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Impact of Seeking Safety Dose on Depression and PTSD Symptoms Among Pregnant and Post-Partum Women

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Abstract

Seeking Safety (SS) is a present-focused counseling model for individuals struggling with PTSD and/or substance abuse. PTSD and depression, the main outcome measures in this study, are prevalent during the perinatal and postpartum period and have been associated with substance use. Using data from a SAMHSA funded study, we examined the association between the dose of SS and PTSD and depression symptom severity. Data were collected at baseline and at two follow up time points: immediately at discharge from treatment (N = 95), and at six months post-baseline (N = 57). All of the second follow-up interviews were conducted in the community. Participants included 114 pregnant (N = 35) or postpartum (N = 79) women between 18 and 45 years of age admitted into a residential treatment program for substance abuse treatment. Participants completed an average of 7.5 SS sessions during their stay at the residential treatment program. A significant negative association was initially observed between the number of SS sessions and PTSD and depression symptoms. Although the number of SS sessions was no longer significant when baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were accounted for, the importance of the initial finding for future research and clinical practice is discussed. Given the high rates of substance use and mental health problems among pregnant and postpartum women and the negative consequences for these women and their children, further research on the impact of SS, or other trauma-specific similar interventions is needed.

Highlights

  • PTSD and depression are prevalent during the perinatal and postpartum period.

  • Seeking Safety (SS) dose may play a role in decreasing PTSD and depressive symptoms.

  • Increasing women’s exposure to SS may improve outcomes for depression and PTSD.

  • Further research is needed to explain why a higher dose may be required.

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Data Availability

Data from this study are available from the lead author upon written request.

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Authors’ Contributions

J.G.S. with the support of A.S.C. designed and executed this study and led writing of this manuscript. C.A.B. was clinical lead regarding fidelity to SS, helped with interpretation of study analyses and writing of the manuscript. D.K.D. lead data analysis for the present study and assisted with writing of this manuscript. A.S.C. helped design and implement this study, data collection, data analysis and co-led the writing of the present manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, grant # H79TI1023678.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of New Mexico, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Community Behavioral Health. MSC09 5030 1UNM, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    Julie G. Salvador, Caroline A. Bonham, Danielle K. Duran & Annette S. Crisanti

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  1. Julie G. Salvador
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  2. Caroline A. Bonham
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Correspondence to Julie G. Salvador.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethnical Approval

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with ethical standards and were approved by the University of New Mexico, Human Research Protections Office.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.

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Salvador, J.G., Bonham, C.A., Duran, D.K. et al. Impact of Seeking Safety Dose on Depression and PTSD Symptoms Among Pregnant and Post-Partum Women. J Child Fam Stud 29, 2146–2154 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01747-9

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