Moral conflict in providing pastoral care in domestic violence situations: a grounded theory study

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.