The Initial Outcomes of SafeCare® on the Physiological and Behavioral Outcomes of Black Mothers Who Have Experienced Significant Trauma

Abstract

Trauma exposure, PTSD, and racial trauma among Black parents can negatively impact parenting stress and parent-child relationships. This pilot study explores the feasibility of the SafeCare Parent-Child Interaction module among Black mothers with high levels of trauma exposure, and initial intervention outcomes. Six mother-child dyads completed the 6-week SafeCare Parent-Child Interaction module, pre- and post- assessments (i.e., parenting skills, PTSD, and skin conductance), and semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that SafeCare was feasible among this population, evidenced by a 100% retention rate and qualitative interviews. Most mothers demonstrated improved parenting skills, decreased PTSD symptoms, and reductions in their skin conductance response.

Keywords:

• Black mothers
• intervention
• parenting
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• SafeCare
• skin conductance
• trauma exposure

Acknowledgment

Research reported in this paper was supported by the Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence (CRIV) at Georgia State University (GSU). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the GSU or CRIV.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.