Development of a Momentary Digital Intervention to Prevent Sexual Revictimization Among College Women: A Qualitative...

Sexual violence (SV) revictimization occurs at high rates among college women and is associated with numerous unique risk factors that vary from those predicting primary victimization; however, few programmatic efforts specifically target the prevention of sexual revictimization. Therefore, using ADAPT-ITT - an empirically supported multiphasic cultural adaptation framework - to guide intervention development, two primary goals of the present study include: (a) assessing the unique needs and resources required to support SV survivors post-assault; and (b) collecting survivor feedback on a momentary digital intervention to prevent sexual revictimization. Twenty-two heterosexual, cisgender women with a history of SV, past-month binge drinking, and risky sexual behavior (e.g. unprotected sexual activity) were recruited to participate in a semi-structured qualitative interview. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Thematic Analysis, with the goal of informing Phase 2 of ADAPT-ITT, during which researchers selected empirically supported content for the intervention. Qualitative thematic analysis of study transcripts yielded six themes: (a) campus cultural norms, (b) SV-related resources, (c) risky contexts, (d) what women need to know about SV, (e) intervention feedback, and (f) reasons to participate. Results suggest that college women survivors of SV support the use of a smartphone-based momentary prevention intervention that delivers protective behavioral strategies to reduce one's personal risk for revictimization. Implications for developing technology-based programmatic efforts to prevent sexual revictimization, including survivor-focused recommendations pertaining to intervention delivery, format, and post-assault needs of survivors are discussed.