Effectiveness of Trauma-Informed Messaging Among Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence with Adverse Childhood Experience-Related Comorbidities

Abstract

Trauma-informed communication has shown promise in healthcare settings for supporting individuals affected by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), yet its application in public health messaging remains underexplored. Given the strong link between ACEs and intimate partner violence victimization (IPVV), this study designed and tested a trauma-informed, text-based message aimed at promoting trauma understanding and positive behavioral intentions among women experiencing IPVV with self-reported ACEs. The message incorporated two core trauma-informed components—psychoeducation and empowerment—and was evaluated against a conventional IPVV message in a randomized controlled trial (N = 289). Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to receive either the trauma-informed or control message. Outcomes included trauma knowledge, empowerment, and intention to leave an abusive partner. Moderators included ACE-related comorbidities: anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. Results indicated that the trauma-informed message significantly increased trauma knowledge (R² = .15, p < .001), with effects persisting even among women with high anxious attachment (R² = .20, p < .001) and BPD symptoms (R² = .23, p < .001). The message also increased intention to leave an abusive partner, but only among participants with low BPD symptoms (R² = .04, p = .04). No significant effects were found for safety-related empowerment, and the message was not effective among women with avoidant attachment. Findings support the utility of trauma-informed content in brief, nonclinical formats and provide a scalable blueprint for translating trauma-informed principles into public health messaging. While trauma knowledge emerged as the most robust outcome, more complex behavioral changes may require extended exposure. The study highlights the importance of tailoring interventions to individual psychological profiles and calls for further research into scalable communication strategies for populations impacted by ACEs and IPVV.