Moral conflict in providing pastoral care in domestic violence situations: a grounded theory study
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Capella University
Abstract
Domestic violence is a serious problem in the United States. Domestic violence affects women
and children regardless of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or religion. The current study
examined the process of dealing with moral conflict among female clergy while providing
pastoral care in domestic violence situations. The study explored moral conflict among clergy in
their roles as pastoral caregivers about domestic violence. The research question was: How do
female clergy describe the process of dealing with moral conflict during pastoral care in
domestic violence situations. Grounded theory method was used to construct a theory about
moral conflict and domestic violence in pastoral care. Eight female clergy were interviewed from
five different faith denominations. The data analysis resulted in the development of six themes in
dealing with the process of moral conflict: (a) advocates for change,( b) recognizing conflicts in
care, (c) awareness of emotional conflict, (d) consultations, (e) healthy coping and, and (f)
promoting safety. The study concluded that acknowledging abuse, an increased awareness, and
using various coping mechanisms are ways to deal with feelings of moral conflict. It is
recommended that future research focus on female clergy work in the church and the study of
dissonance across multiple disciplines.
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Smith, S. R. (2018). Moral conflict in providing pastoral care in domestic violence situations: A grounded theory study. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (AAT 10745704)