A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study of a Single-Session Psychoeducation Treatment for Urban, Culturally Diverse, Trauma-Exposed Adults.

This randomized pilot study aimed to determine whether a single session of psychoeducation improved mental health outcomes, attitudes toward treatment, and service engagement among urban, impoverished, culturally diverse, trauma-exposed adults. Sixty-seven individuals were randomly assigned to a single-session psychoeducation treatment or a delayed treatment comparison control group. The control group was found to be superior to the treatment group at posttest with respect to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and occupational and family disability. At follow-up, all participants had completed the psychoeducation treatment, and a mixed-effects model indicated significant improvements over time in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, somatization, and attitudes toward treatment. Ninety-eight percent of the participants reported the psychoeducation was helpful at follow-up. Participants also reported a 19.1% increase in mental health service utilization at follow-up compared with baseline. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed.

Factors associated with mental health service use in urban, impoverished, trauma-exposed adults.

This study utilized the Expanded Behavioral Model of Health Service Use Among Vulnerable Populations to investigate disparities in mental health care use among a community sample of urban, impoverished, trauma-exposed adults. Self-report questionnaires were completed by 135 adults with a lifetime history of traumatic stress exposure. Results suggested approximately 20% of the sample were receiving mental health services, and these individuals were primarily getting services at outpatient mental health facilities. Social support, positive attitudes toward treatment seeking, and occupational disability were significantly associated with current mental health service use. Logistic regression analyses indicated that after controlling for significant covariates, occupational disability was the only need variable that predicted current mental health service utilization (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.45, p < .01). Improving attitudes toward treatment seeking as well as identifying occupational difficulties may be important avenues for improving willingness to seek care and decreasing disparities in care for trauma-exposed adults. Implications for mental health policy and practice are discussed.