Table 3.
Summary of findings of all included qualitative studies
| First author, year | Sample size |
Age | %Male | Age at first abuse |
Outcomes and Themes identified | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mart, 2004 | 25 | 23–53 | 100.0% | N/A | Trends toward avoidant traits, social withdrawal, shyness, and unassertiveness, leading to vulnerability for victimization, closeness to religious activities, and fear of disclosure; religious disengagement despite strong religiosity background | High proportion participants with active church activities such as altar boys; no quotation provided; themes identified related to post-abuse outcomes were grouped in our review; |
| Isely et al., 2008 | 9 | 31–67 | 100.0% | 9–15 years old | Immediate and long-term psychological impacts such as fear, shame, anger, confusion, intrusion, mistrust, and amnesia; social and behavioral consequences, feeling estranged from others, avoid relationship with men, concerning about orientation and identity, and sexual promiscuity | Only post-abuse outcomes were selected and grouped in our review |
| Farrell, 2009 | 12 | 44 on average | N/A | N/A | Unique trauma symptomatology after abuse 1) theological conflict, 2) idiosyncratic silencing strategies, 3) spiritual identity, 4) political anger, 5) existentialism, and 6) re-traumatization by the church | 66.7% became agnostic or atheistic, attributed directly from abuse; and 83.3% received psychological treatment |
| Easton, 2019 | 205 |
27–78 (M = 52.0) |
100.0% | M = 11.3 | Impacts on self-identity: 1) total self, 2) psychological self, 3) relational self, 4) gendered self, 5) aspirational self, and 6) spiritual self-least mentioned (6.3%) | Majority (47.8%) reported psychological self-issues, including mental health problems, self-harm, and low self-esteem |
| Prusak & Schab, 2022 | 5 |
27–30 (M = 28.6) |
0.0% | M = 16.8 | 1) God image (diverse perceptions), 2) emotions towards God (anger and fear), 3) sense of guilt before God, and 4) distrust of the institutional church and clergy, leading to loss of spiritual security | Four of five experienced religious struggle; some perceived as they allowed, or even induced, the abuse |
M Mean