Trauma Recovery Rubric: A Mixed-Method Analysis of Trauma Recovery Pathways in Four Countries

Summary & key facts

This study created and tested a Trauma Recovery Rubric (TRR) to describe how people recover after gender-based violence. The researchers worked in three phases to build and refine the TRR and then used it with survivor data from four countries. The TRR identified seven recovery pathways across six domains. Depression scores were linked to most recovery domains, while PTSD scores were not statistically linked though the TRR showed a medium-sized relationship with PTSD. The authors say the TRR is a survivor-centered, trauma-informed tool that can work across cultures and can help guide future research on different recovery paths.

Key facts:

• The study developed the Trauma Recovery Rubric (TRR) in three phases: initial development (Phase 1), refinement and calibration (Phase 2), and integration into quantitative data from four countries (Phase 3).
• The TRR study identified seven distinct recovery pathways and grouped findings into six recovery domains.
• Depression scores were statistically related to most TRR recovery domains, and TRR scores showed large effect sizes for those relationships.
• PTSD scores were not statistically related to TRR scores, but the TRR had a medium effect size with PTSD.
• Data for the TRR came from survivors in four different countries, and the authors report that the TRR can be implemented in diverse cultural settings.
• The authors describe the TRR as a survivor-centered, trauma-informed rubric intended to clarify different survivorship pathways and how these relate to health outcomes.

Abstract

Research is beginning to examine gender-based violence (GBV) survivors' recovery, but little is known about diverse recovery trajectories or their relationships with other distress and recovery variables. This interdisciplinary, international multisite mixed-method study developed and used the TRR to identify and classify survivors' trauma pathways. This study describes the phases of the initial development of the preliminary TRR (Phase 1), refines and calibrates the TRR (Phase 2), and then integrates the TRR into quantitative data from four countries (Phase 3). Seven recovery pathways with six domains emerged: normalizing, minimizing, consumed/trapped; shutdown or frozen, surviving, seeking and fighting for integration; finding integration/equanimity. Depression scores were related to most recovery domains, and TRR scores had large effect sizes. At the same time, PTSD was not statistically related to TRR scores, but TRR had a medium effect size. Our study found that the TRR can be implemented in diverse cultural settings and promises a reliable cross-cultural tool. The TRR is a survivor-centered, trauma-informed way to understand different survivorship pathways and how different pathways impact health outcomes. Overall, this rubric provides a foundation for future study on differences in survivor healing and the drivers of these differences. This tool can potentially improve survivor care delivery and our understanding of how to meet best the needs of the survivor populations we intend to serve.

Topics

Health, psychology, and well-being Migration, Health and Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Categories

General Health Professions Health Professions Health Sciences

Tags

Clinical psychology Distress Environmental health Mathematics education Medicine Population Psychology Rubric Survivorship curve

Conditions & symptoms

Depression PTSD Sadness or low mood