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Characteristics of health and well-being in former Jehovah’s Witnesses in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland

Thoma, Myriam V; Goreis, Andreas; Rohner, Shauna L; Nater, Urs M; Heim, Eva; Höltge, Jan (2023). Characteristics of health and well-being in former Jehovah’s Witnesses in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 26(7):644-662.

Abstract

Background: This study collected quantifiable data on the characteristics, health, and well-being of individuals who left or were expelled from a fundamentalist Christian faith community in Austria, Germany, or Switzerland. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey. Results: This study assessed a sample of former Jehovah’s Witnesses (N = 424, Mage = 42.14, SDage = 12.57, 65% female). Most participants (66%) were born into this faith community. Half the sample left voluntarily, 21% were expelled, and 31% left due to having experienced abuse or maltreatment. One third reported suicidal thoughts; 10% had attempted suicide. The sample (especially women) reported relatively high levels of child maltreatment, moderate current health, clinically significant symptoms, high levels of stress, and low quality of life. Participants who left due to abuse or maltreatment reported more symptoms and child maltreatment. Discussion: Women and survivors of child maltreatment may represent particularly vulnerable sub-groups of former Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:06 Faculty of Arts > Institute of Psychology
Dewey Decimal Classification:150 Psychology
Scopus Subject Areas:Social Sciences & Humanities > Clinical Psychology
Health Sciences > Psychiatry and Mental Health
Uncontrolled Keywords:Former Jehovah’s witnesses, health, well-being, characteristics, risk, vulnerability
Language:English
Date:9 August 2023
Deposited On:09 Jan 2024 11:27
Last Modified:30 Oct 2024 14:11
Publisher:Taylor & Francis
ISSN:1367-4676
OA Status:Hybrid
Free access at:Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2023.2255144
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