Effects of religious and spiritual variables on outcomes in violent relationships

Abstract

Objective Religious and spiritual factors in intimate partner violence have received increasing attention. But are such factors related to outcomes in violent relationships? The purpose of this study was to assess the relative impact of spiritual symptoms and religious coping on attitudinal/behavioral and clinical outcomes among women in violent relationships. Methods Adult women with a recent history of husband-to-wife physical abuse were recruited from six primary care clinics. Once enrolled, 200 subjects completed a baseline interview and daily assessment of level of violence, using the Interactive Verbal Response for 12 weeks. At the completion of the study, contact with each participant was attempted to determine whether she had either sought professional help or left the relationship. Three religious/spiritual variables were assessed at baseline—number of visits to a religious/spiritual counselor, religious coping, and severity of spiritual symptoms. Stepped multiple linear regression was used to explain factor-analyzed outcomes (coping and appraisals, hope and support, symptomatology, functional status, readiness for change, and medical utilization), adjusting for demographic, marital, childhood, mental health, and violence variables. Results After controlling for duration, severity and dynamics of violence, the use of spiritual resources, and the level of spiritual symptoms were associated with most attitudinal/behavioral and clinical outcomes, while religious coping was only associated with staying in the relationship. Conclusions Religious and spiritual factors were associated with most outcomes. Spiritual symptoms had a consistently negative effect on outcomes while use of spiritual resources had variable effects. Religious coping was only associated with refraining from leaving the relationship.