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Trauma-informed weight lifting as an adjunctive intervention for posttraumatic stress among youth in residential
Elizabeth K Lee1, Nicole M Strumbel1, Mikayla J Falteisek1
1Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Objective:
Youth in residential treatment are likely to have a history of complex trauma, which is linked to disruptions in interoception. Conventional talk psychotherapy may not address disruptions in interoception as keenly as movement-based interventions. Therefore, the present pilot study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an adjunctive movement-based intervention, trauma-informed weight lifting (TIWL).
Method:
Following a nonrandomized, quasiexperimental design, adolescents and young adults (N = 12) from two residential facilities received 8 weeks of TIWL (n = 7) or treatment as usual (n = 5). Perceived helpfulness of the intervention, attendance, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and interoception were evaluated weekly via self-report. Other psychological symptoms were assessed at pretreatment, midtreatment, posttreatment, and 4-week follow-up.
Results:
TIWL appeared feasible and acceptable in an adolescent residential treatment setting based on participants' high attendance rate and ratings of helpfulness. Those who participated in TIWL reported lower posttraumatic stress, depression, and stress symptoms and higher levels of interoception at posttreatment. However, these effects were not maintained at follow-up, nor were they significantly greater than those in treatment as usual.
Conclusions:
There is preliminary evidence for the feasibility and acceptability of TIWL delivered in residential treatment. More research is needed to identify how effects on posttraumatic stress and interoception may be maintained at follow-up and whether effects are above treatment as usual. Nonetheless, TIWL could serve as an integrative option for those who may not engage in talk therapy. Future research on movement-based interventions, such as TIWL, is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
