Recent research published by the Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry showed that 27‒33% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of religious trauma during life.
The research also shows that at least 37% U.S. adults are suffering from any three of the six major religious trauma symptoms according to the research. These symptoms include anxiety, stress, fear, depression, shame, and nightmares (Slade et al., 2023).
This research has been conducted from a sociological perspective, seeking to identify the specific indicators that suggest a link between these symptoms and religious trauma.
While we cannot claim these symptoms are always caused by such traumatic experience, the research conducted on this topic provides provoking data that can offer insights into the ways religious beliefs and experiences can impact mental health. This data points to an opportunity for clinical research on the manifestation of these symptoms as consequences of religious trauma.
