Computer-Based Intervention for Battered Sheltered Women With Substance Use Randomized Trial

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use are significant and interconnected public health problems facing women. For battered women, the presence of substance use increases the risk of revictimization and the risk of more severe abuse. Battered women's shelters provide emergency shelter to approximately 300,000 women and children each year. A prime time to intervene with battered women might be when they enter a shelter and have already initiated a change in their lives. A shelter-based intervention for battered women that addresses substance use problems might reduce the risk of substance use, reduce the risk of future IPV, and improve utilization of substance use treatment and community resources. The objective of this R34 Award was to develop and assess an innovative, easily implementable, low-cost, computer-delivered intervention, the SHE Program (Safe and Healthy Experiences) that addresses known barriers in early identification and intervention for battered sheltered women with substance use issues. SHE is based on motivational interviewing (MI) a well-defined intervention strategy that has yielded particularly promising results in a range of clinical issues and a range of patient populations, including substance using women. MI is consistent with an empowerment model, which is a highly recommended intervention model for victimized women. The R34 had two distinct phases to assess the SHE Program with battered sheltered women with substance use issues. During the Development Phase, the research team conducted focus groups and developed the intervention to meet the needs of our target group, developed the software for the computer-delivered intervention, and conducted an open trial with 10 participants. During the Pilot Study Phase, the investigators conducted a two-group, randomized controlled study with a sample of 50 battered sheltered women who reported substance use difficulties within the last three months, which provides the necessary groundwork to examine the efficacy of the SHE Program in a future, large clinical trial. The SHE Program was found to be feasible, acceptable and efficacious in improving outcomes for our vulnerable target population. The program has the potential to be widely disseminated while maintaining treatment fidelity across battered women shelters and may hold promise for IPV populations with substance use difficulties in other settings.