Search

Nearly all people in prison have experienced trauma, and many meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Untreated PTSD increases the risk of substance use problems after release, contributing to a well‐documented cycle of trauma, addiction, and incarceration. However, evidence‐based, trauma‐focused therapy for PTSD is rarely offered in prisons, and there is little research that can guide implementation efforts. In preparation for an effectiveness–implementation hybrid II pilot trial examining group‐delivered cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in prisons, we conducted a formative evaluation using interviews structured according to the consolidated framework for implementation research (i.e., CFIR). Participants were correction center leadership, treatment staff, health care staff, and security staff (n = 22) and incarcerated persons (n = 14; 57.1% female). We found that CPT was highly compatible with residents' needs and the centers' available resources, culture, existing programs, and current workflow. CPT was also acceptable to all stakeholders. Potential barriers were the lower relative priority for CPT compared with programs that are reinforced at the system level, limited staff time to deliver CPT, limited staff knowledge about PTSD, and center features that could distract from CPT groups and/or training or be countertherapeutic. Taken together, CPT is a promising trauma‐focused therapy for corrections, but these findings underscore the importance of identifying and matching potential barriers to effective implementation strategies a priori and work in the policy arena to promote sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although incarcerated women are a highly victimized population, therapy for sexual violence victimization (SVV) sequela is not routinely offered in prison. SHARE is a group therapy for SVV survivors that was successfully implemented and sustained in a women's correction center. Here, we aimed to identify implementation factors and strategies that led to SHARE's success and describe incarcerated women's perspectives on the program. We conducted a retrospective process evaluation using interviews structured according to EPIS, a well‐established implementation science framework. Participants (N = 22) were incarcerated women, members of the SHARE treatment team, and members of the correction center's leadership, therapeutic team, and volunteer program. Factors that facilitated SHARE implementation varied by EPIS phase and organization. Positive inter‐organizational and interpersonal relationships were key across phases, as were the synergies between both the strengths and needs of each organization involved in implementation. Incarcerated women reported a strong need for SHARE and did not report any concerns about receiving trauma therapy in a carceral setting. Therapy for SVV sequelae, including exposure‐based therapy, is possible to implement and sustain in carceral settings. Community–academic partnerships may be a particularly feasible way to expand access to SVV therapy for incarcerated women. Highlights: Described implementing a group therapy for survivors of sexual violence within a women's prison.Evaluated contextual factors and strategies that led to successful sustainment of the group.Includes views of incarcerated women, members of the treatment team, and prison leadership.Found personal and organizational partnerships were key to effecting and sustaining the program.Incarcerated women noted a need for trauma therapy and felt prison was a suitable setting for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into factors for suicide has revealed relations between trauma exposure and suicidality (e.g., Bridge, Goldstein, & Brent, ; Joiner, Sachs-Ericson, Wingate, Brown, Anestis, & Selby, ) wherein painful and provocative experiences (e.g., nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI]) are an important link (e.g., Van Orden, Witte, Cukrowicz, Braithwaite, Selby, & Joiner, ; Smith, ). No prior research has assessed the relationship between functions of NSSI and suicidality among childhood trauma survivors. Participants who endorsed childhood trauma exposure (N = 121; Mage  = 18.69, range 18-22) completed measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, NSSI, and suicidality. Multiple regressions assessing whether the four functions of NSSI predicted suicide ideation and past attempts after controlling for PTSD symptom severity found that only social negative reinforcement was associated with SI (β = .304, SE = .243, t = 2.23, p = .028), while only automatic negative reinforcement was associated with past attempts (β = .470, SE = .066, t = 2.25, p = .028). Findings highlight the importance of assessing NSSI functions when assessing suicidality among trauma survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross‐sectional study investigated whether hostile rumination mediated the association between several indicators of a negative childhood environment (retrospectively reported child abuse and perceived parental care and overprotection) and borderline features. Community participants (N = 524) completed self‐report measures in the laboratory. Results showed that adults exhibiting borderline features reported less parental care and more parental overprotection, as well as greater abuse. Additionally, hostile rumination statistically mediated the associations between all childhood environmental variables and borderline features, even controlling for depressive symptoms, alcohol use and impulsivity. Although cross‐sectional data cannot test causal mediation, this pattern of results provides preliminary evidence that hostile rumination may partially account for the well‐established connection between negative environments and borderline features. Future directions, including a discussion of longitudinal and experimental work that might help build on and strengthen the current findings, are explored. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]