Feasibility and Primary Outcome Study of Trauma-Based Programming in a United States Jail

• In Event: Mental Health and Crime

Abstract

There are over 2 million people incarcerated in the United States with nearly 750,000 being held in local jails. Approximately 80% of all incarcerated people have experienced multiple traumatic events, which are connected to the development of mental health problems and substance use disorders, and if left untreated, increase the likelihood of re-incarceration once released from jail. This study assessed the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a manualized program for individuals with trauma – entitled Skills Training for Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) – in a jail setting. To assess the feasibility of treatment approaches, participants were randomly assigned to receive all sessions in the facility or half of the sessions in the facility and half in the community after release from jail. Following the delivery of programming in the facility, all participants showed improvements in self-efficacy, aggression, impulsivity, PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Participants assigned to all sessions in the facility showed greater improvement than those assigned to half of the sessions in the community. To understand these differences and the overall impact of STAIR programming, participants were also interviewed following the completion of the program. Participants who opted to discontinue the program or did not complete the community sessions indicated that external commitments were a barrier to continuing participation. However, participants did suggest that participation in the program provided benefits such as increased awareness of their trauma and the development of new coping skills. Participants also offered recommendations on how better to improve the relevance of STAIR programming to incarcerated populations. This project provides promising results in implementing trauma-based programming in correctional settings, particularly within a local jail. Future experimental studies will help understand the efficacy and effectiveness of STAIR programming with incarcerated individuals before releasing to the community.

Authors

• Stephen Tripodi, Florida State University

• Tanya Renn, Florida State University

• Lauren Herod, Florida State University