Development of an Instrument to Measure Healing from Sexual Abuse Trauma

Development of an Instrument to Measure Healing from Sexual Abuse Trauma
Updated June 2002

Principal Investigators: Mary Jane Alexander, Ph.D., Jeanne Dumont, Ph.D., Kristina Muenzenmaier, M.D., Elmer Struening, Ph.D.

PROJECT GOALS

This project will:

identify domains associated with recovery, and
develop an instrument to measure healing from sexual abuse trauma among persons with severe mental disorder.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

Method: Domains of healing from trauma from the perspective of trauma survivors have been described. They include having choices, optimism, present and future awareness, relationship to authority, advocacy, relationship to perpetrator, having a support system, establishing one’s safety in the world, handling re-victimization and taking care of oneself. Consumers and survivors have been involved in constructing these domains and developing items for the instrument.

Results: A draft instrument has been constructed from the concept mapping items and dimensions of healing identified as the project’s first goal. Items have been edited based on psychometric theory and review by consumer survivors. Reviewers were very positive about the potential of the measure as a research tool or as a roadmap for recovery used by a consumer and therapist together.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS/ POLICY IMPLICATIONS

There are no measures of healing from sexual abuse trauma available, and few outcome measures of any sort are based on consumer input or focus on the positive aspects of healing. This instrument will provide the first empirically validated outcome instrument and will have utility in evaluating emerging treatment approaches for PSMD with histories of trauma exposure.

PLANS

A protocol is under IRB review to test the internal psychometrics of the measure based on delivering it to 100 consumers at inpatient, outpatient and community settings. Discussions with study participants will also be held. If the psychometrics are sound, we plan to collaborate with Dr. Ralph in a grant application to establish construct and criterion validity of the two Recovery Measures that are currently in draft form.

Publication:

Muenzenmaier K, Sampson DE, Norelli L, Alexander KA, Stephens B, Huckeba H (1998). Understanding and dealing with sexual abuse trauma: An educational group for women. Trauma Initiative. Training Bureau, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany NY.

Entered: 3/25/1999
Last Updated: 6/17/02

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Development of an Instrument to Measure Healing from Sexual Abuse Trauma Updated June 2002

PLANS

Development of an Instrument to Measure Healing from Sexual Abuse Trauma
Updated June 2002