Effectiveness of Trauma-Informed Messaging Among Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence with Adverse Childhood Experience-Related Comorbidities.
Karikarn Chansiri, Thipkanok Wongphothiphan
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial tested whether a brief, trauma-informed text message improved outcomes compared with a conventional intimate partner violence victimization (IPVV) message among 289 women reporting IPVV and adverse childhood experiences. The trauma-informed message, combining psychoeducation and empowerment, increased trauma knowledge (R² = .15, p < .001), including among participants with high anxious attachment and borderline personality disorder symptoms. It increased intention to leave an abusive partner only among participants with low borderline personality disorder symptoms. Neither safety-related empowerment nor outcomes among women with avoidant attachment improved significantly.
Key findings
- Trauma-informed messaging increased trauma knowledge (R² = .15, p < .001); effects were also observed with high anxious attachment (R² = .20, p < .001) and borderline personality disorder symptoms (R² = .23, p < .001).
- Intention to leave an abusive partner increased only among participants with low borderline personality disorder symptoms (R² = .04, p = .04).
- The message did not significantly improve safety-related empowerment and was not effective among women with avoidant attachment.
Why it matters
Brief public health messages may help women experiencing IPVV better understand trauma, including those with some ACE-related comorbidities. However, knowledge gains did not translate consistently into behavioral intentions, and effects varied by psychological profile. This distinction is important when evaluating communication interventions: improved understanding is a meaningful outcome, but it does not establish that a message will support safety or change behavior.
What to keep in mind
Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk, and outcomes were assessed after exposure to a brief text message; the abstract notes that more complex behavioral changes may require extended exposure.