Spirituality As Protective Factor For Adolescents Exposed To Domestic Violence

Research has shown that exposure to domestic violence can have adverse developmental outcomes for adolescents. Several protective factors have been identified in the research literature as promoting resilience with at-risk youth. Recently spirituality as a potential protective factor has received attention. The current phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of fourteen adolescents-who had been exposed to domestic violence-to answer the following questions: 1) How do adolescents define spirituality? 2) In what ways does spirituality serve as a protective factor for adolescents exposed to domestic violence? In the current study, both traditional and non-traditional definitions of spirituality emerged. Spirituality appeared to be a source of strength for the participants and manifested itself in numerous ways, including having a sense of purpose and a positive attitude.