Development and Validation of the Motivators and Resources for Trauma Recovery Scale for Gender-based Violence...

Gender-based violence (GBV) has profound health effects on survivors, and there is a critical need to identify culturally relevant protective factors that support trauma recovery and healing.

To develop and validate the Motivators and Resources for Trauma Recovery (I-MOVE) scale to assess internal and external resources and motivators supporting trauma healing among GBV survivors across different cultural and social contexts.

We used a structured, multiphase methodology for scale development, incorporating feedback from international experts and survivors. The I-MOVE tool was developed using a three-phase process: (1) identifying core domains through the extraction of relevant concepts from survivor narratives, (2) generating scale items using survivor language, and (3) assessing content and face validity, as well as evaluating acceptability, through a content validity index with experts and cognitive interviews with GBV survivors aged 30-60 from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The I-MOVE scale, consisting of 57 items, assesses resources and motivators crucial to trauma recovery. Expert evaluations and cognitive interviews ensured clarity, relevance, and cultural sensitivity.

The I-MOVE scale fills a critical gap by offering a culturally responsive tool to assess internal and external motivators of trauma recovery among GBV survivors. Its development incorporated multicultural survivor input, enhancing clarity and relevance across diverse populations. Unlike existing tools, I-MOVE addresses the full spectrum of healing resources, including legal status, parenting roles, and culturally appropriate services, particularly relevant for immigrants. These findings suggest the scale's strong potential to support survivor-centered care and inform targeted interventions across varied forms of GBV.