African American women are at
a slightly increased risk for sexual assault (A. Abbey, A. Jacques-Tiaura,
& M. Parkhill, 2010). However, because of stigma, experiences of racism,
and historical oppression, African American women are less likely to seek help
from formal agencies compared to White women (Lewis et al., 2005; S. E. Ullman
& H. H. Filipas, 2001) and/or women of other ethnic backgrounds (C. Ahrens,
S. Abeling, S. Ahmad, & J. Himman, 2010). Therefore, the provision of
culturally appropriate services, such as the inclusion of religion and spiritual
coping, may be necessary when working with African American women survivors of
sexual assault. Controlling for age and education, the current study explores
the impact of religious coping and social support over 1 year for 252 African
American adult female sexual assault survivors recruited from the Chicago
metropolitan area. Results from hierarchical linear regression analyses reveal
that high endorsement of religious coping and social support at Time 1 does not
predict a reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at Time 2.
However, high social support at Time 2 does predict lower PTSD at Time 2. Also,
it is significant to note that survivors with high PTSD at Time 1 and Time 2
endorse greater use of social support and religious coping. Clinical and
research implications are explored...
[F]indings of the present
research among African American survivors of sexual assault support are
important as they underscore the need for longitudinal studies. The earlier
cross-sectional findings of reduction in PTSD for those using social support
did not manifest over a 1-year follow-up period. This is critical for
clinicians and researchers to understand and explore further, as it points to
the potential devastating effects of sexual assault that coping alone may not
address. It is important to consider additional factors such as revictimization
and other contextual factors in understanding and addressing the mental health
outcomes of survivors. The use of religion to ameliorate distress and
post-traumatic symptoms can be attributed to historical and/or present
experiences of racism and discrimination, which may make African American women
less likely to seek help from organized institutions and mental health
providers, and more likely to turn to religious and spiritual supports for
healing. The use of religion may also be reflective of greater stigma in the
African American community towards mental health services (Farris, 2007), in which case efforts, such as public mental
health campaigns with culturally respected spokespersons, should be made to
reduce the stigma of such services and to provide culturally appropriate
services that incorporate spiritual and/or religious coping. Additionally the
development of spiritual/religious cultural competence is important for
clinicians, as they should not overlook the presence of faith traditions of
numerous African American clients. Instead, it is important for clinicians to
assess for and recognize the presence of spiritual/religious beliefs and
practices among clients.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/O4Is9p
By:
Thema Bryant-Davis, Pepperdine University;
Correspondence regarding this manuscript should be addressed
to Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.;
Encino, CA 91436. Email: ude.enidreppep@tnayrbt
Authors’ Complete Mailing Addresses
Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830
Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
Sarah Ullman, PhD; University of Illinois, Chicago;
Department of Criminal Justice (M/C 141) 1007 West Harrison St.; Chicago IL
60607-7140
Yuying Tsong, PhD; California State University, Fullerton;
Department of Human Services; Health Promotion Research Institute; 800 N. State
College Blvd., KHS 115B; Fullerton, CA 92831-3599
Gera Anderson; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura
Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
Pamela Counts; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura
Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
Shaquita Tillman; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura
Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
Cecile Bhang; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura
Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
Anthea Gray, MA; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura
Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436
J Trauma Dissociation. 2015 Jan-Feb; 16(1): 114–128. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2014.969468
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