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Assessing the Feasibility and Acceptability of Narrative Exposure Therapy to Address IPV-related Mental Health in Parenting and Pregnant Adolescents

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Abstract

Many urban, low-income adolescents experience violence, often resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) facilitates therapeutic processing of traumatic memories. This purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of NET among adolescents at-risk for PTSD and depression. Two community-based agencies hosted five focus groups with adolescents (n = 28), aged 18–21, predominantly African- American (71 %) and female (61 %) and one with adolescent service providers (n = 11). Pope’s coding framework (2000) and the Socio-Ecological Model for violence prevention (Krug et al. in The Lancet, 360(9339), 1083–1088, 2002) elicited perceived barriers and facilitators to NET. Individual, relationship, and community level barriers and facilitators to NET therapy engagement were identified. The findings indicate participants have favorable attitudes about NET and the provision of the therapy within trusted community agencies. The results will inform the next steps of NET implementation, training, and psychoeducation.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported in part by funding from the Patricia H. Garman Behavior Health Nursing Fund, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the NIH (KL2TR001413, and by an NIMH training grant to the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the University of Rochester Medical Center (T32 MH020061-14). The content of this paper is soley the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the NIH. We would also like to acknowledge our community partners and the adolescents they serve.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University at Buffalo, School of Nursing, State University of New York, 3435 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA

    Ellen M. Volpe

  2. College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 325Q Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA

    Camille R. Quinn

  3. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box PSYCH, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, New York, 14642, USA

    Kathryn Resch & Catherine Cerulli

  4. Center for Youth Services, Inc., 905 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14620, USA

    Valerie Douglas

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  1. Ellen M. Volpe
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Correspondence to Ellen M. Volpe.

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Volpe, E.M., Quinn, C.R., Resch, K. et al. Assessing the Feasibility and Acceptability of Narrative Exposure Therapy to Address IPV-related Mental Health in Parenting and Pregnant Adolescents. J Fam Viol 32, 439–452 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9818-y

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