Development, feasibility, acceptability and preliminary evaluation of the internet and mobile phone-based BSHAPE intervention for Immigrant survivors of cumulative trauma

Abstract

Background: Cumulative trauma exposures can have a profound effect on women's health and well-being. Black immigrant women are disproportionately affected by cumulative trauma experiences that place them at risk for multiple health issues such as reproductive sexual health problems and HIV, or mental health problems such as PTSD. The trauma-informed internet and mobile phone-based Being Safe, Healthy, and Positively Empowered (BSHAPE) intervention was designed to comprehensively assess for cumulative traumatic experiences, for current safety, and to address women's co-occurring healthcare needs through educational, psychoeducational, and mindfulness-based stress-reduction components.

Purpose: This paper describes the development, feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary evaluation of the computer and phone delivered BSHAPE intervention among adult Black immigrant women survivors of cumulative trauma.

Method: Seventy women participated in the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary evaluation of BSHAPE, with outcomes assessed at post-intervention. The feasibility and acceptability outcomes assessed were enrollment, adherence, and perceptions of the intervention. Preliminary evaluation outcomes included perceived stress, stress management, trauma coping self-efficacy, mindfulness, mental health (MH), HIV/STI risk, general empowerment, and empowerment related to safety.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that a BSHAPE intervention is feasible and acceptable. Overall, women reported satisfaction with BSHAPE and provided suggestions for improvement. Women showed significant reduction in perceptions of stress, improved stress-management, enhanced self-efficacy, reduced HIV/STI risk, and improved MH, overall empowerment, as well as empowerment related to safety. The findings of this study will be useful in further refining BSHAPE and testing it in a full-scale randomized controlled trial.

Trial registration: NCT03664362.

Keywords: Black; HIV/STI; Immigrant; Intervention; Stress; Trauma.

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors

Declaration of interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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