Passport to Freedom: A Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Program for Previously Incarcerated Women.
Patty R Wilson, Emma Jagasia, Jennifer Lee, Kimberly Hill, Alexis Peay, Shawna Q Murray-Browne, Kamila A Alexander, Jacqueline Campbell, Phyllis Sharps
Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services June 1, 2024 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20231206-02 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractFormerly incarcerated women often experience poly-victimization, leading to health problems that hinder daily functioning, employment, and housing. Passport to Freedom (P2F), a trauma-informed reentry program, was piloted in 2017 to address connections between trauma and health, coping, and self-management. In a mixed-methods study with 24 participants, depression symptoms and everyday stress concerns decreased after the intervention. Most participants (84%) reported practicing mindfulness, and 63% said mindfulness exercises helped with daily stress management. The program shows promise for supporting health self-management in this population.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Mixed methods study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Formerly incarcerated women |
| Interventions | mindfulness exercises health promotion activities |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Participants showed decreased symptoms of depression and concerns of everyday stressors after the intervention, with 84% practicing mindfulness and 63% reporting it helped with daily stress management. |
Abstract
Poly-victimization is often reported by formerly incarcerated women and leads to physical and mental health problems that interfere with daily functioning, sustained employment, and housing stability. Although reentry programs exist, few focus on the physical and emotional impact of multiple traumas. Passport to Freedom (P2F), a woman-centered, trauma-informed reentry program, was developed to support formerly incarcerated women. The pilot intervention, performed in 2017, focused on the connections between trauma and health, coping with symptoms, and managing one's own health. To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention, we performed the current mixed methods study with two phases: (1) focus groups, and (2) sessions combining mindfulness and health promotion activities with follow-up evaluations. Participants (N = 24) showed decreased symptoms of depression and concerns of everyday stressors after the intervention. Of participants, 84% (n = 16) reported practicing mindfulness and 63% (n = 8) stated that mindfulness exercises helped with daily stress management. The P2F program offers a promising approach to support formerly incarcerated women with health self-management. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(6), 18-26.].