A Pilot Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Social Reactions to Sexual and Partner Violence Disclosures

Abstract

<jats:p> The purpose of this study was to evaluate an intervention ( Supporting Survivors and Self [SSS]) created to increase positive social reactions and decrease negative social reactions to sexual assault and partner violence disclosures among informal support disclosure recipients. Participants were 1,268 college students from a medium-sized New England university who completed an online baseline survey and were assigned to either the treatment or control condition. The SSS intervention trained potential informal supports on what to say and not to say to disclosure recipients. Six months after the SSS intervention, participants in both conditions completed the follow-up survey online. Although intentions to provide positive social reactions significantly increased among participants in the treatment group compared with the control group and there were marginally significant effects in the anticipated directions for alcohol-specific intended social reactions, no overall difference was observed across conditions in actual social reactions provided. Moderation analyses suggested that, in general, the SSS intervention was more effective on various outcomes for students who were younger, male, non-White, sexual minorities, and/or non-victims. Moderation analyses also suggested that the intervention varied in efficacy depending on the circumstances of the disclosure. Despite the mixed outcomes of the SSS intervention, these data suggest that the SSS intervention was effective in improving social reactions for some students and under some circumstances. Future research is needed to further refine the SSS intervention to bolster its effectiveness in reducing negative social reactions and increasing positive social reactions for all students. </jats:p>

A Mixed-Method Process Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Social Reactions to Disclosures of Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse

“…These reactions from friends and family are called social reactions from informal supports (Ullman, 2010). Thus, programs that teach college students how to respond to victims' disclosures are promising in improving victim outcomes (Edwards et al, 2020). However, as with any area of prevention/intervention science, developing programs that are effective, acceptable, and engaging to participants is both challenging and important.…”

“…Thus, improving disclosure recipients' social reactions may improve victim outcomes, given past research showing that negative social reactions that are associated with PTSD and depression (Dworkin et al, 2019). The current program, Survivors and Self: An Intervention for Social Supports of Survivors of Partner Abuse and Sexual Aggression (SSS; Edwards et al, 2020), was intended to increase positive social reactions and decrease negative social reactions among college students who were recipients of an SA/PA disclosure. Full details on the theory and rationale behind the program are provided in Edwards and colleagues (2020).…”

“…Results from the outcome evaluation of the SSS intervention (N = 1,268; Edwards et al, 2020) suggested that intentions to provide positive social reactions significantly increased among participants in the treatment group compared to the control group. Moreover, there were marginally significant effects in the anticipated directions for alcohol-specific intended social reactions.…”

Exploring the association between anticipated and actual responses to disclosures of intimate partner violence and sexual assault

“…The current paper uses data from a larger study that took place at a residential, medium-size public university in the northeastern United States and received approval from the university’s Institutional Review Board. The larger study was a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a program aiming to reduce negative and increase positive social reactions to IPV/SA disclosure (Edwards et al, 2020b). The university’s Dean of Students sent emails to randomly selected, full-time, undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24 on the behalf of the researchers.…”

“…Missing data on variables was low (0% to 4%), so listwise deletion was used for all analyses. Although we did not find that the intervention that was the subject of the larger study from which these data were drawn significantly impacted actual social reactions (Edwards et al, 2020b), we controlled for intervention condition in all analyses. Aim 1 was to examine the association between anticipated and actual responses to disclosure 6 months later.…”