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. 2025 Jul 1;64(4):2660–2678. doi: 10.1007/s10943-025-02379-3

Table 1.

General and methodological profiles of studies included

First author,
year
Study location Study design Year of data collection Method of recruitment Types of abuse Outcomes of interest Comparison group for this review Data analysis
method
McLaughlin, 1994 USA Cross-sectional 1994 Convenience sampling of participants in a conference Sexual Spirituality: M.O.S.T and QDS Protestant survivors Analytic statistics (χ2 and correlation coefficient)
Mart, 2004 USA Qualitative N/A Purposive sampling from alleged victims N/A

Spirituality: Interview

Psychological: PAI and DAPS

None Narrative synthesis
Isely et al., 2008 USA Qualitative 2008 Purposive sampling from relevant network Sexual

Spirituality and Psychological:

Interview

None Theme analysis
Shea, 2008 USA Cross-sectional N/A Voluntary sampling by sending email Sexual

Spirituality: SCSORF and QDS

Psychological: LHS, BDI, PCL-S, and

QDS

Survivors abused by others

not a priest

Analytic statistics (Independent t-test)
Farrell, 2009 UK Qualitative 2007 Voluntary sampling in relevant organization Sexual Spirituality: Interview; Psychological: PTSD-QAI, ITQ, and interview None IPA
Lueger-Schuster, 2014a Austria Cross-sectional 2012 Voluntary sampling by letters and some gave permission for further contacts and research Three types: physical, emotional, and sexual Psychological: PCL-C, BSI, and GSI None Analytic statistics (χ2, t-test, and U-test)
Lueger-Schuster, 2014b Austria Cross-sectional 2012 Voluntary sampling by letters distributed by the commission Three types: physical, emotional, and sexual

Psychological: PCL-C, BSI, CISS, DLE,

CD-RISC, LOT, and RPSSQ

None Analytic statistics (χ2 and ANOVA)
Spröber et al., 2014 Germany Cross-sectional 2010–2011 Reporting system for victims of abuse

Mainly sexual,

physical,

and emotional

Psychological: Self-reported mental

disorders and psychosocial

problems

Protestant and non-religiously affiliated contexts Analytic statistics (Kruskal–Wallis test and U-test)
Dreßing et al., 2019 Germany Descriptive 1946–2014 Personnel records of clergy Sexual

Spirituality and Psychological: Records

from the documents

None Only descriptive statistics
Easton et al., 2019 USA Qualitative 2010 Purposive and voluntary sampling Sexual

Spiritual and Psychological: Textual

responses in open-ended question

in the online survey

None Conventional content analysis
Pereda & Segura, 2021 Spain Cross-sectional 2018–2019 Convenient and snowball sampling Sexual Spirituality: QDS None Only descriptive statistics
Pereda et al., 2022 Spain and Chile Cross-sectional N/A Convenient sampling by advertisement of relevant organizations Sexual

Spirituality: SIS and QDS

Psychological: QDS (mental health

and social problems)

Survivors abused by non-Church (within and without family) Analytic statistics (χ2, Fisher’s exact test, ANOVA, and regressions)
Prusak & Schab, 2022 Poland Qualitative 2018–2019 Convenient and snowball sampling Sexual Spirituality: Interview None IPA

M.O.S.T Measure of Spirituality Test, QDS Questionnaires developed for the study, PAI Personality Assessment Inventor, DAPS Detailed Assessment of Post-traumatic Stress, SCSORF Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Scale, LHS Learned Helplessness Scale, BDI Beck Depression Inventory, PCL-S Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Specific, PTSD-QAI post-traumatic stress disorder qualitative assessment, ITQ Idiosyncratic Trauma Questionnaire, IPA Interpretative phenomenological analysis, PCL-C PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, BSI Brief Symptom Inventory, CISS Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, DLE Disclosure of Loss Experience, CD-RSIC 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, LOT Life Orientation Test, RPSSQ Recalled Perceived Social Support Questionnaire, SIS Spiritual Injury Scale