Telehealth Trauma Interventions for Low-SES Abused Women

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Intimate partner violence (IPV) (Saltzman et al., 1999; 2002) is a significant public health threat. PTSD is a particularly prevalent outcome of IPV, with some studies reporting more than 75% of battered women meeting diagnostic criteria (e.g., Kemp et al., 1995). Unfortunately, PTSD is found among a host of additional poor mental health and behavioral outcomes associated with IPV, including depression and revictimization. Low-SES, African American battered women represent an especially vulnerable group of IPV victims, as they are unlikely to access mental health services to address these difficulties (USDHHS, 2001). This diminished access to care is due to numerous and formidable barriers within the format and structure of usual care in traditional mental health settings. There is little in the way of evidence-based intervention research for addressing PTSD, revictimization, and other IPV-related outcomes in this population. Thus, innovative treatment strategies are essential for increasing the accessibility and acceptability of mental health services to this underserved population. The purpose of this study is to develop and preliminarily evaluate the effectiveness and cost of an innovative, accessible, and enhanced PTSD intervention for low-SES African American battered women. The proposed CONNECT intervention addresses this goal through its content, flexibility, and mode of delivery. This application has three specific aims all of which are congruent with the stated mission of the R34 and include: (1) To develop a multi-component, telephone-administered intervention for battered women; (2) To pilot test the intervention; and (3) To pilot test measures of the cost of administering the intervention. The R34 will provide the foundation upon which to develop a full-scale NIMH R01 effectiveness trial to reduce PTSD and associated problems in Iow-SES African American battered women.