The Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Other Trauma on Drug Court Participants |
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| Authors: | Molly R. Wolf Thomas H. Nochajski Hon. Mark G. Farrell |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Social Work Department, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USAmrwolf@edinboro.edu;3. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA;4. Town of Amherst, Amherst Therapeutic Drug Court, Amherst, New York, USA |
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| Abstract: | Within the context of a larger study of drug court participants, this study examined the impact of traumatic experiences on psychiatric distress and on court outcomes. In the analyses, the participants (n = 229) were separated into 3 groups: childhood sexual abuse (CSA; n = 18), other trauma (n = 134), and no trauma (n = 77). The CSA group had higher mean scores on depression, anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia, somatization, and posttraumatic stress disorder than the other trauma group. Path analyses suggest that a history of trauma is a positive predictor of psychiatric distress and negative court events (positive urine screens, sanctions, etc.), with indirect effects on substance abuse severity, and failure in the drug court. These results suggest a need for the initial assessment procedure in drug courts to include a screening for trauma history, including CSA. They also suggest a need for trauma-informed care within drug courts. |
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| Keywords: | alcohol abuse child sexual abuse drug abuse drug court PTSD substance abuse trauma trauma-informed care |
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