Trauma Exposure and PTSD as Potential Predictors of Treatment Outcomes in Group CBT for Women with Depressive Symptoms in Public Housing
摘要
Low-income women experience depression at disproportionately high rates and may have difficulty accessing treatment due to a multitude of barriers. Previous studies have demonstrated that providing depression treatment to populations of low-income women can be effective in treating depression. However, low-income women are at higher risk for trauma exposure and PTSD which may negatively impact treatment outcomes. The current study tested whether an on-site 90-min 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group for women living in public housing is differentially impactful based on trauma exposure (number and interpersonal) and PTSD (diagnosis and symptoms). A predominantly Black non-Hispanic sample of women living in public housing or receiving housing subsidies (N = 154) with symptoms indicative of Major Depressive Disorder enrolled in CBT groups delivered on-site. Participants completed assessments at baseline, each session, treatment completion, and 6-month and 12-month post-treatment. Path analysis was conducted and results demonstrated that neither baseline trauma exposure (number or interpersonal) nor PTSD (diagnosis or symptoms) demonstrated a significant impact on treatment attendance. On average, regardless of trauma exposure and PTSD, participants attended approximately 5 of the 8 sessions. Similarly, a latent growth curve analysis did not demonstrate a significant effect of baseline trauma exposure (number or interpersonal) or PTSD (diagnosis or symptoms) on the reduction in depressive symptoms over time. However, across participants, significant reductions in depressive symptoms were identified – participants, on average, experienced a 13 points reduction in symptoms across the follow-up period. This CBT group appears beneficial for this population regardless of trauma exposure and PTSD.