H4).
Testing procedure confirmed most of hypotheses, and demonstrated how important differentiation of doctors’ specialization is. In general positive relationship between spirituality and well-being was proved, although group of neurologists and operating surgeons revealed different pattern of obtained results.
15. Intervention with the Traumatized Faith-estranged: A Holistic Matrix within a Multi-disciplinary Paradigm
Lutricia Snell
Background: Traumatized patients diagnosed with Acute Stress Disorder due to physical, sexual and/or emotional violence perpetrated against them, often respond well to initial trauma debriefing and short-term therapy depending on the length and intensityof the trauma. However, in practice the majority of these very patients usually return to therapy within three to six to nine months with the prevalence of the spectrum of psychiatric disorders, ranging from Somatic Symptom and related Disorders, to Adjustment Disorders, and Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders. Within the clinical picture predominant symptomatology may vary from increased occupational and social withdrawal, anxiety, depressive features, suicidal risk, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, sleep-wake disturbance, feeding and eating complexities and an increased inability to cope within the context of family and marital relationships. It has become evident in practice that in most of these cases the initial intervention had failed to offer an all-inclusive holistic approach, featuring a combination of the mental status examination and the assessment of the spiritual realm involving the premorbid and current functioning, in which case the incidental or longitudinal trauma suffered usually resulting in the patient questioning his previously held belief system regarding God’s omnipotence and omnipresence, had remained unaddressed. The unaddressed spiritual trauma involved had in most cases resulted in the spiritually-minded person quit meditation and prayer, and abandon a prior faith-based life routine as part of a church community which had usually served as an important support network, while in the unreligious individual PTSD-related symptoms may hold meaning in relation to the unaddressed spiritual wound from which the individual may well be unaware of and be functioning detached from, yet acting out unconscious primal material of a spiritually born being confronted with deep-seated unaddressed existential anxiety. In the absence of extended family who may often be living elsewhere, this sudden lack of faith-based community support and spiritual void had more often than not left the traumatized person inevitably more vulnerable on existential issues and to life’s on-going daily challenges. The researcher aimed to investigate the outcome of an all-encompassing, more holistic approach to assessment and intervention with this group of research subjects.
Aim: Within the framework of Practical Theology, this research project examines the development and implementation of a holistic matrix regarding the physically and/or emotionally and spiritually wounded faith-estranged person. The research conducted within the framework of pastoral psychotherapeutic relationship-building aims to be implemented within the Scriptural parakletos metaphor whereby the Holy Spirit is the third Person present with the counsellor and the patient during the encounter, with a view to healing of the spiritual wounded ness or trauma through the mediation of the salvation in Christ. While the Scriptural or Biblical Anthropological view of man is constructed with the aim to therapeutically establish or re-establish the traumatized person's identity and safety in Christ alone, the role of the Triune God and the impact of the parakletos metaphor on the engagement, as well as the central position of Scripture in mediating the salvation in Christ are also examined. The role of forgiveness in the healing from emotional trauma and the estrangement from God is also under examination in this field research. In conclusion, a pastoral-therapeutic matrix of intervention is proposed to address the present life crisis and current faith-estrangement within the context of the trauma history. Within this context of study the main aim of the research is in the final analysis the development of a holistic matrix to assist via the parakletos metaphor within Scripture in the healing of the faith-estranged through salvation in Christ.
Methods: For the purpose of this study qualitative field research was conducted by the researcher with the case study method implementation. Cases involving incidental, longitudinal and complex trauma were included in the research. The researcher applied a holistic intervention involving the completion of a mental status examination combined with a spiritual assessment of the individual, and the implementation of a spiritual-emotional-cognitive-behavioural approach to work through the trauma as featured in individual cases.
Results: The research results indicated that the parakletic metaphor in the repertoire of the therapist enabled strong engagement and a rapid trusting-relationship-building process, setting the stage for the trauma-work within the emotional realm, followed by the last stage within the process of healing with the exploration of the existential angst and anger towards God for not protecting against harm on earth, culminating in a deeper trust-bond relationship with God, with a deep-seated understanding of the fallen world man lives in and acceptance of the incompleteness of the here and now, with an eschatological view on reality.
The research results show a correlation between early trauma and the theological perspective on suffering and the character of God. It confirms earlier conclusions in the literature on the link between symptoms of primary wounded ness, and existential angst and faith-estrangement. This affirms the key role of the therapist in guiding the traumatized person’s search into the authenticity of thoughts by testing it within Scriptural parameters of sound truth. The emerging development of a firm identity in Christ became evident, replacing the possible over-idealization of the therapist. The theological concept of the parakletic metaphor was essential to therapist transference in this regard. Upon forgiveness of the perpetrator, acceptance of Christ’s righteousness could be embraced by the wounded. In the final analysis wounded ness and faith-estrangement became resolved by renewed trust in a loving God, resulting in a new existential perspective, spiritual growth and a rebuilt cognitive understanding of the personhood of God. The gift of reason was also successfully utilized during the process. According to the results functional relativistic thought could be reconstructed within a pastoral cognitive-behavioural model. Preparatory prayer by the therapist is thus of utmost importance. In case of the wounded having become the perpetrator, apathy towards the traumatized victim/survivor showed a strong correlation with a compromised healing path in therapy, while remorse correlated with healing, restored functioning and a deeply transformed life. The respondents’ personal relational functioning with committed loved ones entered into a healing process while vocational functioning became reportedly more meaningful.
Furthermore, the findings indicate that post-traumatic growth and a new definition of fulfilment in life form the core of the approach to healing of the traumatized, since trauma creates an existential crisis. The Triune God is central to healing and well-being, and the Godly Kingdom is by faith man’s true home, while the Holy Spirit mediates man’s righteousness in Christ’s redemptive suffering, with Scripture performing a central role in the meditative process.
Conclusion: The holistic model proposed by the research approach leading to discussed results firstly includes an assessment phase consisting firstly of the taking of a spiritual history, an assessment of spiritual functioning before the trauma and current spiritual functioning, assessment of world view prior to and since the traumatic event(s), and an assessment of the personal commitment to the healing process. The second phase of the assessment period focuses on the examination of the clinical intake problem relating to the presenting acute stress syndrome, symptomatology and impact on overall functioning. Thirdly, an assessment is furthermore done on any history of additional wounding and symptoms of complicated trauma. The history taking includes the compilation of a prayer list on current and past traumas, family history and toxic relationships inherent to family functioning, losses suffered as a result, and client definitional perspectives on self, others and God. The second phase characterizes in-depth prayer, comprising of bio-psycho-socio-spiritual exploration of each prayer-listed emotion, each body memory, each wound suffered, unmet childhood needs and long-term negative repetitive behaviours in adjusted functionality. The mourning of losses may occur at this stage. Hereupon the redefinition of the relevant faulty cognition and behaviours follows, including that of God, self and others, as well as pertaining to healthy boundary-setting, engagement within a support network, as well as a redefinition of the essence of individual family relationships. Once the self is newly defined within the context of God’s love, God may become embraced as the true Father, and a spiritual earthly mentor may be identified for the new spiritual journey ahead. Maintenance is the on-going final phase within the newly adopted spiritually disciplined life. Within this framework a new level of maturity emerges and growth continues into becoming more of the stable self, often evident in loving service to God and others.