How Does Timing Affect Trauma Treatment for Women Who Are Incarcerated? An Empirical Analysis

Most women who are incarcerated have experienced sexual violence; difficulties adjusting to prison could interfere with women’s ability to benefit from trauma-focused therapy. Here, we explored whether therapeutic benefits of trauma treatment varied as a function of time since incarceration. Women (...

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Published inCriminal justice and behavior Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 631 - 648
Main Authors Bridges, Ana J., Baker, Danielle E., Hurd, Lauren E., Chamberlain, Kaitlyn D., Hill, Morgan A., Karlsson, Marie, Zielinski, Melissa J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2020
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Group therapy
Imprisonment
Internalization
Mental depression
Post traumatic stress disorder
Prisoners
Self report
Sexual violence
Shame
Timing
Trauma
Trauma care
Victimization
Women
trauma
PTSD
treatment
incarcerated women
sexual abuse
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Summary:Most women who are incarcerated have experienced sexual violence; difficulties adjusting to prison could interfere with women’s ability to benefit from trauma-focused therapy. Here, we explored whether therapeutic benefits of trauma treatment varied as a function of time since incarceration. Women (N = 128) participated in an 8-week group treatment for sexual violence victimization while incarcerated in a community corrections center for nonviolent offenses. Ninety participants consented to the study and completed self-report questionnaires assessing internalizing symptoms (depression, posttraumatic stress, and shame) before and after treatment. Bivariate correlations revealed a significant negative association between time since incarceration and pretreatment depression but not posttraumatic symptoms or shame. Dependent-sample t tests revealed significant improvements from pretreatment to posttreatment in internalizing symptoms. Longer time since incarceration did not significantly predict internalizing symptoms after controlling for pretreatment symptom severity. Findings suggest trauma-focused treatments can be offered to women shortly after they are incarcerated.
ISSN:0093-8548
1552-3594
DOI:10.1177/0093854820903071