Feasibility and clinical usefulness of the Unified Protocol in women survivors of violence

Violence against women is a serious public health problem. Worldwide, one in three women experiences violence throughout their lives. According to the triple vulnerability theory, being a survivor of violence could constitute a psychological vulnerability that would favor the appearance of emotional disorders, affecting their health, their style of parenting, and family well-being. The objective of this study is to verify the feasibility and usefulness of Unified Protocol (UP) in a group format for improving emotion regulation in women survivors of violence attended in the Specific Child and Adolescent Intervention Team (SCAIT), a social community service. The sample consists of 11 women who have experienced different types of violence who received the UP through 11 weekly, two-hour long and in group format sessions. Assessments were conducted at pre and post intervention and at 3, 6, and 12 months follow-up. The results of the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) show an increase in quality of life (including family relationships), self-esteem and extraversion scores, and a reduction in interference (including family life), neuroticism, somatization, anxiety, emotional lack of control, negative affect, depression, and emotional rejection scores. This evolution of the scores with the MANOVA takes into account all the evaluation time points (post, and follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months). The results were statistically significant (p < 0.05), and had large effect sizes (η2p > 0.14). In addition, the reliable change index was calculated to assess the change at an individual level of each of the participants for the different outcomes. 90.9% of the participants rated the quality of the program received as “excellent” and we obtained a high rate of session attendance (82.64%). These results justify the need for randomized controlled clinical studies to demonstrate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of the UP in this context. This intervention would allow to address the needs of this population, by offering them comprehensive care and improving their mental health from a biopsychosocial model. Likewise, it might indirectly improve the well-being of the rest of the family members.

How I Deal With Breast Cancer: Iranian Women Survivors Coping Strategies - Content Analysis

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in Iran. Understanding the coping strategies employed by cancer survivors can provide valuable information for designing interventions to help them adapt to their problems produced by cancer and its treatment. This study aimed to explore the coping strategies of BC survivors in Iran.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in Mashhad, Northeast of Iran, between April to December 2021. 14 breast cancer survivors were selected through purposive sampling method. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis adopted by Graneheim & Lundman. MAXQDA 12 software, was used for data organization. Components of trustworthiness including credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability were considered.Results: The main themes which emerged from participants' data analysis were "behavioral coping strategies" and "emotional coping strategies". Behavioral strategies such as change nutritional habits, improving lifestyle, trying to stay active, seeking help for improvement of physical and mental needs and efforts to increase knowledge and literacy about BC. The psychological strategies were denying the breast cancer, psychological empowerment, spirituality and seeking help of family and relatives. Conclusion: Our findings provide in-depth understanding of Iranian women’s strategies for coping with BC. The qualified teams of psychiatrics, oncologists and reproductive health specialists need to contribute significantly to an upgraded coping of patients to cancer that could lead to higher quality of life.

Resilience and associated factors in women survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: a systematic review

Most research on Intimate Partner Violence against women (IPV) has tended to present women as passive victims, but in recent years, there has been an increase in studies adopting a strengths-based approach. The aim of the present study is to review the empirical literature about resilience in women survivors of IPV to (a) analyze the consensus on the definition and assessment of resilience; (b) study the correlates of resilience; and (c) reflect on the applicability of such knowledge in policies and professional practice. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was carried out in the Scopus, WoS and PsycINFO databases. The search yielded 42 articles published in English or Spanish over an unlimited timeframe. Results showed that process-oriented, trait-oriented, and outcomes-oriented definitions of resilience were all adopted in the research and that assessment methods also differed across studies. Individual, relational, and contextual factors were found as resilience correlates.There is a need for a theoretical consensus and for research on the mechanisms through which vulnerability or protective factors exert their influence on groups with specific risk conditions. Finally, governments and institutions should take actions to support women and children and to prevent future IPV. Gran parte de los estudios sobre Violencia de Género en la Pareja (VGP) presentan a las mujeres como víctimas pasivas, pero en los últimos años el número de investigaciones centradas en fortalezas está aumentando. El objetivo del presente estudio es revisar la literatura empírica sobre resiliencia en mujeres supervivientes de VGP para: (a) analizar el consenso en la definición y evaluación de resiliencia; (b) estudiar los correlatos del constructo; y (c) reflexionar sobre la aplicabilidad de este conocimiento en las políticas y la práctica profesional. Siguiendo las guías PRISMA, se realizó una revisión sistemática en las bases de datos Scopus, WoS y PsycINFO, encontrando 42 artículos publicados en inglés o español sin restricción temporal. Los resultados muestran que los estudios adoptan definiciones de resiliencia tanto orientadas al proceso como al rasgo y a los resultados, y que el método de evaluación difiere entre investigaciones. Entre los correlatos de resiliencia se encontraron factores individuales, relacionales y contextuales. Se necesita un consenso teórico y profundizar en los mecanismos por los cuales los factores de vulnerabilidad o protección afectan a grupos con riesgos específicos. Por último, los gobiernos e instituciones deberían emprender acciones de prevención y de apoyo a las mujeres e hijos/as.

Agensi Perempuan Penyintas dalam Inisiatif Keadilan Transisi di Tingkat Lokal

This article will describe the contribution of women survivors of human rights violations in promoting transitional justice initiatives at the local or community level in Indonesia. In their marginal position, both as women and victims of human rights violations, the women survivors show their agencies to face social, political, cultural and structural barriers. The initiatives and participation of women survivors in Central Sulawesi, Aceh, and Yogyakarta Province, have contributed to the emergence of transitional justice models at the local level, such as apologies for victims, health assistance programs, scholarships, and truth-telling. These transitional justice initiatives at the local level not only fill the gap in the accountability that should be borne by the state, but they also strengthen the implementation of transitional justice mechanisms organized by the state or government, both at the local and national levels.