Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma
Background: Trauma exposure is a risk factor for substance use disorders (SUD) among women. This study explores written content from an expressive writing (EW) intervention conducted within a residential SUD program to examine themes across trauma experiences and characterize their deep insight into...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Mary Ann Liebert
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Women's Health Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/WHR.2023.0173 |
| _version_ | 1797265642876829696 |
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| author | Nancy Jallo Patricia A. Kinser Michelle Eglovitch Nicola Worcman Parker Webster Anika Alvanzo Dace Svikis Sarah Meshberg-Cohen |
| author_facet | Nancy Jallo Patricia A. Kinser Michelle Eglovitch Nicola Worcman Parker Webster Anika Alvanzo Dace Svikis Sarah Meshberg-Cohen |
| author_sort | Nancy Jallo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Trauma exposure is a risk factor for substance use disorders (SUD) among women. This study explores written content from an expressive writing (EW) intervention conducted within a residential SUD program to examine themes across trauma experiences and characterize their deep insight into such experiences.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study is a secondary data analysis of written content of the first writing session from women (n?=?44) randomized to an EW condition while in residential SUD treatment.
Results: Nearly all participants (72.7% African American; mean age 37.3 years) reported a significant trauma event (93.2%) with an average of 3.7 types of trauma events (54.4% had a current posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis). Four primary themes emerged: (1) trauma across the lifespan; (2) loss of safety; (3) altered self-concept; and (4) desire to move on. Most participants identified interpersonal trauma, especially at an early age, as well as parental neglect and physical and/or sexual violence. These themes indicate a pattern of interpersonal betrayal and paint a picture of trauma and the subsequent ?rippling effect? such that the physical, mental, and emotional consequences were often as impactful as the event itself. However, there was also a desire to move on and gain a sense of normalcy.
Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of the written word and addressing underlying trauma in addiction treatment to facilitate healing and the woman's desire to move on. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:48:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff2b9989015446e590d248b5bc3e939a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2688-4844 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:48:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Mary Ann Liebert |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Women's Health Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff2b9989015446e590d248b5bc3e939a2024-03-12T03:00:30ZengMary Ann LiebertWomen's Health Reports2688-48442024-03-015122323010.1089/WHR.2023.0173Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About TraumaNancy JalloPatricia A. KinserMichelle EglovitchNicola WorcmanParker WebsterAnika AlvanzoDace SvikisSarah Meshberg-CohenBackground: Trauma exposure is a risk factor for substance use disorders (SUD) among women. This study explores written content from an expressive writing (EW) intervention conducted within a residential SUD program to examine themes across trauma experiences and characterize their deep insight into such experiences. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study is a secondary data analysis of written content of the first writing session from women (n?=?44) randomized to an EW condition while in residential SUD treatment. Results: Nearly all participants (72.7% African American; mean age 37.3 years) reported a significant trauma event (93.2%) with an average of 3.7 types of trauma events (54.4% had a current posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis). Four primary themes emerged: (1) trauma across the lifespan; (2) loss of safety; (3) altered self-concept; and (4) desire to move on. Most participants identified interpersonal trauma, especially at an early age, as well as parental neglect and physical and/or sexual violence. These themes indicate a pattern of interpersonal betrayal and paint a picture of trauma and the subsequent ?rippling effect? such that the physical, mental, and emotional consequences were often as impactful as the event itself. However, there was also a desire to move on and gain a sense of normalcy. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of the written word and addressing underlying trauma in addiction treatment to facilitate healing and the woman's desire to move on.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/WHR.2023.0173traumasubstance use disorderexpressive writingaddictioncomorbidity |
| spellingShingle | Nancy Jallo Patricia A. Kinser Michelle Eglovitch Nicola Worcman Parker Webster Anika Alvanzo Dace Svikis Sarah Meshberg-Cohen Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma Women's Health Reports trauma substance use disorder expressive writing addiction comorbidity |
| title | Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma |
| title_full | Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma |
| title_fullStr | Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma |
| title_short | Giving Voice to Women with Substance Use Disorder: Findings from Expressive Writing About Trauma |
| title_sort | giving voice to women with substance use disorder findings from expressive writing about trauma |
| topic | trauma substance use disorder expressive writing addiction comorbidity |
| url | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/WHR.2023.0173 |
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