Religiosity and hazardous substance use: The moderating role of trauma-related shame.

Hazardous substance use is a major public health concern among individuals with a history of sexual victimization. Although increased religiosity has been known to serve as a protective factor against hazardous substance use, religious individuals with a history of sexual victimization may be at a greater risk for hazardous substance use due to difficulties reconciling sexual victimization with their religious beliefs. Individuals with greater trauma-related shame may engage in hazardous substance use as a means of coping with the traumatic event. The present study consisted of 614 participants (Mage  = 34.57, 50% women). Results suggested that organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic religiosity were positively associated with hazardous alcohol use at higher, but not lower, levels of trauma-related shame. Organizational and intrinsic religiosity were positively associated with hazardous drug use at higher, but not lower, levels of trauma-related shame. This is the first study to examine the role of trauma-related shame in the relationship between religiosity and hazardous substance use. The findings underline the importance of targeting trauma-related shame in religious individuals with a history of sexual victimization. © 2022 The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP).

Citation

Isabella Channell, Emmanuel D Thomas, Shannon R Forkus, Gianna Salvatore, Monica Vieira, Nicole H Weiss. Religiosity and hazardous substance use: The moderating role of trauma-related shame. The American journal on addictions. 2023 May;32(3):274-282

Mesh Tags

Substances

PMID: 36571570

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