Developing and Testing a Trauma-Informed Exercise Intervention for Women Veterans With Histories of Sexual Violence
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Exposure to sexual violence disproportionally impacts women Veterans and can have profound negative impacts on daily functioning. Current treatments for sexual violence focus on psychiatric symptoms and ignore frequently co-occurring physical and psychosocial concerns. Exercise can improve trauma-related physical, mental, and psychosocial health conditions and may help women who have experienced sexual violence. Yet, women Veterans experience many barriers to participating in exercise and prefer interventions that are tailored to their preferences. This proposal will develop and test an exercise intervention tailored specifically to women Veterans who have experienced sexual violence. Treatment development will be informed by women Veterans with histories of sexual violence and their providers. Feasibility and acceptability will be tested, and outcomes will be explored to inform future research. This intervention is urgently needed to address gaps in integrative care and persistent trauma-related health concerns among women Veterans with histories of sexual violence.
Description
Women Veterans (WVs) disproportionately experience sexual violence (SV) throughout their lifetime. These experiences of SV are often repeated, resulting in a lifelong pattern of SV victimization which can have profound negative impacts on physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Current VHA policies highlight the need for integrative interventions which effectively address the diverse negative health sequelae associated with lifetime SV. Yet, there is currently a gap in treatment offerings that address broad psychiatric, physical, and psychosocial health impacts of S…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 21–65 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Veteran self-identifies as woman * has a history of sexual violence at any point in their lifetime * between the ages of 21 an 65 * currently does not meet physical activity level guidelines * reports some functional difficulties that indicate some interference in daily life * safe and private location to engage in the virtual exercise program Exclusion Criteria: * does not identify a safe and private location for exercise participation * severe drug or alcohol use disorder within the past year * clinically significant: * neurological disorder * systemic illness a…
Interventions
- BehavioralExercise
Adapted with input from phase 1
Location
- VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MABoston, Massachusetts