Trauma-Focused Intervention With Women Experiencing Homelessness

Pragmatic, Waitlist Randomized Controlled Trial of a Trauma-Focused Intervention With Women Experiencing Homelessness

Homelessness and associated traumas disproportionately affect women. The biopsychosocial health consequences of untreated trauma are profound. PTSD frequently co-occurs with other chronic health conditions, including substance use disorders (SUD). Co-morbid PTSD and SUD (PTSD+SUD) is common and difficult to treat, resulting in severe morbidity and premature mortality among women experiencing homelessness. Executing this study will help to address the disproportionate PTSD+SUD comorbidity burden, which drives health inequities in the growing population of women experiencing homelessness within and beyond Chicago.

Homelessness and associated traumas disproportionately affect women. The biopsychosocial health consequences of untreated trauma are profound. PTSD frequently co-occurs with other chronic health conditions, including substance use disorders (SUD). Co-morbid PTSD and SUD (PTSD+SUD) is common and difficult to treat, resulting in severe morbidity and premature mortality among women experiencing homelessness. We have systematically adapted a trauma-focused intervention protocol (Narrative Exposure Therapy [NET]) to the self-identified needs and preferences of trauma-affected women experiencing homelessness. This adapted intervention, "NET+", incorporates strengths and preferences identified by women themselves, embedding principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into conventional NET. NET+ aims to both employ core NET principles to re-process past trauma in parallel with building present-centered skills to address avoidant coping motives in PTSD+SUD. Via a pragmatic, waitlist randomized controlled trial, we will further assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a 3-week NET+ intervention protocol with up to 100 women experiencing homelessness. We will determine pre- and post-NET+ intervention PTSD and trauma-related symptom scores (depression, anxiety, somatization, sleep), substance use behaviors, and effect sizes. Executing this study will help to address the disproportionate PTSD+SUD comorbidity burden, which drives health inequities in the growing population of women experiencing homelessness within and beyond Chicago.

Psychological Trauma, Trauma and Stress Related Disorders, Substance-Related Disorders, Substance Use, Substance Use Disorders

Eligible participants will either receive immediate NET+ or be assigned to a waitlist; all participants will be offered the opportunity to enroll in the NET+ intervention.

The basis of this intervention is adapted Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)+. All participants receive 4-8 active NET+ sessions, including a psychoeducational session.

Waitlist control group participants receive 1 psychoeducational sessions and will be added to a waitlist; waitlist control group participants randomly selected from the waitlist be offered the opportunity to receive the active intervention (NET+).

Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription substance use behaviors, medication, and other Substance use Tool (positive/negative screen - positive screen = using substances/worse outcomes)

Inclusion Criteria: self-identifies as a woman; greater than or equal to 18 years; positive screen on TAPS-1 (reflecting problematic substance use); recently (within 1 year) or currently homeless (HRSA definition); affected by a traumatic life event and trauma-related distress (+Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 Standard [LEC-5] response ≥1 and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 [PCL-5] score ≥28). Exclusion Criteria: (1) impaired decisional capacity to consent to participation (University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent [UBACC] score ≤14.5)