The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on the Overall Well-Being of White, Christian Female Survivors: A Phenomenology

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact that childhood sexual abuse has on the biopsychosocial-spiritual health of White, Christian female survivors. The study revolved around three main research questions: (1) How do participants describe their lived experiences and articulate their understanding of the phenomenon of CSA? Participants described their lived experiences as a painful experience of betrayal. Surprisingly, the betrayal came not only from the perpetrator, but also from those close to the survivor who they trusted to protect them. (2) How do participants describe the impact CSA has on their biopsychosocial-spiritual well-being in adulthood? Participants described CSA as having an impact on their mental, physical, social, and spiritual well-being. They often felt a sense of shame that later developed into resiliency and self-identity. (3) How do participants describe the impact that disclosing their experience had on their biopsychosocial-spiritual well-being in adulthood? Participants described disclosure as having a profound impact on their biopsychosocial-spiritual well-being in adulthood. Negative reactions often delayed the healing process and caused emotional pain for the survivors. Positive reactions often encouraged quicker healing, which allowed participants to gain a sense of trust. These research questions were answered through coding questionnaires, individual interviews, and journal entries. Survivors shared, in detail, how the experience of childhood sexual abuse shaped their early years as well as their later years. A specific emphasis was placed on the role of faith in healing, as all of the participants had faith in God. The findings revealed themes of relational trauma, disclosure and its consequences, and identity reconstruction. Directions on where future research should go, as well as limitations to the study, were also discussed.