An acute post-rape intervention to prevent substance use and abuse.
The trauma of rape is routinely associated with extreme acute distress. Such peri-event anxiety increases risk of developing psychopathology and substance use or abuse post-rape, with the degree of initial distress positively predicting future problems. Unfortunately, the nature of post-rape forensic evidence collection procedures may exacerbate initial distress, thereby potentiating post-rape negative emotional sequelae. Consequently, substance use may increase in an effort to ameliorate this distress. To address this, a two-part video intervention was developed for use in acute post-rape time frames to (a) minimize anxiety during forensic rape examinations, thereby reducing risk of future emotional problems, and (b) prevent increased post-rape substance use and abuse. Pilot study data with 124 rape victims indicated that the low-cost, easily administered intervention was effective in reducing risk of marijuana abuse at 6 weeks. Nonstatistically significant trends also were evident for reduced marijuana use. Trends were also noted in favor of the intervention in the subgroup of women who were actively using substances pre-rape (among pre-rape alcohol users, 28% viewers vs. 43% nonviewers met criteria for post-rape alcohol abuse; among pre-rape marijuana users, the rates of post-marijuana use were 17% vs. 43%).
Acierno
Ron
R
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425-0742, USA. acierno@musc.edu
Resnick
Heidi S
HS
Flood
Amanda
A
Holmes
Melisa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014743:Videotape Recording