Acute Intervention to Reduce Distress Following Sexual Assault

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2; Phase 1

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Drug Abuse; Drug Use

Treatments: Behavioral: PPRS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01622855

NCT11158

R01DA011158 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a brief intervention in video format delivered in the post assault medical exam setting and including education about assault reactions and instruction in and modeling of successful coping strategies would reduce post assault drug use or abuse and PTSD symptoms as compared to standard care.

Full description

The intervention being evaluated was shown at the time of the post assault medical exam and includes two main components: preparation for the medical exam; and information about and modelling of coping strategies that may help women cope in the aftermath of assault. The intervention content is delivered via video. Intervention and standard care groups were compared with regard to measures of substance use and abuse and symptoms of PTSD and other potentially comorbid problems including symptoms of depression or other anxiety.

Enrollment: 442 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 14 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Seeking medical care after recent sexual assault

Exclusion criteria

• Active psychosis
• Active suicidality
• Cognitive impairment
• Non-English speaking
• Severe injury

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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442 participants in 2 patient groups

PPRS video

Experimental group

Description:

Prevention of post sexual assault stress

Treatment:

Behavioral: PPRS

Standard care

No Intervention group

Description:

Receipt of standard services