Initial testing of components of the cultural determinants of trauma recovery (CDTR) theory amongst American Gender‐Based violence survivors: Structural equation modelling.

Aim: We tested key hypotheses derived from the Cultural Determinants of Trauma Recovery Theory (CDTR) with an American sample. Design: A cross‐sectional study using anonymous online surveys. Methods: This study was conducted with 225 American survivors of gender‐based violence (GBV) between August to November 2019. Demographics, distress (depression: PHQ8; PTSD: PCL‐5), mental health service utilization (counselling and medication), sense of coherence (SOC), internal barriers to help‐seeking (shame, frozen and problem management subscales: BHS‐TR Internal) and the GBV healing (GBV‐Heal) were used. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to test the hypotheses. Results: The final SEM model showed that the relationship between distress and mental health service utilization was not mediated by internal help‐seeking barriers; the relationship between distress and trauma healing was partially mediated by internal help‐seeking barriers; the relationship between internal help‐seeking barriers and trauma healing was partially mediated by SOC; mental health service utilization was not significantly associated with trauma healing. Overall, the relationship between distress and trauma healing was partially mediated by internal help‐seeking barriers and SOC. Conclusions: This study confirmed some hypothetical pathways between distress and trauma healing. Further research with larger and international samples should be necessary to test the overall CDTR and compare groups. Impact: This study can help us focus on psychological interventions that enhance meaning and mitigate internal help‐seeking barriers to promote holistic trauma recovery. Public and public contribution: The sample was gathered from a clinical population registry that alerts patients of potential research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]