Evaluation of Survive & Thrive for Male Offenders
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A pilot trial to evaluate the efficacy of a phase 1 intervention for complex post-traumatic stress disorder with high risk male offenders.
IRAS ID
283404
Contact name
Adam Mahoney
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Edinburgh Napier University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Previous research has concluded that prison populations have particularly high rates of interpersonal trauma (Facer-Irwin, 2021; Karatzias et al, 2018; Leitch et al, 2015). There is however particular concern that these issues have been largely overlooked and misunderstood in the work undertaken with male offenders (Blagden & Perrin, 2018). The importance of addressing these concerns can be seen in the greater occurrence of mental health problems and higher reconviction rates often reported by prisoners with histories of interpersonal trauma (Wolff et al, 2015). One of the most important questions to arise when considering complex trauma in offender populations is how associated symptomatology can be effectively ameliorated and which psychological therapies and interventions respond most effectively to this group of survivors’ needs. Similarly, for those survivors whose experiences of trauma may be central to their offending, developing interventions that are either ‘trauma informed’ or ‘trauma responsive’ should help to ensure a full account of the mental health and behavioural needs that are of concern. Several authors have advocated that trauma responsive interventions, particularly those seeking to treat complex trauma, should adopt a gender responsive approach (Covington et al, 2008; Gobeil et al 2016). However, to date no trauma informed interventions have been designed to take account of the lived experiences and interpersonal traumas commonly experienced by male offenders. Many authors also describe a stabilisation phase where coping skills are provided and safety established as of primary importance (Courtois & Ford, 2016; Herman, 1992). As such there is a need to establish effectiveness of phase based trauma interventions specifically designed for male offenders and to consider whether brief psychoeducational approaches can fulfil this need. This is particularly relevant for forensic mental health services which are tasked with the care and rehabilitation of potentially large populations of survivors as seen in the male prison estate.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
21/ES/0084
Date of REC Opinion
12 Oct 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion