Assessing Receptivity to Empirically Supported Treatments in Rape Crisis Centers

Abstract

Keywords: Trauma; evidence-based practice; PTSD; rape; rape crisis centersSexual violence, including child sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, and threat of sexual assault, is a serious and widespread problem in the United States. Data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey find that nearly 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have experienced sexual violence other than rape, while 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have experienced rape in their lifetime (Black et al., 2011). Survivors of sexual violence face serious mental health consequences including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse (Jordan, Campbell, & Follingstad, 2010).Although there is a strong evidence base for the effectiveness of several interventions at reducing trauma-induced PTSD, depression, and anxiety in survivors of sexual violence, there is low utilization of these interventions in Rape Crisis Centers (RCCs; Edmond, 2004;Edmond, Lawrence, & Voth Schrag, 2016). RCC counselors indicate they have limited familiarity with, knowledge about, or training in key evidence-based treatments (Edmond, 2004;Edmond et al., 2016). This is not unique to RCCs. Broadly speaking, there is an underutilization of evidence-based treatments in mental health service sectors. Numerous barriers to adoption of evidence-based treatments have been identified including: attitudes about evidence-based practice, intervention characteristics, costs, and access to training, supervision, and consultation (Aarons, 2004;Barnett et al., 2017;Beidas, Edmunds, Marcus & Kendall, 2012;Dorsey et al., 2017; Ragavan, 2012). In order to promote the use of effective treatments for PTSD in RCCs, the current study sought to assess RCC counselors' attitudes towards Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) in general (i.e., how they feel about movement towards the use of EBPs), understand counselors' perceptions of specific Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs) for PTSD, and evaluate any differences in attitudes and perceptions based on agency location (urban/rural) and counselor educational attainment.

Opening the Black Box: Identifying Common Practice Approaches in Urban and Rural Rape Crisis Centers

“…Given financial and geographic limitations, it is not surprising that rural RCCs employ significantly fewer practitioners with advanced degrees than do urban agencies as it may be difficult to attract and retain workers with graduate degrees (Edmond & Voth Schrag, 2017). These differences are likely exacerbated in Texas, which has a comparably low rate of postsecondary education, with 41% of 25-35 year-olds with at least a certificate from a postsecondary institution in 2016 (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2018).…”

“…Each of these treatments has been given an “A” rating by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies based on the amount and quality of evidence to support their effectiveness in treating PTSD (Foa, Keane, Friedman, & Cohen, 2009). Data suggest that counselors in RCCs have similar attitudes toward evidence-based practices as other mental health providers (Edmond & Voth Schrag, 2017), and that there is very limited use of EMDR in this sector (Edmond, Lawrence, & Voth Schrag, 2016). However, there is little evidence regarding the range of mental health treatments implemented within the RCC service sector, or the service sector’s theoretical and philosophical orientation.…”

A Process to Identify and Address Barriers to Providing Financial Capability Programming to Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

“…Implementation science is the systematic study of methods that promote the implementation into practice of research-tested interventions and has been used to improve professional practice in health care settings (Baker et al, 2015; Eccles et al, 2009). However, there has been little effort to date to employ implementation science to improve DSV service provision (Edmond & Voth Schrag, 2017; Iverson et al, 2020). .…”