Psychological interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder in women survivors of intimate partner violence: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most common forms of violence against women. Gender-based violence is a major issue for women throughout their lifespan and comorbid mental health complaints are documented. The estimated worldwide prevalence is nearly 1 in 3, with female survivors reporting physical and/or sexual assault by an intimate partner at some time in their life. Scientific panels are currently addressing interest in both understanding risk factors and improving support services for this population. Up to now, previous research made poor efforts to explore the effectiveness of psychological interventions, in particular psychotherapy, in addressing mental health problems among women survivors of intimate partner violence. Our search aimed to summarize the available literature about psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female survivors with a focus on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in addressing those symptoms. Twenty-six studies providing cognitive-behavioral therapies, psychodrama, interpersonal therapy, and active psychological intervention were included in a systematic review. Meta-analysis was restricted to thirteen studies that implemented cognitive behavioral therapies with similar treatment components. A strong reduction of PTSD severity was found (g = 1.52; 95%-CI = 1.33, 1.71; p <0.01) with moderate to large heterogeneity between studies (I2= 64%; Q = 80.81). Evidence for publication bias was observed (Egger's test; t = 2.396; p = 0.02). Results suggest cognitive behavioral therapy is effective for PTSD symptoms improvement in women survivors of intimate partner violence. The core interventions’ components included psychoeducation, relaxation with diaphragmatic breathing, trauma exposure, imagery, and problem-solving.