Citation

Johnson DM, Johnson NL, Perez SK, Palmieri PA, Zlotnick C. J. Trauma. Stress 2016; 29(4): 365-373.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.22117

PMID

27459503

Abstract

This study explored the acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of an expanded version of a PTSD treatment developed for residents of battered women's shelters, Helping to Overcome PTSD through Empowerment (HOPE) in women who received standard shelter services (SSSs). A Phase I randomized clinical trial comparing HOPE + SSSs (n = 30) to SSSs (n = 30) was conducted. Primary outcome measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (Blake et al., 1995) and the Revised Conflict Tactic Scales (Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996). Participants were followed at 1-week, and 3- and 6-months posttreatment. Only 2 women dropped out of HOPE + SSS treatment. Latent growth curve analyses found significant treatment effects for PTSD from intimate partner violence (IPV) (β = -.007, p =.021), but not for future IPV (β =.002, p =.709) across follow-up points. Significant effects were also found for secondary outcomes of depression severity (β = -.006, p =.052), empowerment (β =.155, p =.022), and resource gain (β =.158, p =.036). Additionally, more women in HOPE + SSSs were employed at 3- and 6-month follow-up compared to those in SSSs only.

RESULTS showed the acceptability and feasibility of adding IPV-related treatment to standard services. They also suggested that HOPE may be a promising treatment for residents of battered women's shelters. Further research with a larger sample, utilizing more diverse shelter settings and a more rigorous control condition, is needed to confirm these findings.

Copyright © 2016 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Language: en