A Descriptive Stage 1b Pilot Study of Recovering Safety: A Women's Empowerment Group for Survivors of Intimate...

Women receiving substance use treatment frequently report intimate partner violence (IPV), which is associated with increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health concerns; however, few interventions are specifically designed for women with co-occurring IPV and substance use disorders (SUDs). Recovering Safety is an 8-week outpatient group intervention designed to treat women with SUDs who have experienced IPV. The program emphasizes psychoeducation, skills development, safety and empowerment. A small pilot study of Recovering Safety showed initial feasibility and high satisfaction with the group. The current study aimed to extend those findings by assessing, in a larger sample, the feasibility of Recovering Safety run by a newly trained therapist, who was not the treatment developer. Fifteen women were enrolled; surveys were administered at baseline, post-group and 4 weeks post-group. Descriptive statistics were used to examine satisfaction, feasibility, safety and empowerment, PTSD symptoms, substance use, and treatment activities. On average, participants attended 5.3 out of 8 sessions. Participants reported high satisfaction with the group structure, content, women-only participants, and therapist. By the end of group, participants showed increased empowerment in utilizing IPV community resources to enhance safety and define goals which was maintained at 4-weeks post-group. PTSD symptoms remained stable, while average substance use was reduced. While results should be interpreted cautiously due to small sample size and lack of significance testing, the findings are consistent with the initial pilot study, suggesting that the intervention may increase and sustain empowerment related to safety for women facing IPV and SUDs.