"Something Truly Got Broken": A Qualitative Investigation of the Experiences and Impact of Spiritual Abuse on East Asian American Christian Women

Abstract

Religion/spirituality (R/S) can promote well-being and mental health, but it can also inflict significant harm when misused by those in power. Recent research on spiritual abuse has suggested it may be prevalent in religious communities and can negatively impact one’s spiritual and mental health; however, no study has examined spiritual abuse among East Asian American Christian women, despite cultural factors that may render them particularly vulnerable to spiritual abuse. In this study, we sought to address this critical gap in the literature by qualitatively examining the experiences and consequences of spiritual abuse among East Asian American Christian women. Data was analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR). Findings from this study include that spiritual abuse involved marginalization, pressure to participate in the church, and moral/spiritual judgment; spiritual abuse was perceived to be related to certain cultural and religious values; spiritual abuse negatively impacted participants’ mental health and had mixed impact on spiritual health; positive interpersonal experiences and the development of new perspectives on the abuse facilitated healing from abuse, while negative interpersonal experiences and isolation hindered healing from abuse; spiritual abuse resulted in long-term changes in identity; and survivors of spiritual abuse believe mental health professionals should have an understanding of spiritual abuse and recognize the importance of providing safe, client-centered spaces for survivors of spiritual abuse. Implications for practice and research are discussed.