Childhood Trauma Is Associated with the Spirituality of Non-Religious Respondents

Abstract

Childhood trauma experience (CT) is negatively associated with many aspects of adult life. Religiosity/spirituality (R/S) are often studied as positive coping strategies and could help in the therapeutic process. Evidence on this is lacking for a non-religious environment. The aim of this study was to assess the associations of different types of CT with R/S in the secular conditions of the Czech Republic. A nationally representative sample (n = 1800, mean age = 46.4, SD = 17.4; 48.7% male) of adults participated in the survey. We measured childhood trauma, spirituality, religiosity and conversion experience. We found that four kinds of CT were associated with increased levels of spirituality, with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.17 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.34) to 1.31 (1.18–1.46). Non-religious respondents were more likely to report associations of CT with spirituality. After measuring for different combinations of R/S, each CT was associated with increased chances of being “spiritual but non-religious”, with OR from 1.55 (1.17–2.06) to 2.10 (1.63–2.70). Moreover, converts were more likely to report emotional abuse OR = 1.46 (1.17–1.82) or emotional neglect with OR = 1.42 (1.11–1.82). Our findings show CT is associated with higher levels of spirituality in non-religious respondents. Addressing spiritual needs may contribute to the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatment of the victims.

Vaccine Refusal in the Czech Republic Is Associated with Being Spiritual but Not Religiously Affiliated

“…We assessed the following combinations of religious affiliation and spirituality: spiritual and religiously affiliated (S+RA; n = 55), spiritual but non-religiously affiliated (S+NRA; n = 35), non-spiritual but religiously affiliated (NS+RA; n = 72), non-spiritual and non-religiously affiliated (NS+NRA; n = 290). The number of respondents in each category is in line with the study of religiosity in the Czech Republic based on a representative sample [ 45 ] and other studies on R/S [ 50 , 51 , 52 ]. These results suggest that although some people from the Czech population consider themselves believers, they seeks spiritual fulfilment outside traditional religious institutions.…”

“…We found strong associations with RCT beliefs with spirituality, whereas religious affiliation was not found to be associated with such beliefs. In distinguishing religiosity and spirituality as two different concepts [ 20 , 50 ], we may suppose that individuals with higher levels of spirituality, in their efforts to find and explain the meaning of COVID-19, lean towards conspiracy ideas connected to their spiritual worldviews [ 33 , 53 ]. Thus, the associations of spirituality with the assessed RCT beliefs are in line with studies that showed that personal ideology and individual attitudes, including esotericism and belief in the healing and sacred power of one’s own body, play a fundamental role in the creation of and beliefs in conspiracy theories [ 53 ].…”

The Associations of Experiencing the COVID-19 Pandemic With Religiosity and Spirituality: A Cross-Sectional Study in Czech Adults

“…Concerning spiritual and non-religious participants, we have seen an increase in the odds of drinking alcohol during the pandemic. From the point of view of traumatic situations, this group seems to be more fragile than other R/S subgroups in the Czech environment [ 58 ]. Spiritual and non-religious participants may have a higher tendency to look for self-determination and something to rely on, and can therefore fall into alcohol addiction more easily.…”

Validation and Adaptation of the Slovak Version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

“…Such significant and prolonged stress in childhood can result in impaired health and overall worse well-being [7]. In other studies, associations were found between children's trauma experiences and increased levels of spirituality [16].…”