Spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses in women receiving treatment for alcohol and drug addiction

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the role of spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses in relation to stress and trauma symptoms among women in substance abuse treatment.

Data sources/study setting: Data for the present analyses were obtained from baseline interviews of 393 women in an urban area of Massachusetts. Interviews were conducted from April 2003 to September 2006. Participants came from four substance abuse treatment programs (three residential and one outpatient) participating in the Mother's Hope, Mind and Spirit Study, an evaluation of an intervention funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).

Principal findings: Stress was significantly associated with drug addiction severity and trauma symptoms were significantly related to alcohol addiction severity. Spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses did not mediate the relationship between perceived stress, and posttraumatic stress, and alcohol and drug addiction severity. However, negative and significant associations were found between perceived stress and spirituality, sense of coherence and coping responses, and between posttraumatic stress symptomatology and sense of coherence.

Conclusion: Enhanced substance abuse treatments that increase spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses may be beneficial in helping women in substance abuse treatment to manage stress and posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, further research is needed to identify the pathways through which spirituality, sense of coherence and coping responses may mediate the effects of stress and posttraumatic stress symptoms on alcohol and drug addiction severity.