The Role of Race, Social Support, Empowerment, and Posttraumatic Cognitions in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Black women experience more frequent and severe intimate partner violence (IPV), but there are mixed findings on their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. This may be explained by cultural-salient factors which are associated with fewer posttraumatic cognitions. We hypothesized an indirect effect of race on PTSD symptoms via social support, empowerment, and posttraumatic cognitions, serially. Path analysis revealed Black women reported increased social support, which was associated with higher levels of empowerment, which was associated with lower levels of posttraumatic cognitions. Decreased posttraumatic cognitions were associated with less severe PTSD symptoms. Results increase understanding of culturally-salient factors that may impact PTSD symptoms in Black women.

Examining the unique and interactive associations of gender and race on PTSD symptom severity among military sexual trauma survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Despite a robust association between military sexual trauma (MST) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few studies have examined factors that are associated with increased symptom severity. To this end, the current study was designed to examine the unique and interactive effects of gender and race on PTSD symptoms using a sample of MST survivors. METHOD: The sample included 126 veterans (71% Women, 29% Men; 70% Black/African American and 30% White/Caucasian) presenting for psychological services to a MST specialty clinic at a large Southeastern Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. As part of their intake evaluation, veterans completed a diagnostic interview and battery of self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Results revealed a main effect of gender and race such that veteran men and Black/African American veterans were found to have increased PTSD symptom severity. However, there was not a significant gender by race interaction. CONCLUSION: Findings are discussed with regard to previous research and treatment implications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing HOPE Treatment and Present-Centered Therapy in Women Residing in Shelter with PTSD from Intimate Partner Violence.

The current study is a randomized controlled trial comparing HOPE (Helping to Overcome PTSD through Empowerment) to an adapted version of present-centered therapy (PCT+) in residents of domestic violence shelters with posttraumatic stress disorder from intimate partner violence. HOPE is a cognitive-behavioral treatment that adopts an empowerment approach. PCT is an attention-matched control condition frequently used in posttraumatic stress disorder treatment research. PCT+ was adapted to include safety planning. We collected data from 172 women from one of six shelters, randomizing participants to receive either HOPE or PCT+. Participants in both treatments received up to 16 sessions during shelter and the first three months post-shelter. Follow-up assessments occurred at post-shelter, post-treatment, and 6- and 12-months post-treatment. Results of multivariate models found that both HOPE and PCT+ were associated with significant and large reductions in intimate partner violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Further, both treatments resulted in significant small to medium effects on intimate partner violence, depression, empowerment, posttraumatic cognitions, and health-related quality of life. Results suggest that both HOPE and PCT+ are viable and efficacious treatments of intimate partner violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder in women residing in shelters. As PCT+ has the potential to be delivered by paraprofessionals and individuals without mental health expertise, PCT+ may be the preferred treatment model for shelters.

Prevalence and Predictors of Bidirectional Violence in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Residing at Shelters.

There has been a long-standing debate regarding whether or not there is gender symmetry in intimate partner violence (IPV); however, shelter samples have been understudied thus far. This study investigates the prevalence and predictors of IPV perpetration in a sample of 227 women in battered women's shelters. Participants were asked to complete a number of measures assessing demographics, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR) diagnoses, traumatic life events, and perpetration and victimization of IPV. Although the vast majority of women in this sample (93%) report perpetrating some form of IPV, few women endorsed violence that was not mutual (5.3%). Furthermore, for every type of IPV assessed, women were victimized significantly more than they perpetrated. Results also indicate that women's perpetration of IPV, and predictors of such perpetration, varied across type, severity, and measurement of violence. However, most IPV outcome variables were predicted by women's experience of victimization. Taken as a whole, these results support the assertion that context matters when examining the relative rates of perpetration as well as its predictors.