Evaluation of a HeartMath intervention and faith following a traumatic experience

Abstract

Traumatic experiences can have an impact on faith. HeartMath can be utilised to help overcome traumatic experiences. This research focused on a HeartMath intervention, emphasising psychophysiological coherence, sense of coherence, resilience and faith following a traumatic experience. A quasi-experimental, case study and appreciative inquiry triangulated design was used. The purposeful sample consisted of 10 participants, five females and five males, who had been through a traumatic experience. They had an age range of 29 to 54 years, with a mean age of 36.30 years and standard deviation of 8.99 years, and described years of faith ranged between 17 and 54 with a mean of 23.20 and standard deviation of 17.73. A 12-week HeartMath intervention was undertaken. Related quantitative and qualitative coherence, resilience and faith measures were used at pre-test, re-test and, after intervention, post-test, with participant diaries completed. Quantitively, there were significant post-intervention positive improvements in physiological average coherence, achievement, and low, medium and high coherence level scores. Although not significant, there were improvements in resilience and faith scale, although no improvement in sense of coherence scale total score. Qualitatively, there were positive integrative thematic changes in experiences of sense of coherence, resilience and faith. A case study revealed causal, correlational and relationship mechanisms of change with an appreciative inquiry positively evaluating the intervention. There seemed to be enough data and information to support both the potential that a HeartMath intervention could have a positive effect on faith following a traumatic experience, and for HeartMath to be used as a pastoral care and counselling intervention.