Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with substantial psychiatric morbidity, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being one of the most prevalent outcomes. PTSD symptoms can compromise IPV survivors’ ability to use community resources effectively, as well as their ability to react to potentially dangerous situations. Thus, PTSD symptoms frequently interfere with survivors’ capability to establish safety for themselves and their children. Standard services for IPV survivors often prioritize advocacy, case management, and support/educational groups. Few interventions exist that target the specific and unique needs of IPV survivors with PTSD. This chapter reviews the existing literature on PTSD, and treatment of PTSD, in IPV survivors. Further, this chapter highlights a PTSD treatment designed specifically for residents of domestic violence shelters, Helping to Overcome PTSD through Empowerment (HOPE). HOPE adopts a cognitive-behavioral (CBT) approach to more effectively address IPV survivors’ needs and improve engagement in treatment. HOPE expands upon traditional treatments through its incorporation of the empowerment and stabilization treatment models for IPV survivors; models of care that experts in the field of IPV strongly recommend. In this chapter, we provide an overview of HOPE, as well as a summary of existing research on the efficacy of the program. A case example of HOPE and suggestions for implementing HOPE in clinical practice are also presented.