Date
6-17-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Bridgette Hester
Keywords
childhood sexual abuse, adult survivors, shame, guilt, attachment theory, Christian survivors, phenomenology, resilience, religious coping, faith, meaning-making, help-seeking behaviors, interpersonal relationships, support systems
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Christianity
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Tiara Schnese, "Shame, Guilt, Resilience, and Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8562.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8562
Abstract
This descriptive phenomenological study explored how shame and guilt among Christian CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivors influence resilience, intimate relationships, and social support in the United States. The central research questions examined how Christian CSA survivors experienced shame, guilt, and resilience over time; how these emotions affected intimate and romantic relationships; and how they shaped help-seeking behaviors in both clinical and faith-based contexts. Guided by Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory (1958), data collection involved semi-structured interviews with participants selected through purposive sampling to meet specific inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Giorgi’s (2012) descriptive phenomenological method, and eight essential constituents emerged, revealing that participants experienced shame as a pervasive, identity-based emotional framework and guilt as a more behavior-focused experience often intertwined with self-blame. The findings have meaningful implications for trauma-informed clinical practice, spiritually integrated counseling, faith-based communities, and Christian helping professionals. Greater collaboration between mental health professionals and faith communities was highlighted as essential for reducing stigma, improving psychological safety, and supporting healing among CSA survivors. Future research should include participants from more diverse religious, cultural, and gender backgrounds to broaden understanding of trauma, shame, guilt, and resilience across populations.
