Utilization of Mental Health Resources and Self-Help Interventions Early on in Recovery Following Sexual Trauma

Early intervention in the trauma recovery process can be crucial in mitigating downstream negative mental (e.g., PTSD, depression) and physical health effects (e.g., somatic complaints, sleep disturbances, bodily pain). The extent of engagement in both self-help interventions and more formal mental health services in the early aftermath of sexual trauma is unknown. This study assessed the utilization rates of formal mental health services and informal self-help strategies (e.g., mindfulness, relaxation, physical activity, music and art, and yoga) of 169 sexual trauma survivors (Mage = 38.9 years old) over the course of eight weeks (T1 = withinone month of trauma, T2 = four weeks post-T1, T3 = eight weeks post-T1). Participants were recruited from an online survey platform. Within one month of a sexual trauma (T1), 23.7% engaged in mental health services and 92.3% engaged in at least one self-help strategy. At T2, 25.4% were utilizing mental health services and 95.3% were engaged in self-help strategies. At T3, 29.6% were using mental health services and 95.3% were engaged in self-help strategies. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) was the most endorsed trauma-focused psychotherapy. The two most utilized self-help strategies were relaxation (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation, massage, deep breathing) and mindfulness/meditation. These findings suggest that many women turn toward self-directed coping strategies in the early aftermath of sexual trauma and fewer utilize mental health services. This study provides insight into early coping behaviors, highlighting future opportunities to expand self-help strategies as an understudied component of trauma recovery while decreasing barriers to access formal mental health treatment.