Religion and spirituality (R/S) play an important role in the lives of many. Although R/S can be a resource when coping with stress, it can also be a source of stress or trauma. We sought to review the extant empirical research on R/S abuse and trauma. Our systematic review identified 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The empirical findings of the studies are organized into eight sections: (a) definitions of R/S abuse and trauma, (b) prevalence of R/S abuse and trauma, (c) entering/exiting abusive religious communities, (d) the intersection of R/S abuse and trauma and domestic violence, (e) the role of the R/S community in the abuse, (f) negative outcomes associated with R/S abuse and trauma, (g) identity changes associated with R/S abuse and trauma, and (h) prevention and clinical treatment of R/S abuse and trauma. We conclude by discussing limitations of the review, areas for future research, and implications for clinical practice.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of religiously accommodative mindfulness compared with traditional mindfulness on stress, anxiety, and depression in an evangelical Christian college sample using a randomized trial design. Volunteer participants (n ϭ 78) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment conditions. The Christian mindfulness training (CMT) group protocol was explicitly adapted to the evangelical Christian faith, while the conventional mindfulness training (MT) group protocol utilized typical mindfulness meditations. Participants completed 3 weeks of treatment that included psychoeducational group sessions and prescribed daily applications of the mindfulness techniques. Posttreatment differences between the 2 groups were then compared on the measures. Measures used included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Lee, 2012) and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS, Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Results indicated significant differences within and between groups, with the CMT group reporting lower levels of stress and depression compared to the MT group, as well as lower overall negative symptoms based on total DASS scores. CMT group participants also reported significantly greater treatment compliance in comparison with MT group participants. Findings provide preliminary support for potential differences in treatment outcomes when religious accommodations are made to mindfulness. Limitations and recommendations are considered.

In the current study, the authors examined the effects of a manualized, preventative program for Christians with repetitive negative thinking (RNT), utilizing Christian meditation as a Christian-sensitive alternative to Buddhist-informed mindfulness meditation. After randomizing participants to a 4-week program or wait-list at two Christian universities, the intervention group received instruction in both kataphatic (using words and images) and apophatic (wordless and imageless) Christian meditation and practiced in a weekly group meeting and on their own. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed several interaction effects (Condition ϫ Time), with the Christian meditation group (n ϭ 36) outperforming the wait-list group (n ϭ 35) on a variety of outcome measures, including experiences of humility and surrendering to God (medium effect sizes), as well as nonattachment and perseverative thinking (large effect sizes). Findings suggest that Christian meditation may hold promise as a daily practice among Christians for the prevention of emotional disorders. Study limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Mindfulness-based treatments have shown efficacy for a variety of conditions; however, some religious populations may have concerns with the strategies due to the Buddhist roots of the interventions. Some Christians suffering with mental health conditions can be reluctant to seek professional services for fear of being given treatments that will contradict or disregard their cultural and spiritual belief systems. Therefore, adaptations to evidence-based mindfulness interventions are needed for therapists to use with such clients. The current study incorporated explicitly religious constructs to create a Christian accommodative mindfulness (CAM) protocol that was used with a small group of Christian psychotherapy clients seeking treatment for symptoms of depression or anxiety. Shame, which is often at the root of many psychological and spiritual health conditions, was also measured as were a variety of resiliency factors to determine the effectiveness of the CAM protocol in a real-world, clinical setting. Results from this N-of-1 time-series study using five subjects revealed significant effect sizes (more than half of the total individual effect sizes measured were found to be "very effective") that associate CAM with decreased depression, anxiety, and shame and increased resiliency measures in the sample. These results are discussed, limitations acknowledged, and recommendations for further research are given.