4 - (SYM 30) Development of Recovery-phase Appropriate Single-session Interventions for Trauma-exposed Populations

Approximately 70% of individuals globally have experienced at least one potentially traumatic event during their lifetime (Benjet et al., 2018). While the majority recover naturally, a significant proportion (5.6%) will develop subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Koenen et al., 2018). Among individuals living in war-affected countries, more than half of those with PTSD also present with comorbid depression (Hoppen et al., 2021). Inadequately treated stress-related disorders are associated with unemployment, homelessness, domestic violence, and suicide (Cosic et al., 2020).

A potential solution to address unmet mental health needs following trauma exposure are single-session interventions (SSIs) adapted from longer-form evidence-supported treatments. SSIs offer promise to expand access to care while requiring minimal resources, yet their application to stress-related disorders remains limited. This presentation describes the development of a new trauma-focused SSI, informed by lessons from prior SSIs for trauma exposure, including Psychological First Aid and critical incident stress debriefing, which have shown limited effectiveness or, in some cases, risk of harm. We propose a phased, trauma-informed framework for the ethical design and delivery of SSIs for individuals at risk of developing PTSD and related disorders.

Given the heterogeneity of posttraumatic responses, a one-size-fits-all approach for this population is insufficient. A suite of SSIs may be better suited to serve as low-intensity entry points to care. Effective SSIs must align targets with the appropriate phase of trauma recovery. Avoidance, shame, guilt, moral injury, and trauma-related sleep disturbances are promising targets for SSIs. This intervention development leveraged the BEST framework to enhance user engagement and acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. Next steps include implementing the SSI keeping in mind trauma-informed principles of safety, transparency, choice, cultural responsiveness and ethical delivery to demonstrate how thoughtfully designed SSIs can complement existing continuums of care and support scalable responses to trauma in communities.