Evaluation of a Peer-Facilitated Trauma Intervention for Incarcerated Men

• Author: Nena Messina
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548221093280
• Published date: 01 October 2022
• Date: 01 October 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2022, Vol. 49, No. 10, October 2022, 1399 –1417.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548221093280

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2022 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

1399

EVALUATION OF A PEER-FACILITATED

TRAUMA INTERVENTION FOR INCARCERATED

MEN

NENA MESSINA

Envisioning Justice Solutions

This pilot study examined a peer-facilitated trauma-focused intervention among 624 incarcerated men (Exploring Trauma).

Pre- and postintervention data were collected on trauma-related mental health symptoms, aggression, and anger. The results

demonstrated statistically significant improvement in trauma-related symptoms relative to pretreatment functioning and

demonstrated support for the feasibility of peer-facilitation. Effect sizes were small to moderate, with the largest impact on

current traumatic distress, depression, and anxiety (Cohen’s d = .54, .48, .46, respectively). The mixed-effects regression

results showed the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on outcomes was strong and cumulative (i.e., greater

exposure to ACEs increased the likelihood of participant program gain on mental health and aggression symptoms, ranging

from .15 to .77). The findings showed that trauma can be safely addressed in corrections and provide promising support for

peer-facilitation with training and oversight. Rigorous studies are needed on the impact of trauma-informed services and

models of program delivery.

Keywords: trauma-focused treatment; adverse childhood experiences; corrections-based treatment; incarcerated men; peer

facilitation; brief interventions

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I have no known conflict of interest to disclose. This pilot project was funded by the

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Department of Rehabilitative Programs

(DRP), via Innovative Grants Round III. CDCR contracted with Envisioning Justice Solutions, Inc. (EJS)

for the research component of the project. EJS provided a subcontract to the Center for Gender and Justice

to provide the training and materials for the brief intervention. The pilot study would not have been pos-

sible without the support from Lead Administrators such as former Female Offender Program Services

Directors, Jay Virbel and Amy Miller; the Director and Deputy Director of the Department of Rehabilitative

Programming, Brantley Choate and Kevin Hoffman; and the institutional staff at the California State

Prison, Corcoran, and the California Institution for Men. We are especially grateful to Dr. Covington and

Rob Rodriguez, the authors of the trauma-specific brief intervention for men, Exploring Trauma: A Brief

Intervention for Men. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their support of and

important contributions to the project. Warden Ken Clark, Warden Michael Sexton, Retired Warden Dave

Davies, Warden Dean Borders, Michael Tann (Retired Annuitant and EJS Program Director), Carlos

Ramirez (Retired Annuitant and EJS Program Director), and Dr. William Burdon (EJS Research Director).

Finally, we are grateful to the peer facilitators for their dedication to the program and the participants for

volunteering their time to participate in the program, the evaluation, and for sharing their stories.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Nena Messina, Envisioning Justice Solutions,

2551 Galena Avenue, PO Box #1774, Simi Valley, CA 93065; e-mail: Nena@envisioningjusticesolutions.

com.

1093280CJBXXX10.1177/00938548221093280Criminal Justice and BehaviorMessina / A Peer-Facilitated Trauma Intervention

research-article2022

1400 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR

INTRODUCTION

“By admitting these traumas, I can begin to trace the cause of my destructive behaviors,

deal with them effectively, and begin the process to heal and move forward.”

~Exploring Trauma participant, 2018.

Historically, corrections-based treatment has primarily focused on treating substance

use, sex offenses, and reducing recidivism to increase public safety. The associated research

over time altered the recommended treatment procedures from confrontational therapeutic

community groups (Burdon et al., 2004; Martin et al., 1999) to cognitive behavioral learn-

ing techniques (McHugh et al., 2010) and currently to the focus of intensive treatment for

those at the highest risk of recidivism (i.e., the risk-need-responsivity model; Bonta &

Andrews, 2016; Wooditch et al., 2014). Yet, many debilitating predictive factors, such as

the impact of lifelong trauma, are missing from the analytical models of treatment outcomes

studies, impeding the availability of specialized treatment programs designed to address

such factors.

Debilitating factors such as histories of trauma and the associated complex mental health

issues soar in corrections populations (California Department of Public Health, 2020), but

they have not been adequately addressed in corrections-based programs. Thus, it is difficult

to rely on conclusions about the effectiveness of corrections-based treatment if the pro-

grams are not attending to the complex needs of those under their care. It is widely recog-

nized that justice-involved men and women have a high prevalence of childhood

maltreatment, but there is great hesitancy to allow discussions of such trauma within the

existing programs or to provide trauma-based programs in general (Horwitz et al., 2001;

Messina et al., 2007; Najavits & Hien, 2013).

There is a long-held contention among corrections and treatment agencies that prison

is an inappropriate environment to address histories of trauma for fear of triggering

violence or causing distress or decompensation among participants (Kok et al., 2014;

Messina & Schepps, 2021; Najavits & Hien, 2013). Additional concerns are the lack of

formal mental health training among program staff to address participants with high

levels of trauma. Without appropriate training and structure, it can be challenging for

prison and program staff to use the appropriate language and to feel confident in the

necessary skills to approach the topic of trauma (Kubiak, Covington & Hillier, 2017).

The prevalence of residents with unrecognized and untreated trauma from the past, or

those suffering from current traumatic distress, can further complicate and negatively

affect the prison environment, placing even greater demands upon the staff and the

organization (Bloom, 2010; Covington, 2019; Covington & Bloom, 2018; Kubiak,

Covington, & Hillier, 2017).

DISCLOSURE OF TRAUMA HISTORIES

It has also been a long-held belief that men will not talk about or disclose their histories

of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), particularly sexual abuse. A review of the litera-

ture on the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse of men indicated that such abuse was

common yet underreported, underrecognized, and undertreated (Holmes & Slap, 1998).

More recent literature has revealed considerable willingness among justice-involved men to