Dan Ward's Literature Review

Dan Ward commented on Marlena Steinhall's (Group 5) Literature Review on 2.18.16.

Spirituality and Resilience in Trauma Victims

Dan Ward

EDAC 634 – The Adult as a Learner

Dr. Bo Chang

Ball State University

Introduction:

            The effects of surviving a traumatic event are well documented, but how a person synthesizes the experience is an area that is still largely in the discovery stages. In particular, how does a person’s spiritual views factor into their resiliency in light of a traumatic event? The literature states, “several studies have shown that that many people cope with traumatic or stressor events on the basis of their religious beliefs” (Peres, Moreira-Almeida, Nasello, & Koenig, 2007). This review takes into consideration a number of factors given by the authors that provide insight into this statement as well as their thoughts on why spiritual and religious beliefs have an effect on how one reacts to a traumatic event. It also reviews biological and neurological processes that are inherent in everyone that experiences trauma, and how our views on life and its processes affect how we react to trauma.

Themes:

            The first idea that is given is that one’s personality contributes to the understanding of how responses to trauma are understood, and how one experiences the resulting stressors is a determining factor in whether, and to what degree, trauma is experienced. Therefore, the degree to which traumatic events are processed in our brain is a key theme in this area. The authors cite information from neurological studies that show differences in volume and activation in certain areas of the brain after such events – particularly, the hippocampus and left hemisphere of the brain.  These areas of the brain, as well as others, are responsible for storing the memories and traces of information we store related to the events that occur in our lives, and a change in activity in these areas (namely, a decrease) can cause an inaccurate representation of what actually happened once the event is recalled. Cognitive and emotional change is often experienced in these instances, and this “plays a fundamental role in the process of synthesizing, integrating, learning, and evaluating experiences” (Peres et al., p. 345). In addition, a change or decrease in the Broca’s area of the brain affects one’s ability to effectively translate the experience into a communicable language. This is quite often seen in those who have been diagnosed with PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder).

            The intensity and duration of trauma-related symptoms are closely related to our resiliency, which is defined as “the ability to go through difficulties and regain satisfactory quality of life” (p.345). The authors state that we all have, to some degree, personality traits that help to protect us from the effects of being exposed to extreme stress and allow us to perceive these instances in a positive and healthy manner. The concept of Sense of Coherence (SOC) is a key factor in determining our resiliency under stress, and is based on three components: comprehensibility (how life appears to us in cognitive terms and how we interpret a situation as a whole), meaningfulness (does life make sense to us on an emotional level, and are problems seen as challenges rather than burdens), and manageability (how do we use the resources available to us to deal with life situations). Therefore, changing resiliency involves changing how individuals perceive and process what they have experienced. It is stated that persons with high SOC are better able to deal with stressful and traumatic situations, and that spirituality/religiosity can be a cornerstone in helping those who have experienced trauma to change their perception and behavior.  

            Hopelessness is given as one of the major expressions of those who have experienced a traumatic event and/or experiencing PTSD. The authors have linked this phenomenon to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), especially in older men. In general, they associate a pessimistic view of life and its events to early mortality. In this, we see the authors move fully into the discussion of spirituality and how it relates to trauma in the statement, “When people become traumatized, they often look for a new sense of meaning and purpose in their life” (p.346). In this, they believe that an existing spiritual/religious framework has an important influence on how people cope with traumatic events. They cite cases where religious involvement has shown to be associated with better overall physical and emotional health, and give examples from a meta-analysis of 49 studies involving over 13,000 subjects that show the positive effects of positive religious coping. A further study involved the connection between over 1300 war veterans being treated for PTSD, and it was noted that “a primary motivation for veterans’ continuing pursuit of treatment may be their search for a meaning and purpose to their traumatic experiences” (p.347), and it was suggested that spirituality factored more into their treatment than originally thought.

            The literature ends with the thought that, given that trauma is such a major event in our lives, the increasing recognition of resilience factors and the potential effects of spiritual and religious beliefs on coping behavior, the study of the role of spirituality in fostering resilience in trauma survivors many advance our understanding of human adaptation to trauma.

Implications:

            As educators of adults, we also function in some degree as counselors. The cases presented in this literature, as well as the supporting and resulting thoughts, indicate that introducing aspects of spirituality into our practice may have beneficial aspects for students who are suffering from trauma. While most educators are not formally trained to counsel, introducing aspects of spirituality that allow those suffering from trauma to look at their situations in a newer, healthier way, allows them to be in a frame of mind to build new narratives and enhance their learning. Understanding our students who are suffering from trauma is a necessary step, as well as just being there to listen and allow the person to tell their story. Building an aspect of reflection into curriculum is a practical way of introducing spirituality, and this can be a key ingredient in helping those suffering from trauma to find the place in their lives where the traumatic event truly belongs, and to use this new knowledge to acquire a new sense of meaning and purpose that we, as educators, are offering to them. In addition, providing positive role models, social support, and supporting healthy behaviors (i.e. discouraging the use of alcohol and drugs to cope with the trauma) are all concrete suggestions that can be used in guiding students who are attempting to deal with their grief.

Reflection:

One of the most significant aspects of this assignment is the understanding that the experience of trauma has a biological component that is processed in the brain and can be measured. Through building new narratives, this process can be altered to the point where the brain processes traumatic information in a different way that is much more beneficial to our overall health. In building a new narrative, it is shown in the literature the positive role that spirituality has in this process. In seeing traumatic events as part of a larger process, it gives the event new meaning and provides a connection to ultimate questions about life.

            I completed this assignment through research on the topic of trauma and spirituality and compared my findings to my own experiences of experiencing a highly traumatic event. I found many similarities – my own spirituality contributed greatly to my abilities to recover from the event and paralleled much of what was mentioned in the literature.

Summary of the literature review:

	The main themes/ideas in the literature	Application of the main ideas in practice
Idea 1	Personality is a contributing factor in understanding response to trauma	Recognizing those who are in trauma, how they are processing the trauma,  and offering non-judgmental support (i.e. listening to them)
Idea 2	The intensity and duration of trauma-related symptoms are closely related to our resiliency	Help to encourage, develop, and support resiliency by providing positive role models, social support, and by supporting healthy behaviors
Idea 3	Spiritual and/or religious beliefs can have an important influence on how people cope with traumatic events	Building spiritual practices, such as reflection, into curricula as a means to allow students to acquire a new sense of meaning.

References

Peres, J., Moreira-Almeida, A., Nasello, A., & Koenig, H. (2007). Spirituality and

            Resilience in Trauma Victims. Journal of Religion and Health. 46(3), 343-350.

            doi: 10.1007/s10943-006-9103-0.