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Abstract
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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.
Language: en |