Photo-experiencing and Reflective Listening (PEARL) to Promote Healing Engagement for Women Survivors of Gender-based Violence: A Feasibility Study

NIH RePORTER · NIH · K01 · $130,668 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Project Summary Gender-based violence (GBV) disproportionately impacts women, particularly sexual and gender minority (SGM) women, with the consequences of unaddressed victimization representing a key driver of health disparities among survivor populations. To progress from merely identifying these disparities to actively intervening, innovative interventions are needed to promote healing engagement, build bridges within survivor care infrastructure, and connect survivors with appropriate resources to help them heal. The long-term goal is to establish gender and sexuality-inclusive interventions that promote healing and wellbeing for diverse women survivors of GBV. The primary objective of this research is to refine and evaluate a photo-elicitation intervention, Photo-experiencing and Reflective Listening (PEARL), aimed at identifying help-seeking barriers and promoting healing engagement among GBV survivors. The rationale for this project is that there is a critical unmet need for inclusive interventions that identify survivor-centered social determinants of trauma healing while creating a structure for survivors to identify their needs and co-create a healing action for themselves moving forward. This project has two key aims: 1) to refine the PEARL intervention prototype for implementation with cisgender heterosexual, sexual minority, and trans women who have experienced GBV, and 2) to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact of PEARL in these populations (N=40). The study will employ a community-engaged, mixed methods approach. Aim 1 will involve collaborating with a community and scientific advisory board to refine the PEARL prototype and enhance the effectiveness and applicability of PEARL in diverse survivor populations. Aim 2 will employ a randomized waitlist control design to assess feasibility, acceptability, and PEARL's potential impact on healing engagement and related health outcomes. The research is paired with a career development plan that will equip the applicant with the skills necessary for community-engaged intervention development, health equity-focused design, and implementation science to transition her into an independent researcher that can improve the survivor care landscape through her program of research. The research proposed in this application is innovative because it focuses on recovery rather than deficit in inclusive women survivor populations, using trauma-informed, and survivor-centered approaches. It also leverages photo-elicitation, allowing survivors to highlight their multidimensional social world and reflect on how it might facilitate, create barriers, or shape healing needs in real time. This study's significance lies in its response to the pressing need for inclusive interventions to explore the social determinants of health that influence GBV survivor healing, all while promoting survivor engagement in the healing process. By bridging existing gaps in GBV survivor support for women,...

Key facts

NIH application ID
10947761
Project number
1K01NR021275-01
Recipient
TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
Principal Investigator
Laura Marie Sinko
Activity code
K01
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$130,668
Award type
1
Project period
2024-07-18 → 2027-05-31