A scoping review of trauma-specific intervention responses to post-traumatic stress-disorder among incarcerated women

Abstract Background Incarcerated women are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues such as Posttraumatic Stress-Disorder (PTSD). The high prevalence of PTSD among incarcerated women compared with the general population has prompted increasing implementation of trauma-specific interventions within trauma-informed correctional care. This review aimed to identify trauma-specific interventions used to address PTSD among incarcerated women. Methods This scoping review followed the Arksey and O’Malley framework to systematically map the available evidence on trauma-specific intervention for incarcerated women with PTSD. Articles were searched using Scopus, CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate with the keywords “Interventions,” OR “Programs,” OR “Therapy,” AND “Trauma,” OR “Post-traumatic Stress-Disorder,” AND “Women,” OR “Female,” AND “Inmates,” OR “Offenders,” OR “Prisoners,” OR “Convicts.” The inclusion criteria were publications from 2010 to 2026, full-text articles in English, and studies involving incarcerated women with PTSD. Following the selection process, a total of 11 articles met the review criteria. Results The results identified several trauma-specific interventions implemented within trauma-informed correctional care for incarcerated women with PTSD, including Transcendental Meditation (TM), Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET), Supportive Group Therapy (SGT), Beyond Violence, Seeking Safety, Recovery through Exposure (SHARE), Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM), Esuba, Helping Women Recover/Beyond Trauma (HWR/BT), and Survive and Thrive. Across the included studies, most studies reported reductions in PTSD or trauma-related symptoms. Conclusions Trauma-specific interventions show promise for improving trauma-related outcomes among incarcerated women. Further high-quality, culturally adapted, and longitudinal research is needed to strengthen the evidence base.