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Symposia

Mental Health Disparities

Community Engaged and Participatory Strategies Across the Life Span to Characterize and Treat Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

3 - (SYM 18) Perspectives of People with Lived Experiences of Trauma on Formal Mental Health Services and Barriers to Care

Friday, November 21, 2025
5:48 PM - 6:09 PM CST
Location: Celestin C, Level 3
Keywords: Community-Based, PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), Mental Health Disparities
Recommended Readings: Yau, J. H., Wong, E. L. Y., Kanagawa, H. S., Liu, T., Wong, G. H. Y., & Lum, T. Y. S. (2024). Effectiveness of community-based participatory research (CBPR) interventions on mental health outcomes: A systematic review. Social science & medicine (1982), 363, 117491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117491,   Sanders Thompson, V. L., Ackermann, N., Bauer, K. L., Bowen, D. J., & Goodman, M. S. (2021). Strategies of community engagement in research: definitions and classifications. Translational behavioral medicine, 11(2), 441–451. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa042,   Ametaj, A. A., Smith, A. M., & Valentine, S. E. (2021). A Stakeholder-Engaged Process for Adapting an Evidence-Based Intervention for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder for Peer Delivery. Administration and policy in mental health, 48(5), 793–809. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-021-01129-3,   ,  
Abstract Body

Traumatic events are ubiquitous with estimates of 70-80% of adults experiencing at least one event in their lifetime. A subset of those who are exposed to traumatic events experience adverse health and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depressive, and post-traumatic stress disorders, as well as substance use disorders. Although much research has been conducted on the effectiveness of formal mental health services, such as clinical trials for trauma-focused treatment, few studies have examined the views of people with lived experiences of trauma about such services. The present study aims to characterize the perspectives of people with lived experiences of trauma on formal mental health services and barriers to care.

              The current study consists of in-depth semi-structured interviews with people with lived experiences of trauma (N = 40). Participants were recruited from four umbrella types of traumatic events and included adults who experienced or survived: 1) childhood trauma, 2) childhood burns, 3) sexual violence as adults, and 4) terrorist attacks as adults. The sample was selected for variability of types of traumas, both individual and shared traumas, across the lifespan. Qualitative data analyses were based on grounded theory approach with themes that were developed utilizing inductive methods. Team coding was used to develop a study codebook of relevant themes to study research questions. Several important themes emerged related to views of formal mental health services. A common theme among participants was the importance of a trusted therapist who helped them feel seen and understood about their traumatic experiences. Also related to individual therapy, some participants noted that talk therapy about daily stressors was not helpful for their trauma recovery. Participants discussed the importance of peer support from others who shared lived experience of similar traumatic events. In addition, a subset of participants noted the utility of structured group therapy (e.g., dialectical behavior therapy) to their recovery from trauma. Reported barriers to formal services varied. On the individual level, a common theme was the lack of insight into one’s own mental health difficulties due to trauma. At the systemic level, participants discussed lacking insurance coverage, long wait times for receiving services, and specialists who do not accept insurance. Results will be discussed in depth for their implications for mental healthcare access and quality and compared to existing literature.