A pilot study of a Scripture-based trauma healing model for adults in Nicaragua. Issue 6 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schultz, Tammy; Vuncannon, Jerry; Bump, Kari
• Is Part Of: Mental health, religion & culture. Volume 19:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 613
• Page End: 625
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Trauma -- Nicaragua -- spirituality -- Trauma Healing Institute; Mental health -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Religion and culture -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Mentally ill -- Pastoral counseling of -- Periodicals; 306.461
• DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2016.1222606
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-4676

Abstract

ABSTRACT: With the rising attention to global trauma, there is increased interest in utilising effective trauma healing (TH) models, especially those that integrate a spiritual component. This paper examines the effectiveness of a Scripture-based TH model developed by the Trauma Healing Institute utilised in a pilot study with Nicaraguan adults who experienced non-sexualised-related crime, disaster-related trauma, and/or interpersonal violence. An additional focus of this study was on whether increased spiritual well-being would result from this healing model. In this first empirical study on the TH model, initial results indicated that participants ( N = 23) experienced both a reduction in trauma-related symptoms as well as an upward trend in spiritual well-being from pre-test to six-month follow-up. Spearman results also showed an inverse relationship between trauma symptoms and spiritual well-being. Factors that may have impacted results, limitations to this pilot study, and considerations for future studies are discussed.