IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i23p8841-d452666.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Childhood Trauma and Experience in Close Relationships Are Associated with the God Image: Does Religiosity Make a Difference?

Author

Listed:
  • Alice Kosarkova

    (Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University Olomouc, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech)

  • Klara Malinakova

    (Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University Olomouc, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech)

  • Jitse P. van Dijk

    (Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University Olomouc, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech
    Department of Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
    Graduate School Kosice Institute for Society and Health, P.J. Safarik University in Kosice, 040 11 Kosice, Slovakia)

  • Peter Tavel

    (Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacky University Olomouc, 771 11 Olomouc, Czech)

Abstract

Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) and some of their specific aspects are associated with health. A negatively perceived relationship with God, which has adverse health outcomes, can be formed by human attachment both in childhood and adulthood. The aim of this study was to assess the associations of childhood trauma (CT) and experience in close relationships (ECR) with the God image in a secular environment by religiosity. A national representative sample of Czech adults (n = 1800, 51.1 ± 17.2 years; 43.5% men) participated in a survey. We measured CT (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), ECR (Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised Questionnaire), image of God (questions from the 2005 Baylor Survey) and religiosity. Our results showed associations of CT and ECR with God images. Respondents who experienced CT were less likely to describe God as loving, always present and forgiving. Religious respondents were less likely to report positive God images with odds ratios (ORs) from 0.78 (0.66–0.94) to 0.95 (0.91–0.99), nonreligious respondents reported negative God images with ORs from 1.03 (1.00–1.06) to 1.22 (1.08–1.37). We found CT and problems in close relationships in adulthood are associated with a less positive God image, especially in nonreligious people. Understanding these associations may help prevent detrimental health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice Kosarkova & Klara Malinakova & Jitse P. van Dijk & Peter Tavel, 2020. "Childhood Trauma and Experience in Close Relationships Are Associated with the God Image: Does Religiosity Make a Difference?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-13, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:8841-:d:452666
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/23/8841/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/23/8841/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Klara Malinakova & Peter Tavel & Zdenek Meier & Jitse P. van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2020. "Religiosity and Mental Health: A Contribution to Understanding the Heterogeneity of Research Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-11, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marie Buchtova & Klara Malinakova & Jitse P. Dijk & Vit Husek & Peter Tavel, 2024. "Sensory processing sensitivity is associated with religiosity and spirituality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Emma Motrico & Jose A. Salinas-Perez & Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano & Sonia Conejo-Cerón, 2021. "Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-9, April.
    3. Jan Sandora & Lukas Novak & Robert Brnka & Jitse P. van Dijk & Peter Tavel & Klara Malinakova, 2021. "The Abbreviated Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS) and the Abbreviated Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale (ODSIS): Psychometric Properties and Evaluation of the Czech ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Samuel Ken-En Gan & Sibyl Weang-Yi Wong & Peng-De Jiao, 2023. "Religiosity, Theism, Perceived Social Support, Resilience, and Well-Being of University Undergraduate Students in Singapore during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    5. Dana Jaksicova & Lukas Novak & Vit Husek & Peter Tavel & Klara Malinakova, 2021. "Czech and Slovak Members of Religious Institutes: Their Health in Comparison to the General Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Aline Pouille & Lore Bellaert & Freya Vander Laenen & Wouter Vanderplasschen, 2021. "Recovery Capital among Migrants and Ethnic Minorities in Recovery from Problem Substance Use: An Analysis of Lived Experiences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-17, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:8841-:d:452666. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.