Date
11-2013
Department
Counseling Department
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Chair
Lisa Sosin
Keywords
childhood sexual abuse, co-occuring disorders, faith-based, recovery, residential treatment, spiritual integration
Disciplines
Clinical Psychology | Counseling Psychology | Practical Theology
Recommended Citation
Kerlin, Ann, "An Exploratory Study of Recovery and Recovery Maintenance for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse Who Completed Faith-Based Residential Treatment Programs" (2013). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 770.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/770
Abstract
This interpretive phenomenological analysis of the experience of recovery and recovery maintenance for women with a history of childhood sexual abuse and its sequelae included interviews and a non-standard questionnaire. Ten women with this history who had completed a faith based treatment program for substance abuse and/or eating disorders described recovery. Themes that emerged related to the process of change included: Changes in Relationships with Others, to Self, to God, and lastly, Forgiveness as a Catalyst for Change. Six practices emerged in the exploration of maintenance recovery. This research highlighted the need for thorough bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment and areas of concern for treatment, and illuminated an alternative path to recovery that involved a spiritually integrated treatment approach.
