Survivors of Sex Trafficking: Occupation-Based Interventions for Executive Functioning

NCT03611998 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: LSUHSCIRB9383
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 8
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Persons traumatized through sex trafficking can demonstrate similar neurobehavioral and executive function (EF) deficits as persons with cortical injuries. In this pilot study, occupation-based activity (OBA) programming was implemented at a residence for females who had been trafficked. The study hypothesis was that OBA would facilitate development of EF skills in these clients, enabling more successful occupational performance. Method: Eight women engaged in OBA sessions over the course of eight months. Session objectives were to maximize independence in daily life skills and to foster EF component skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, cooperation, direction following and appropriate self-expression. Outcome measures used were the Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Occupational Therapy Task Observation Scale (OTTOS). Results: Gains were seen from baseline to final session in COPM score changes meeting minimally clinical difference, and OTTOS scores showing significant improvement: t(7)= -2.49, p=.04. Preliminary findings suggest that occupation-based programming may facilitate development of EF skills in sex-trafficked women.

Conditions

Sex Trafficking; Mental Disorder

Keywords

Sex trafficking; Occupational therapy; Occupation-based programming; Activity-based programming; Brain trauma

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT)

  The EFPT is a task-based measure where clients engage in actual functional tasks, including a simple cooking activity, use of telephone to obtain public information, organization of a medication routine, and money management. The number of cues needed to perform each task and the type of cue used is recorded. The EFPT measures the construct of executive function.

  8 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)

  8 months

• The Occupational Therapy Task Observation Scale (OTTOS)

  8 months

Study Arms (1)

Survivors of Sex Trafficking

EXPERIMENTAL

Survivors of sex trafficking (SST) who were living in a residential facility participated in this project by receiving occupation-based programming to address limitations in executive function skills over the course of the 8-month project. Sessions were held twice-monthly for an hour duration at each session.

Behavioral: Occupation-based programming

Interventions

Occupation-based programming BEHAVIORAL

Group sessions consisted of specific tasks performed to completion that emphasized skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, frustration tolerance, appropriate pacing, attention, inquiring, sequencing, gathering, organizing, adjusting, responding, enduring, initiating and cooperating. Examples of tasks included projects that the women were specifically interested in learning such as jewelry making, holiday decorations, clay work and other home décor projects. Investigators observed these and other behaviors during the group sessions, and scored individuals using the OTTOS instrument.

Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Gender Eligibility Details: Project performance site was a residential facility for women who were sex-trafficked; Typically women are the gender involved in this activity.
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Participant had to be a resident of the performance site and have a history of being sex-trafficked.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants were not enrolled if behavioral issues prevented participation or impacted the safety of others as determined by resident directors

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans: lead

Study Sites (1)

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States

Location

Related Publications (7)

• Babcock, E. (2014). Using brain science as a way out of poverty. Crittenton Women's Union. @http://s3.amazonaws.com/empath-website/pdf/Research-UsingBrainScienceDesignPathwaysPoverty-0114.pdf.

  BACKGROUND

• Hemmings S, Jakobowitz S, Abas M, Bick D, Howard LM, Stanley N, Zimmerman C, Oram S. Responding to the health needs of survivors of human trafficking: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2016 Jul 29;16:320. doi: 10.1186/s12913-016-1538-8.

  PMID: 27473258 BACKGROUND

• Newby A, McGuinness TM. Human trafficking: what psychiatric nurses should know to help children and adolescents. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2012 Apr;50(4):21-4. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20120307-03. Epub 2012 Mar 14.

  PMID: 22421012 BACKGROUND

• Perry, B. D. (2009). Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: Clinical applications of the neurosequential model of therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14(4), 240-255. 10.1080/15325020903004350 Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020903004350

  BACKGROUND

• Baum CM, Connor LT, Morrison T, Hahn M, Dromerick AW, Edwards DF. Reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the Executive Function Performance Test: a measure of executive function in a sample of people with stroke. Am J Occup Ther. 2008 Jul-Aug;62(4):446-55. doi: 10.5014/ajot.62.4.446.

  PMID: 18712007 BACKGROUND

• Law M, Baptiste S, McColl M, Opzoomer A, Polatajko H, Pollock N. The Canadian occupational performance measure: an outcome measure for occupational therapy. Can J Occup Ther. 1990 Apr;57(2):82-7. doi: 10.1177/000841749005700207.

  PMID: 10104738 BACKGROUND

• Margolis RL, Harrison SA, Robinson HJ, Jayaram G. Occupational therapy task observation scale (OTTOS): a rapid method for rating task group function of psychiatric patients. Am J Occup Ther. 1996 May;50(5):380-5. doi: 10.5014/ajot.50.5.380.

  PMID: 8728668 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Mental Disorders; Brain Injuries, Traumatic

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Injuries; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Craniocerebral Trauma; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• Shannon W. Mangum, MPS, LOTR

  Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: One group, pretest-posttest design

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 2, 2018
• First Posted: August 2, 2018
• Study Start: September 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: March 31, 2017
• Study Completion: April 30, 2017
• Last Updated: August 3, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)