The BEAR Therapeutic Program for Women

The Building Empowerment and Resilience Therapeutic Program for Women With a History of Trauma

The current study aims to test a novel therapeutic intervention for women who have a history of interpersonal trauma. The Building Empowerment and Resilience (BEAR) Therapeutic group incorporates psychological skills, psychoeducation, and physical empowerment training, all within a therapeutic process. It will be implemented iwith women who have experienced interpersonal trauma (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse/neglect). The investigators aim to understand how this program effects one's self-efficacy and whether the program can reduce rates mental health problems (such as depression and anxiety) and reduce the rates of revictimization. Women who participate in the BEAR group must be able to attend in-person sessions. The control group can be remote.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: PTSD; Depression, Anxiety; Trauma, Psychological
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: BEAR

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 120

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Stanford, California, United States, 94305
      • Stanford University School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Women who have experienced interpersonal violence broadly defined

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Women ages 18-70
2. History of physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse/neglect/violence, with subsequent interpersonal or psychological distress (e.g., depression or anxiety) related to this history.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Active, significant substance abuse
2. Significant medical conditions that would preclude safe participation in the study
3. High levels of depression with significant suicide risk
4. Psychiatric instability
5. History of assaultive behavior or is judged to be at potential risk to assault others.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
BEAR intervention group; BEAR Therapeutic group for women who have experienced interpersonal trauma	Behavioral: BEAR; Building Empowerment and Resilience Therapy group
Control Condition; Treatment as usual group, women participating in individual or group therapy but not taking the BEAR group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES)	The CSES is designed to measure an individual's perception of her competence to carry out coping strategies effectively when faced with a challenge or threat.	baseline to post-group (3 months)
Trauma Symptom Inventory-II (TSI-2).	The TSI-2 is a self-report measure of trauma-related symptoms and behaviors.	baseline to post-group (3 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Stanford University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 29, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 2, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): June 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 13, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: empowerment; therapeutic intervention
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Psychological Trauma
• Other Study ID Numbers: 54562

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No