The purpose of this study was to determine the role of religious involvement and related indicators - religious coping, intrinsic religiosity, forgiveness and gratitude - in reducing the negative impact of early traumatic stress on the mental and physical health of adult survivors. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze self-reported data of 10,283 Seventh-day Adventist men and women across North America. The study also included an original analysis on a subsample (n = 496) of the larger group, examining diabetes risk factors in conjunction with Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) data. Higher early trauma scores were associated with decreased mental health (B = -1.93 p < .0001) and physical health (B = -1.53, p < .0001). The negative effect of early trauma on mental health was reduced by intrinsic religiosity (B = .52, p = .011), positive religious coping (B = .61, p = .025), forgiveness (B = .32 p = .025), and gratitude (B = .87 p = .001). Adult survivors of early trauma experienced worse mental and physical health; however, forgiveness, gratitude, positive religious coping, and intrinsic religiosity were protective against poor mental health. The findings support a holistic perspective in the care of childhood trauma survivors.
Keywords: Abuse; Child abuse; Family violence; Forgiveness; Gratitude; Religious coping.