Satchell Jessica, Dalrymple Nicola, Leavey Gerard, Serfaty Marc
Division of Psychiatry, University College London.
Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Ulster University.
Psychol Trauma. 2024 May;16(4):643-652. doi: 10.1037/tra0001420. Epub 2023 Feb 9.
There is growing need to strengthen support for older crime victims. We aimed to explore spiritual and/or religious (S/R) beliefs in a sample of older victims and understand how this shapes psychological responding and coping with crime.
Qualitative study with supplementary descriptive statistics nested within a clinical trial. We explored psychological responding and coping in-depth through semistructured interviews with 27 older victims of police-reported crime, purposefully sampled to achieve maximum variation. We inductively analyzed data using a reflexive thematic analysis. We assessed the breadth of S/R beliefs in a large sample ( = 402) of initially distressed older victims using an abbreviated version of The Royal Free Interview for Spiritual Beliefs. We assessed continued psychological distress using the two-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Patient Health Questionnaire 3 months postcrime.
Over two-thirds (67%) identified as S/R, but psychological distress scores were similar, irrespective of religiosity. Our qualitative analysis suggests that crime may impact religious identity or practice in some older victims (hate crime) but influences attitudes or coping in others. Positive coping included acceptance, forgiveness, and/or turning to prayer or faith communities. Negative coping included fixation on retribution, superstition, perceived abandonment by God, or an inability to accommodate the crime within their beliefs, amplifying psychological distress.
Understanding the psychological impact on older crime victims is enhanced by clarifying the role of S/R. Further research, especially on non-Christian religious victims, is needed. Cultural awareness training for trauma counselors and trauma awareness training for faith leaders is recommended. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
加强对老年犯罪受害者支持的需求日益增长。我们旨在探讨老年受害者样本中的精神和/或宗教（S/R）信仰，并了解其如何塑造心理反应以及应对犯罪。
在一项临床试验中进行嵌套了补充描述性统计的定性研究。我们通过对27名向警方报案的老年犯罪受害者进行半结构化访谈，深入探讨心理反应和应对方式，采用目的抽样以实现最大程度的差异。我们使用反思性主题分析法对数据进行归纳分析。我们使用《皇家自由精神信仰访谈简版》对402名最初感到痛苦的老年受害者的大样本评估S/R信仰的广度。我们在犯罪3个月后使用两项广泛性焦虑障碍和患者健康问卷评估持续的心理困扰。
超过三分之二（67%）的人认定为有S/R信仰，但无论宗教信仰如何，心理困扰得分相似。我们的定性分析表明，犯罪可能会影响一些老年受害者（仇恨犯罪）的宗教身份或宗教活动，但会影响另一些人的态度或应对方式。积极的应对方式包括接受、宽恕和/或求助于祈祷或宗教团体。消极的应对方式包括执着于报复、迷信、感觉被上帝抛弃，或者无法在其信仰中接纳犯罪，从而加剧心理困扰。
通过阐明S/R的作用，可以更好地理解对老年犯罪受害者的心理影响。需要进一步开展研究，尤其是针对非基督教宗教受害者的研究。建议为创伤咨询师提供文化意识培训，为宗教领袖提供创伤意识培训。（《心理学文摘数据库记录》（c）2024美国心理学会，保留所有权利）
