Spiritual Abuse: Recognizing and Addressing in Clinical Situations

Course #9658L-


Study Points

  1. Define spiritual abuse from a pastoral, developmental, and clinical perspective.
  2. Identify the common themes amongst religious denominations and spiritual practices that have led to abuse experiences in individuals.
  3. Assess for commonly encountered negative cognitions acquired by those who have been spiritually abused in the context of clinical symptomology.
  4. Develop a trauma-informed treatment or service plan that is sensitive to the needs of clients who have experienced spiritual abuse.
  5. Identify components of healthy spirituality that can assist in the recovery process within any clinical or human services approach.

    1 . Which of the following is the best succinct definition of spiritual abuse?
    A) Sexual abuse having spiritual components
    B) The use of God or religion as tools to gain power and control
    C) Making fun of someone else's religion
    D) Going through a cult or ritualistic experience

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    2 . Which of the following is the best statement about religious groups and spiritual abuse?
    A) Spiritual abuse is most widely seen in the Catholic Church because of clerical abuse scandals.
    B) Spiritual abuse is primarily a problem in Orthodox Jewish congregations because of old-world rigidity.
    C) Protestant "megachurches" are where, statistically, you find your greatest occurrence of spiritual abuse.
    D) No one religious denomination or primary group is the main offender in spiritually abusing people; the themes of spiritual abuse, specifically power and control, show up in all faiths.

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    3 . Cult comes from the Latin word meaning to
    A) venerate.
    B) worship.
    C) control.
    D) poison.

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    4 . Which statement best represents the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)'s position about cult watchlists?
    A) Keeps a complete list of cults on its website for the assistance of clinicians.
    B) Keeps a partial list of cults on their website since the number of cults is ever-changing.
    C) Does not keep a comprehensive list of cults, listing only evaluative criteria so people can decide for themselves.
    D) Does not see it as their job to provide this form of information as a safety concern.

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    5 . When did a surge of writing on the term spiritual abuse begin within the Christian pastoral literature?
    A) 1970s
    B) 1980s
    C) 1990s
    D) 2000s

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    6 . Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of a cult or cultic group as identified on the 2016 ICSA list?
    A) Expectation that an excessive amount of time be devoted to the group
    B) Freedom of choice in spiritual practices
    C) The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel.
    D) The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members.

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    7 . In the Bible, cautions against spiritually abusive practices are made
    A) in the Old Testament.
    B) in the New Testament.
    C) in both the Old and the New Testament.
    D) only in the Catholic version of the Bible.

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    8 . In studying the causes of spiritual abuse, "God loves you unconditionally," vs. "But God will only love you if you follow all of the rules," is an example of
    A) a mixed message.
    B) a paradox.
    C) crazymaking.
    D) clericalism.

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    9 . A lust for or a need to what is a common trait seen in those who abuse?
    A) love
    B) lead
    C) control
    D) get rich

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    10 . Among most spiritually abusive leaders, when is there an intent to harm?
    A) Rarely
    B) Sometimes
    C) Usually
    D) Always

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    11 . The combination of which two traits in a person can make them especially vulnerable to being spiritually abused?
    A) Deep insecurity and emotional sensitivity
    B) Mental illness and emotional sensitivity
    C) Emotional sensitivity and cognitive rigidity
    D) Deep insecurity and low self-esteem

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    12 . What is the best example of a time when a person is most likely to be preyed upon by a spiritually abusive leader?
    A) After a job loss
    B) Adolescence
    C) During marital problems
    D) During any time of transition (all of the above could be correct)

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    13 . Helping spiritual abuse survivors identify their emotions is a critical part of recovery, but can be a challenge, especially with women, because
    A) women express emotion too easily.
    B) many traditional, orthodox religious groups promote emotional repression.
    C) spirit and emotion are separate constructs of a person.
    D) people coming in to therapy are generally emotionally repressed.

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    14 . What is defined as when a small group of highly regarded and special leaders have the power and privilege to make all or most of the important and critical decisions for the organization and those within it?
    A) Legalism
    B) High control religion
    C) Clericalism
    D) Jingoism

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    15 . What is an extreme, sadistic form of abuse of children and non-consenting adults? It is methodical, systematic sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse, which often includes mind control, torture, and highly illegal and immoral activities such as murder, child pornography, and prostitution. The abuse is justified by a religious or political ideology.
    A) All spiritual abuse
    B) Ritual abuse
    C) Post-traumatic church syndrome
    D) Church hurt

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