Empowerment Self Defense Program for Adult Native Women Survivors of Sexual Violence

Part of paid clinical trials in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Sponsor
University of Michigan
Study ID
NCT07712796
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Depression and Quality of Life
  • PTSD
  • Problem Drinking
  • Sexual Violence
  • Suicidal Ideation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
FEMALE
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Empowerment self-defense training — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will take part in the empowerment self-defense (ESD) program delivered in a small-group format. Sessions will be facilitated by trained facilitators and will focus on empowerment, personal safety skills, boundary setting, communication strategies, and trauma-informed discussions relevant to survivors of sexual violence. Sessions will follow a structured curriculum designed to provide participants with practical skills for recognizing risk, setting boundaries, and responding to potentially harmful situations. Facilitators delivering the program receive training in trauma-informed practice and are already certified to teach the ESD curriculum.

Study Details

The purpose of this study is to culturally adapt and evaluate an empowerment self-defense (ESD) program (i.e., IMpower) for AI/AN women who have experienced SV in their lifetime and currently experiencing moderate to severe levels of depression and/or PTSD symptoms (primary outcomes). Previous research with non-AI/AN women finds that ESD reduces depression and PTSD symptoms, but no research has examined ESD among AI/AN survivors despite calls from our tribal partners to implement ESD with AI/AN adult women survivors. We have assembled an interdisciplinary expert team and Elders/Traditional Knowledge Keepers (TKKs) as well as Survivor Advisory Board (SAB) in the proposed work.

Key Dates

First listed
Jul 20, 2026
Start date
Jul 15, 2026
Status verified
Jul 2026
Primary completion
Jun 14, 2028
Completion
Jun 14, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
14 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION

Arms

  • Experimental: Open Pilot Trial
    Empowerment self-defense curriculum and practical skills training for Indigenous women survivors.

Primary Outcome Measure

Depression [ Time Frame: Past 2 weeks at pre-test (enrollment) and post-test (within 1 week of intervention conclusion). ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Wahwala Iyohlogya/Peaceful MeansPine RidgeSouth Dakota57770
Thalia Wilson, Project Research Coordinator, BS
[email protected]
605-430-9575

Find similar trials in Pine Ridge, SD

By condition
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
Wahwala Iyohlogya/Peaceful Means· Pine Ridge, SD

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