A qualitative study on clients' needs and wishes for an intervention aimed at preventing revictimization

Background: Victims of interpersonal violence have an increased risk to (a) develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and (b) experience future interpersonal violence, a phenomenon called revictimization. Incidentally, PTSD is also a risk factor for revictimization, resulting in a vicious cycle for victims. To date, no interventions exist that effectively reduce the risk of revictimization in people suffering from PTSD. Furthermore, while the responsibility for preventing violence always resides with the perpetrator, we mostly see victims in clinical practice. We have chosen for a multi-dimensional approach to prevention by focusing on developing an intervention for potential victims.Objective: Our aim was to identify the skills that experts by experience would like to acquire in a novel intervention aimed at decreasing vulnerability for revictimization after trauma treatment. Secondly, this approach allowed the identification of risk factors for revictimization from a patient perspective.Methods: We conducted a qualitative study consisting of two focus groups with a total of N = 16 participants, with M_age = 49.0 (SD = 14.2) of which N = 8 were female. Participants were patients at a trauma expertise centre and had been victims of interpersonal violence in the past. The transcribed audio tapes were analyzed using iterative and reflexive thematic analysis.Results: We identified four main themes: 'emotion-focused skills', 'internal dialogue', 'communication skills', and 'managing social environment'. The results indicate that experts by experience would like to acquire skills that span emotional, cognitive, and behavioural dimensions to decrease their vulnerability for revictimization.Conclusions: Novel interventions aimed at decreasing vulnerability for revictimization after trauma treatment should incorporate the skills that experts by experience would like to acquire, such as awareness of emotions & bodily signals, coaching oneself, and managing the social environment, among others. Our results partially align with the evidence-based model of revictimization.