Extraction

Perera & Fraizer (2013), reviewed the effects of potentially traumatic events on religiosity and spirituality. The concise and logically organized level IV prospective longitudinal research article had confusing tables and vague results. A sample of 244 undergraduate psychology students, half the students experienced a potentially traumatic event [PTE], while the other half did not. Both groups completed two online surveys two months apart. There was no significant difference between the PTE group and the control group in relation to changes in religiosity and spirituality. However, actual and perceived change in religiosity and spirituality occurred within both groups; these changes were based on alterations in personal realms and not related to a PTE (Perera & Fraizer, 2013). Religion is often viewed as a coping mechanism, and this study highlights the lack of change in religiosity and spirituality after a PTE, thus emphasizing the importance of religion as an effective coping mechanism.

Prout, T. A., Gerber, L. E., & Gottdiener, W. H. (2015) focused on the accompanying occurrence of substance use disorders with traumatic experiences. The aim of the level V review was to examine the potential roles of defense mechanisms and religious coping between substance abuse and trauma symptoms. The descriptive qualitative study took a sample of 380 undergraduate college students from a private Catholic liberal arts college in the United States. The authors administered an online survey asking about substance abuse and personality. The research found 19% of participants met the minimum margin for a diagnosis of PTSD, and 21% of participants were at risk of progressing to substance abuse. The study determined individuals with substance abuse have a tendency to use maladaptive coping and religious strategies compared to individuals without substance use disorders. The authors proved the connection between traumatic events and the use of coping and defense mechanisms as methods to internalize the event. Defense mechanisms and religion are used to manage traumatic experiences, but they do not prevent the connection between trauma and substance abuse (Prout, T. A. et al., 2015). The article was thorough and informative by providing a detailed description of the study as well as meeting the purpose of the project. The descriptive qualitative study confirmed the expectation of the use of defense mechanisms and coping strategies in individuals with previous traumatic experiences. However, the research did not prove religion and coping mechanisms to be a potent safeguard between traum