A Phenomenological Study Exploring Christian Women Emotional Traumatic Symptoms Post Spousal Infidelity

The discovery of spousal infidelity has been recognized in the literature as a devastating breach of marital commitment. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe women of faith’s experiences with emotional trauma after discovering spousal infidelity in the Northeastern United States. This study’s theoretical framework is guided by Schlossberg’s transition theory, which aims to answer the following research questions: How do women of faith describe emotional trauma after the discovery of infidelity? How does infidelity affect the psychological, emotional, and physical functioning of women and their social systems? How do participants describe their spiritual relationship with God after relational betrayal? In what ways do women of faith cope with emotional trauma and betrayal? The data collection involved demographic questionnaires, interviews, cognitive representations, and focus groups. The data were analyzed using Naeem et al.’s systematic thematic analysis method, in which three primary themes emerged: Before Psychological Instability, During Emotional Distress, and After the Emotional Crisis. The prominent results show that the participants suffered traumatic symptoms in seclusion and without spiritual and professional involvement. Additionally, the results show the abandonment of religious practices during the emotional suffering and the return to Christian practices during the recovery process. The results are important towards the cognitive and emotional aspects of mental health and can provide support to therapists, the mental health community, and clergy leadership for spiritual guidance.