Attachment to God in PTSD Treatment of Older Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to begin a process of theory development at the intersection of trauma and spirituality in the clinical care of geriatric patients. Specifically, this dissertation proposes that the theoretical construct of Attachment to God (ATG) or Attachment to a Higher Power (AHP) might be a useful factor to incorporate into the treatment planning for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in aging adults. The Attachment to God Inventory (AGI), an instrument for assessing ATG/AHP, is considered here to explore whether there is sufficient theoretical basis to use the AGI to supplement current PTSD treatment-planning processes with this population. This dissertation is intended to be the theoretical foundation for a larger research effort, where it is hypothesized that assessing for AHP while treating PTSD in spiritually oriented aging adults would yield a significant clinical benefit.